06-23-14 Regular Meeting of La Porte City Council

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i.Ensure that the drawing of the existing utilities is provided to the applicant as part of the response to the applicant. ii.If NaviLine is continued to be used to track utility verification requests, save a PDF of the utility drawing as an attachment to the NaviLine file so that all data related to the request can be obtained in one location. 4.Until NaviLine is able to produce the information needed for the monthly reports, the reports should be reconfigured to eliminate the time and effort needed to track information manually. Currently, some data for the monthly and quarterly reports is tracked manually because it is not accessible from NaviLine. The Department has considered dispensing of manual collection of information that may no longer have administrative value. 5.Establish and publish plan review time goals for the most commonly issued permits. This information will provide the customer with a reasonable expectation and establish accountability for the staff. There has been an unwritten policy that dictates building plan review turn-around time goals. These review time goals have now been incorporated into a written department policy by which the public can reasonably expect response. 6.Allow simple plan sets to be reviewed quickly while more complex plan sets are being reviewed in the background. To expedite simpler plan sets, establish and use a priority process rather than a chronological (first come-first served) policy. Permits that require a shorter plan review time, such as fence, roof, fill dirt, portable sign, demolition, etc. continue to be fast-tracked. Additionally, staff continues to issue over-the-counter permits for plumbing, electrical and mechanical work. 7.Establish a simplified fence permitting process. The current system is both time consuming and expensive and is a source of consistent frustration and complaints. To expedite standard fence replacements in the same location, do not require site plans or formal surveys. Utilize standard details as a condition of approval (setting posts, attachment of runners and pickets, etc.). If a fence is on a common property line, perhaps require consent from the neighbor to waive the site plan requirement. As a further relaxation, the site plan requirement for new fences could also be waived with location restrictions being issued as permit conditions. The fence permitting process has been simplified by eliminating the requirement for a survey. In lieu of a survey, staff is allowing the customer to submit plan grade information. This has been adopted by departmental policy. 8 Planning Department Review Mueller Management/Ron Cox Consulting