Citygate provided an Interim Planning Director for the City and prepared an organizational assessment report of the Planning Division and the development review permitting process. The initial scope of this study was designed to have Citygate provide an organizational assessment of City’s Planning Division and a multi-year plan to rebuild the Division into a “best practices” organization. Early on in the assessment, it became apparent that many of the problems perceived as “Planning Department” problems were, in fact, interdepartmental in nature. As a result, the assessment was broadened to take in the overall development review permitting process. Citygate proceeded with the study with the following objectives: provide an independent, third party analysis of the policies, procedures, management and operations of the Planning Division, and design a creative strategy to improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness; discuss alternative operating models and make recommendations for changes in the Planning Division; examine the development review permitting process model and make recommendations for changes. The City Council enthusiastically embraced the findings and recommendations in Citygate’s report. The City formed a dynamic Development Review Team. This resulted in increased interdepartmental cooperation and coordination. Duties were re-assigned so that planners could focus on planning rather than administrative tasks. The City fully implemented their electronic permit tracking system (Accela) in both the Building Division and Planning Division. In a follow-on engagement, Citygate was asked to assist the City in improving its permit processing-related customer service. Citygate took the various departmental and functional leaders and participants through a character-building training set of exercises to establish common values, norms, vocabulary, and behaviors for positive customer outcomes.

Citygate conducted an organization analysis of Clark County’s Permit Services Division of the Community Development Department. The objective of the study was to analyze the policies, procedures, management, and operations of the Permit Services Division and to make recommendations for improving the development and permitting related services provided by the County to its citizens and stakeholders. To accomplish this objective, we evaluated the Permit Services organizational model and management systems, organizational relationships, allocation of employees and other resources, data management, personnel management and training, records management, communications, information systems, facilities and equipment, fiscal management, relationships with citizens, employee morale, and related aspects to determine if these are in alignment with the departments’ mission and policies.

Provide guidance to the Lee County Community Development Director in the area of state-of-the-art technology support for community development functions, including but not limited to document management, electronic permitting, and review of best practices in other comparable jurisdictions with similar levels of activity.

Citygate assessed critical land development processes, including Environmental Review, Improvement Plan Check, Building Plan Check, and Final Map Approval Plan Check for Placer County’s Land Development Departments. This assessment involved working with department heads, senior managers, staff, and key stakeholders to review operation, organization, and staffing issues that affect the effectiveness, efficiency, and timeliness of the permitting process. This assessment resulted in approximately 50 recommendations and an Action Plan for their implementation.