TO: Committee of the Whole - Planning and Public Works
FROM: Mayor Angela Birney
DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR CONTACT(S):
|
Planning and Community Development |
Carol Helland |
425-556-2107 |
|
Public Works |
Aaron Bert |
425-556-2786 |
|
Fire |
Chief Sheppard |
425-556-2201 |
DEPARTMENT STAFF:
|
Planning and Community Development |
Jason Lynch |
Deputy Director |
|
Planning and Community Development |
Travis Salley |
Development Services Center Manager |
TITLE:
title
Process Improvement Effort Update
OVERVIEW STATEMENT:
recommendation
The City hired Matrix Consulting Group to provide process improvement services related to development review. The Matrix contract and scope of work were approved by the City Council on the May 21, 2024, Consent Agenda. City of Redmond - File #: AM No. 24-070 (legistar.com) <https://redmond.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6693812&GUID=F8A17DB7-9569-4085-AAD4-B8E363AEFD34> The consultant support is being used to help streamline and improve consistency and predictability of the City’s permitting and inspection functions, which are supported by the departments of Planning and Community Development, Public Works, and Fire. Three interim deliverables have been completed by the Matrix Consulting Group and are attached to this memorandum to keep Council apprised of the progress being made on the process improvement effort.
body
☒ Additional Background Information/Description of Proposal Attached
REQUESTED ACTION:
☒ Receive Information ☐ Provide Direction ☐ Approve
REQUEST RATIONALE:
• Relevant Plans/Policies:
Comprehensive Plan
Economic Vitality-1 Provide a positive, accessible and “user-friendly” atmosphere to those seeking municipal services.
Economic Vitality-2 Foster a culture throughout the City organization that continuously improves the quality, predictability, timeliness and cost of the development process.
Economic Vitality-12 Evaluate development regulations periodically to:
• Ensure that uses not previously contemplated and that are consistent with the intent of the Comprehensive Plan can locate within the city; and
• Review development standards, timelines and fees to promote predictability and consistency.
• Required:
Second Substitute Senate Bill 5290 <https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2023-24/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Laws/Senate/5290-S2.SL.pdf?q=20231101133548> was signed by the Governor on May 8, 2023. This bill requires cities to report permit performance to Commerce starting in 2024 and to meet permit timelines starting in 2025. Improvements to the permitting enterprise are necessary to accomplish the requirements contained in this bill.
• Council Request:
N/A
• Other Key Facts:
N/A
OUTCOMES:
The Development Services Process Improvement Effort is being developed in partnership with all permit review teams and with support from the consultant to identify key opportunities for permit process improvement. The engagement with Matrix Consulting Group will culminate in the creation of an improvement action plan. With this plan, the City of Redmond will be well prepared to streamline processes and create transparent reporting on permit and inspection throughput and staff utilization.
COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH AND INVOLVEMENT:
• Timeline (previous or planned):
The Matrix Consulting Group has completed three interim deliverables to-date. These documents are described in the Feedback Summary below. The consulting team is now transitioning to the analysis phase of this engagement. They will be reviewing the current processes to recommend modifications to streamline work efforts and provide a more predictable process. Next steps include draft analysis, findings, and recommendations focused on process and timeline improvement, technology, staffing, and organizational needs. The draft analysis, findings, and recommendations will be provided to the City’s project team by the end of the year. A study session will be scheduled with the City Council to review recommended modifications to development services practices in early 2025.
• Outreach Methods and Results:
Staff interviews, customer surveys, and customer focus groups were conducted between June and October 2024.
• Feedback Summary:
Current State Profile: Documents the current approaches utilized by the City in providing its development review services to the community. No analysis or findings are contained in this document. It is an interim deliverable focused on documenting organizational structure; roles, responsibilities, and service delivery approaches; allocation of staff and workload; the current technology platforms utilized; and level of customer service provided. This document summarizes the current state of staffing allocations, duties, and processes and will allow for comparisons between the current state and the recommendations developed for the final report so that the impact of proposed changes can be demonstrated and tracked. Refer to Attachment A.
Development Review Stakeholder Outreach Analysis: Documents the process utilized to conduct a questionnaire and facilitate focus group conversations with prior customers of the City’s development review process, and summarizes the findings from these efforts. A common theme was dissatisfaction with processing timelines across disciplines. Applicants working in technical fields tended to have higher satisfaction ratings than homeowners and business owners. Customer service was noted as a strength with many respondents commenting that staff are experienced and professional. The online portal also had many comments pertaining to its efficiency and ease of use. Refer to Attachment B.
Best Management Practices Assessment: Reports on initial key findings and opportunities related to the development review, permitting, and inspection processes for the City. To assess the City’s operational strengths and improvement opportunities, the Matrix Consulting Group utilized a set of best management practices against which they evaluated the various operations and processes used in the City’s permitting and inspection lines of business. Refer to Attachment C.
BUDGET IMPACT:
Total Cost:
The contract for consulting services is not to exceed $145,000.
Approved in current biennial budget: ☒ Yes ☐ No ☐ N/A
Budget Offer Number:
0000042 Development Services
Budget Priority:
Vibrant and Connected
Other budget impacts or additional costs: ☐ Yes ☐ No ☒ N/A
If yes, explain:
N/A
Funding source(s):
General Fund, Development Staffing Agreements
Budget/Funding Constraints:
N/A
☐ Additional budget details attached
COUNCIL REVIEW:
Previous Contact(s)
|
Date |
Meeting |
Requested Action |
|
5/7/2024 |
Committee of the Whole - Planning and Public Works |
Receive Information |
Proposed Upcoming Contact(s)
|
Date |
Meeting |
Requested Action |
|
|
None proposed at this time |
N/A |
Time Constraints:
N/A
ANTICIPATED RESULT IF NOT APPROVED:
N/A
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A - Current State Assessment
Attachment B - Stakeholder Outreach Analysis
Attachment C - Best Management Practices Assessment