Development services review council presentation may 25

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Development Services Review City of Fort St. John Presentation to Council

May 25th, 2015

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Agenda i.

Introduction

ii.

Project Overview

iii. Key Findings and Issues iv. Key Recommendations v.

Implementation Plan

vi. Conclusion & Next Steps

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Project Overview •

Background information and research

•

Interviews with council, department staff, external parties, and other key stakeholders

•

Best practices / Benchmarking scan

•

Diagnostic report

•

Recommendations report

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Key Findings and Issues KEY AREA I: PROCESSES Finding 1:

The application process is paper driven

Finding 2:

The application process is unclear to applicants

Finding 3:

Application submissions are incomplete and of poor quality

Finding 4:

Developers perceive that the development permit process is burdened at the front-end

Finding 5:

There is no single point of contact assigned to each application

Finding 6:

Process automation is not effectively used to track applications

Finding 7:

Internal referral response rates are slow and incomplete

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Key Findings and Issues KEY AREA I: PROCESSES (CONT’D) Finding 8:

The external referral process is largely unstructured and challenged to due growth in the region

Finding 9:

Developers perceive reviewers’ comments as inappropriate and inconsistent

Finding 10:

Process delays are associated with clients’ external consultants

Finding 11:

Process delays are associated with the city’s engineering data

Finding 12:

The conflict resolution process is largely unknown

Finding 13:

Industry representatives perceive inspections as slow

Finding 14:

Process documentation is poor

Finding 15:

The department has inadequate records management

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Key Findings and Issues KEY AREA II: FEES AND BONDS Finding 16

Timing of security releases is unclear

KEY AREA III: COMMUNICATION & COLLABORATION Finding 17:

Communication between city staff and developers is inconsistent

Finding 18:

There are no formal communication checkpoints throughout the development process

Finding 19:

There is insufficient communication to the industry about broader issues

Finding 20:

The city recently implemented pre-planning meetings

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Key Findings and Issues KEY AREA IV: BYLAWS, ZONING AND STANDARDS Finding 21: Finding 22: Finding 23: Finding 24: Finding 25: Finding 26: Finding 27: 20/05/2015

Changing bylaws cause complications midway through projects Developers feel bylaws are too restrictive and design focused There are unreasonable requirements to gain occupancy permits Implementing exterior building improvements is costly and time consuming Lot grading requirements are tied to subdivision approval Placements of catch basins double capacity Developers perceive fire flow calculation requirement as unnecessary Confidential

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Key Findings and Issues KEY AREA V: COUNCIL Finding 28:

Council is making the right level of decisions

Finding 29:

Council has limited information on process performance

Finding 30:

Developers perceive council’s expectations as unclear

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Key Findings and Issues KEY AREA V: STAFF TRAINING & LEADERSHIP Finding 31:

The city has experienced insufficient staffing in recent years

Finding 32:

Development staff also support public works

Finding 33:

Staff have high level of variability in training and experience

Finding 34:

Roles and responsibilities are unclear

Finding 35:

The city ranks well in service speed

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Key Recommendations KEY AREA I: PROCESSES Recommendation 1: Improve the application process –One-window service offering

–Enable online applications –Enable online fee payment –Enhance online resources

–Establish early decision points for decision making –Build milestones into the development process Recommendation 2: Improve the circulation process

–Use electronic platforms for status tracking –Establish a system for file management 20/05/2015

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Key Recommendations KEY AREA I: PROCESSES (CONT’D) Recommendation 3: Review options for improving flexibility in the timing of security releases Recommendation 4: Accelerate speed of engineering information requests Recommendation 5: Establish writing and process documentation standards

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Key Recommendations KEY AREA II: COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION Recommendation 6: Implement single point of contact Recommendation 7: Improve the communication process

KEY AREA III: BYLAWS, ZONING & STANDARDS Recommendation 8: Change the requirement for fence permits

Recommendation 9: Consider implementing more neighbourhood plans

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Key Recommendations KEY AREA IV: COUNCIL DECISION-MAKING Recommendation 10: Implement the Citizens First toolkit to benchmark citizen satisfaction

Recommendation 11: Implement a performance management framework

KEY AREA V: STAFFING, TRAINING & LEADERSHIP Recommendation 12: Develop a planning consultant procurement plan Recommendation 13: Proceed with the planned organizational structure changes Recommendation 14: Establish a succession plan 20/05/2015

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Implementation in 0-90 Days PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS •

• • • • • •

Modify the application process: o Improve online resources o Establish early decision points o Build milestones into development processes Improve circulation o Launch electronic status tracking Review options for improving flexibility in the timing of security releases Accelerate speed of engineering information requests Implement single points of contact Proceed with planned organizational structure changes Improve the communication process to act as checkpoints for the process

OTHER IMPROVEMENTS • • •

Initiate process to change to the requirement for fence permits Develop a planning consultant procurement plan through a standing offer agreement Plan/map out the implementation of the Citizens First toolkit

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Implementation in 90-180 Days PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS •

•

Improve circulation o Plan to implement file management system Establish writing and process documentation standards

OTHER IMPROVEMENTS • • • • •

Change the requirements for fence permits Begin to draft neighbourhood plans Execute the planning consultant procurement plan Implement the Citizens First toolkit Draft the performance management framework

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Implementation in 180+ Days PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS •

Modify the application process: o Launch a one window service offering and online application o Enable online fee payment

•

Improve circulation o Implement a file management system

•

Post implementation review

OTHER IMPROVEMENTS •

Implement neighbourhood plans

•

Implement the performance management framework

•

Post implementation review

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Conclusion Recommendations will: •

Address issues from the diagnostic report

•

Will allow the City to meet rapidly growing demands

•

Streamline and improve processes to increase efficiency, productivity, and quality of services to citizens

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Conclusion

Questions?

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