Streamlining Permitting Processes With Community Development

Permitting processes are vital to local government operations and play a crucial role in ensuring public safety, promoting economic development and maintaining community standards. However, outdated technology and permitting methods often involve cumbersome paperwork, long wait times and a significant administrative burden.  

Having a modern community development software is key to streamlining permitting processes and transforming the way local governments manage development activities.  

Efficiency With Community Development Software 

Your community development software should digitize and automate your permitting process. A modern solution should allow applicants to easily submit permit applications online, eliminating the need for physical documents, and ultimately reducing processing time.  

This streamlined approach simplifies the application process and also accelerates the entire permitting timeline, allowing businesses to commence their projects expeditiously. This efficiency is a benefit for both applicants and government agencies, as it minimizes administrative burdens and fosters economic growth. 

Moreover, your community development solution must prioritize transparency and communication, addressing a fundamental need in the permitting process. It should offer real-time tracking capabilities, enabling both applicants and your staff to monitor the status of permits as they progress through the system.  

This transparency not only empowers applicants with insights into the status of their applications and it also builds trust within the community. Citizens and businesses can now have a clearer view of the permitting process, which enhances their confidence in local government procedures. 

Automation and Workflow Management 

Automation plays a critical role in community development and streamlining permitting processes. Automating routine tasks such as data entry, document verification, and communication with applicants, can significantly reduce the time it takes to process permits. 

Automation enables better resource allocation and utilization. When employees aren’t constrained by repetitive administrative tasks, organizations can allocate staff to more value-added activities such as conducting thorough reviews, addressing complex issues and providing guidance to applicants.  

This not only enhances the quality of permit approvals, but it also allows staff to focus on more strategic aspects of community development, ultimately driving sustainable growth and improvement. 

The capability to automate processes is also important for implementing data-driven decision-making. By collecting and analyzing data on permit applications and approvals, local governments can identify bottlenecks, areas for improvement and trends in development projects.  

This information is helpful to make informed decisions about zoning regulations, infrastructure investments and overall community development strategies. It also enables them to adapt and respond to changing community needs more effectively. 

Ultimately, automating your permitting processes enhances customer satisfaction. Residents and businesses often find the permitting process cumbersome and time-consuming. Automation can simplify the application process, provide clear guidance and offer self-service options, making it more user-friendly. 

This improves the experience for applicants and also promotes economic development by attracting businesses to the community. 

Greely, CO Streamlines Processes With CentralSquare Community Development 

The city of Greeley, Colorado, has greatly benefited from implementing CentralSquare’s Community Development Software. With a population of around 120,000 people, Greeley sought a software solution that could streamline its building permit and project tracking processes.  

One of the most significant transformations for the city of Greely was digitizing operations by using our cloud-based system. Greeley transitioned from a paper-heavy approach to a digital, paperless system. Nearly 99% of their applications are now digitized, eliminating the need for massive physical storage spaces.

The software not only addressed their paper-based challenges, but it also allowed them to extend their service hours beyond traditional office times, making services available 24/7.  

This change in accessibility has enabled residents to apply for permits and projects at any time, even in the middle of the night, improving convenience and efficiency. Additionally, the software has facilitated online payments, reducing the need for in-house collections and increasing revenue collected online to around 95%.  

The decision to embrace CentralSquare’s Community Development Software has not only streamlined their processes, but has also fostered a more responsive, accessible and efficient environment for residents and businesses alike. 

Improver Your Operations and Citizen Experience 

Our community development software is a transformative solution for local governments seeking to modernize and optimize their permitting processes. By automating workflows, enhancing transparency and facilitating collaboration, it streamlines the journey from permit application to approval. 

Get a free demo and learn how your organization can benefit from our technology.