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Home My WebLink About2004-02-02 City Council (7)TO: City of Palo Alto City Manager’s Report HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PLANNLNG AND COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT DATE: SUBJECT: February 2, 2004 STATUS OF AUDIT IMPLEMENTATION CMR: 136:04 This is an informational staff report. No Council action is required. BACKGROUND In accordance with the 2003-04 Audit Plan, the City Auditor presented findings related to the City’s development review process to the Policy and Services Committee on October 15, 2003. The Auditor’s report included thirty-four recommendations related to the current development review process. The report also included a response from the City Manager supporting the Auditor’s findings and provided preliminary comments regarding implementation of each recommendation. The Policy and Services Committee directed staff to begin implementation of the audit recommendations immediately, and also directed staff to return with regular updates on changes to the development review process. The purpose of this report is to provide an update on recommendations that have been implemented, and provide a status report of those underway. DISCUSSION Following the Policy and Services Committee the City Manager issued a directive to Executive Staff advising them of the upcoming changes related to the audit and the level of cooperation and support expected across departments. In October, the Director of Planning and Community Environment established a core implementation team, including staff from the Attorney’s office as well as building and planning divisions. The team coordinates the implementation plan with staff from the City Manager’s Office and City Auditor’s Office. Key accomplishments to-date include: 4-week turnaround time for plan check With cooperation from each department providing services at the Development Center the turn-around time for the first review of plans submitted for a building permit has been reduced from 8 weeks to 4. In November, staff met this target for 93% of applications. The 4-week turn-around time target was met on 92% of applications in December. To meet this CMR:136:04 Page 1 of 3 target staff has re-prioritized tasks and increased utilization of contracted plan check services when necessary. Establish turnaround times that meet or beat Permit Streamlining Act Requirements The Chief Planning Official provided direction to staff regarding the California Permit Streamlining Act requirements at staff meetings in November and December. The timelines will also be described in a memorandum to be distributed to staff addressing performance guidelines related to tracking and publishing dates on staff reports per the audit recommendations. The guidelines were discussed in concept at a retreat with the Architectural Review Board in November 2003 and with the Planning and Transportation Commission at a special meeting January 7, 2004. Draft streamlined processes and appeals Simplifying and reducing the number of development review processes and appeals require amendments to the City’s Municipal Code. The City Attorney and staff presented a set of streamlined processes, including simplified appeals, to the Planning and Transportation Commission on January 7, 2004. Staff is now drafting code amendments based on the feedback received at that meeting, for review at the Planning and Transportation Commission retreat February 18, public meeting March 3, and ultimately City Council March 15, 2004. Log of interpretations/pending code changes The City Auditor recommended a log of legal interpretations and precedents that could be used to assist in future decision-making. Planning staff is implementing three measures: First, Planning staff and the City Attorney’s Office are currently indexing all existing zoning code interpretations. Second, regularly used interpretations and procedures will be incorporated into an Administrative Procedure Manual. Finally, the Planning Division, with the assistance of the City Attorney’s Office, will annually review the Zoning Ordinance to determine if code amendments are necessary due to changes in state law or for the purpose of clarification. Training Formal training in laws, regulations and other subjects related to development review has also been addressed. On December 7, 2003 the Planning and Community Development Department sponsored training by the American Institute of Architects, which was provided to staff as well as to members of the Architectural Review Board. This class was the first of a monthly series developed by the Current Planning Manager and Chief Planning Official to provide ongoing training to staff regarding design, architecture, customer service, CEQA regulations, and other related topics (attachment A). A similar training program is under development for plan check and inspection staff by the Chief Building Official. CMR:136:04 Page 2 of 3 Remaining items The status of each action item related the Auditor’s recommendations is included in the "Implementation Plan, Development Review Audit" report (attachment B). A draft of the status report was provided to the Planning and Transportation Commission during its first review of the process changes proposed by staff and City Attorney. Staff will continue to provide updates on the implementation of the auditor’s recommendations until they are completed. RESOURCE IMPACT Additional resources for implementation will be included in the Mid-Year Budget currently being prepared for finance committee and council review. Resources may also be included in the FY2004/05 budget process. ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: Training Schedule 2004 Attachment B: Implementation Plan, Development Review Audit PREPARED BY: HEAT~PE ~/<" Ad~trat.~ DEPARTMENT HEAD: //~~d~.~~ ~"/!~TEVE EMSLIE Director of Planni.’ng and Community Environment CITY MANAGER APPROVAL .~ EMILY HARRISON Assistant City Manager CMR:136:04 Page 3 of 3 Attachment A: Training Schedule 2004 Monthly Tuesday Morning Meetings Planning Division Date Category Topic Trainers Dec. 9 Design Architecture 101 AIA S.Clara January 13 Department documents SOFA I and II John,Lisa,Jon,Virginia February 10 Department programs Charleston Corridor Joe,Gayle,Lisa March 9 Department documents E1 Camino/Baylands Virginia April 13 Historic Palo Alto Sec’y Stds/history Dennis May 11 Department programs Housing/CDBG Cathy, Eloiza June 15 Legal aspects Findings/conditions Dan, Lance July 13 City documents Subdivisions Mike N August 10 Design Noise,Lighting,Solar Rich Rodkin September 14 Code Enforcement Condition monitoring Lisa,Chris,Brian October 12 Legal aspects Takings/CEQA/conflict Dan/Wynne November 9 Transportation Traffic Engineering Joe,Carl December 14 Individual Review Mediation skills Project Sentinel Ongoing: ¯Customer service training Department-wide. Heather coordinating ¯Sections of our zoning code methodically studied ("lesson plan" each week all other weeks throughout year, 4 chapters per month) Ride-alongs with code inspectors to see how field inspections are performed Recommendation 1 2 3 Due Date Dec-03 Dec-03 Jan-04 Depts in addtion to PCE Staff Action Item IMPLEMENTATION PLAN DEVELOPMENT REVIEW AUDIT Establish turnaround times that meet or beat Califomia Permit Streamlining Act requirements. Educate staff, boards, and applicants of guidelines, procedures. Include project-specific dates on staff reports, effective December 1. Establish performance standards for timeliness of development reviews Monitor and report. Lead Staff Comments Lisa Amy, Lisa Lisa Chief Planning Official has clarified for staff and ARB at Oct 2003 and Jan 2004 retreat. Done Performance measures have been developed. ’ Implementation targeted for Feb 2004 ............... 4 5 7,8,9 10 11 12 13 14 Feb-04 Feb-04 Feb-04 Mar-04 Jan-04 Feb-04 Dec-03 Feb-04 Mar-04 PW,UTIL,FIRE ATTY * ATTY ATTY * AUD, ATTY *Reduce the number of development review processes. * Establish one standard appeal process Revise the zoning ordinance for SFR: same process as minor projects Develop a plan for intensifying use of DRC to a weekly basis including all review staff, and producing consolidated comments. Assign single point of contact for each new building permit and planning application. Provide this information to each applicant with permit and application material. Review policies and municipal code for staff level review of minor development review applications. City Attorney preparing an opinion. Develop policy to expedite hearings, limit continuances & rehearings. Modify Muni code: Planning director authorized to approve/deny/refer major projects in the absence of a timely ARB recommendation, in conformance with the California Permit Streamlining Act. Cladfy authority and responsibilities of the Architectural Review Board based on updated review and appeal processes. Lisa, Amy, Jon A Draft process changes presented to Planning & Transportation Commission, code revisions being prepared, tentatively scheduled for PTC and Council review in Feb and March 2004 Dan, Lisa Amy Lisa, Chds M Mike Lisa Dan Lisa/Steven Dan Planning ~ommission provided di~ec{i0n UPon ..... annual review Dec-03, including NOT persuing a ministeral process for Individual Review. Next review scheduled for Feb 25, 2004~ Guidelines are under development. Hand-oui materiais under revision ~o~Jvise buiding- permit applicant~ of c~ntact ........................................ Project Manager routinely assigned to each planning application Originally planned for Dec 2003, gr0upedwith o~her process & code changes scheduled for Feb 2004 . , One-continuance policy reviewed with staff and w/ ARB at retreat in Oct 2003. Will be formalized by director in Feb 2004 ARB guidelines will be revised to reflect updated policy. . Included in code amendments and process changes (#-4 & 5) Dan Steven, Amy, Lisa ARB liaison is reviewing guidelines and will recommend changes at retreat in Jan 2004 1/28/2004 * Municipal Code change is anticipated page 1 of :~ Depts Attachment B: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN~ DEVELOPMENT REVIEW AUDIT Recommendation Due Date in addtion to PCE Staff Action Item Lead Staff Comments i i Clarify authority and responsibilities of the the Planning and Transportation Commission Dan Included in code amendments and process changes15Mar-04 t AUD, ATTY’ ~i i based on updated review and appeal processes Lisa, Steve #4 & 5) I ’Orientation materials have been indexed. Materials ~Prepare orientation materials for board and commission members. Coordinate training with ’assembled for new council member and ARB16Nov-03 ’---~.n~--~-item number 14 & 15 (clarify role of ARB/PTC).Lisa, Zariah ’ member. Materials will be revised as processes I ............., and j_nfo__r~_a.t_io_~¯i Develop 2-page summary staff report template, including dates from rec. #2 Report-04 ,Lisa !Under development.17 Feb .feedback from each board and commission. .......,f’~:~ ...........................~~ .!permit~ due dates have been owered to 4 weeks for1~1 NOV-U~~Lowerau~lalng perm~trev~ewaueaaTesTo~.weeKs a aepartmenTs. [v’u;~-, v’w, I-re, U/IL) i ~-rea ! .....i i ~l_a~m_enTs. ............ i ............i ..............."~r~/ide ~ r~p~rt 0n pe~nce related t-o ~:w~e~< d[J~ d-ai~ for ~acl~ di~i~i~n~l-~rtm~r~t. ........................!~.. -. ........7--.. .........i----.---.i*-~---~--o uverall p~-r~ormance In rlovemDer for TIFS[ plan19iJan-04 i~Prepare mid-year budget amendment (if needed) to meet 4-week due dates 90’/o of the time Fred Mike ^~.^^,. ............................ ! .............f~r b_u!l~jng .~e._r~mit revi~ ............................................................................................i Require applicants to highlight items intended to satisfy conditions of approval on ! .....This item will added to submittal requirements,20 Feb’04 I ....... i t-rea, LIsa,~my .......................................construct~on_p!ans_, ~_.e._ ~_nc~lude Page number reference on hst of conditions pr!_nted_on plans.I .................wh___e_r_e_ap_plicable.i After review, a development center oversightI ASST CITY Report on the viability of consolidating supervision of staff at the Development Center, and ,21 tbd i MGR the impact on customer service.’,Emily committee is being pursued rather than changing .............................. ., ..................................................: ......................i~dep__artm__e_n__ta_l__r~p_or~t~_g structure. Details to follow. i i Contract is signed, IT and Planning Staff have22 Aug-04 , ASD Implement Planning module of Accela System. !Heather, KB, Glorial ......................................... i ................... ...................................................... i ...................... I Deg-un w-o-r-Kj~°- ~- ~-e- sJgn~......’.Staff have been trained in IPT, and now enter23Nov-03 Enter all project-specific dates in IPT, pending Accela implementation.~ona,/arian ...... .......................... ’ ...................................................................................................!.p_r_oj.ec[ ea[es on a rou[ ne basis. ASD ..i Reports are available for current planning24Dec-04 i Produce workload reports from IPT until Accela reports become available.Gloria, Zariah................................ ~ .......... ..............: ...........................................................................: ......................~l~p~,~,u~ only.~ ¯ 25 ............t_b~ ..........ASD _Replace BODS: develop a plan within 90 days.i Heather KB,Gloria I Pilot Plan in development with GIS and BODS staff. 26 Dec-03 ASD i ............................................................ .........: ............[~[e~ ~-~~- -~-~ ~-Develop plan for indexing new data scanned into BODS to increase ease of retrieval,iHeather, Aiko,Zaria~" ................................... i ....................................................! ......................isuccessful. Present report listing type of building plans which can be accepted electronically now, such ’i Originally planned for Dec-03, specifications have27Jan-04 ASD ~.as 8 V=" x 11" drawings. Describe technology, equipment and training required for future Fred, Heather i been ...................................................... e!~tro_nic sub~.i_ssign _and- p[0~essing pf b!~.ePdnts . .............................. ~ .........................[ developed. Implementation underway. ~Organize the log of interpretations and precedents for staff use. Design routine staff training’Will "Pending Code Changes".28 Feb-04 ArTY i .i£__oo_rdi£a.t_[o_n_~i.th_~i_ty ~_o. meX~ s~ca~: ...............JonA, Lisa replace with !Current policy and procedures will be updated upon Develop policies & procedures for development review process. Design routine training for29Jan-04 i both new and veteran staff.Lisa, Heather lfinal adoption of code changes. Until then the i Planning Managers are providing routine training to 01/28/2004 * Municipal Code change is anticipated page 2 of 3 Recommendation 3O 31 32 33 34 Due Date May-04 Jan-04 Mar-04 Mar-04 Jan-04 Depts IMPLEMENTATION PLAN DEVELOPMENT REVIEW AUDIT inaddtiontoPCE Staff Action Item Lead Staff Comments ATTY, HR Report on options for a single Zoning Administrator or Hearing Officer, independent of supervisory duties in Planning. Report on the workload of each manager and planner. Recommend changes to limit the operational workload of managers. Develop training program in laws, regulations, policies & procedures, and muni-code interpretations. Document formal training. Develop customer service training schedule for planning and building staff. Identify mandatory classes. Develop customer service performance standards (link to #3) Orginally planned for Jan 2004, this item will beDan, Steve addressed in FY04/05 budget Amy, Lisa, Gloria Reports are in development, targeted for Feb 2004 First training in Architecture held Dec 12. MonthlyAmytraining for planning staff is underway. Some are included in number 33. Building staffHeather,Amy, Mike training tbd. Lisa, Fred Will be included in #3 1/28/2004 * Municipal Code change is anticipated page 3 of 3