FROM THE CIT Y OF TORRANCE CITY’S PERMIT CENTER
Helping Customers and Staff Save Time to Better Balance Life and Business BY GESUINA PARAS In a true effort to cut bureaucratic red tape and improve efficiency and customer service, on Monday, May 2, 2011 at 4:30 p.m., the City of Torrance cut the ceremonial ribbon and opened the doors to its new Permit Center at the City Hall East Annex located at 3031 Torrance Blvd. The City of Torrance Permit Center provides a central location for all development, building permits, business license, fire prevention and payment needs in one central location. Registrations for Oversized Vehicle Permits will also be handled at the Center. Mayor Frank Scotto commended the City’s vigilance, dedication and perseverance to complete this project, “Their [The City staff’s] dedication helped us listen to our customers, identify the need behind their feedback, then develop a compre-
hensive solution to improve what we offer and how to serve them. They [staff], welcomed the change knowing it would help serve the community more efficiently.” The Center entailed a facelift of the East Annex of Torrance’s City Hall between the existing City Treasurer’s and City Clerk’s Offices. Its development and construction involved closing six existing public counters and combining them into the new Center. In addition to structural work to a City Hall area that was originally constructed in 1956, the Permit Center also offered the opportunity to review existing processes, workflow, staffing and technology. The project gave the City the chance to implement best practices from each operational area for greater efficiency in serving the community’s needs. So, not only does the
establishment of the Permit Center allow City staff to provide better customer service, it allows staff to work more efficiently together. The idea of a permit center began during the development of its 10-year Strategic Plan in the 1990s. Through the years, various divisions identified a common need to provide better customer service by improving workspaces and assessing business practices. In time, the City stored up enough resources to undertake this significant construction project. The City allocated $1.9 million for this project, which was completed under budget. With its easy access from Torrance Boulevard, the new City of Torrance Permit Center offers a convenient, centralized location where one’s permitting needs will be met with greater efficiency.
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