DSD-21-006 - Development Services Review Project Close-out Report

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inunderstanding the voices of our customersand finding ways to add more value to the City’sprocesses from thecustomer’s perspective.For public engagement, this involved understanding who we’re currently engaging, who we’re not,and where there are gaps so that equity-informed engagement plans can be created, and subsequently by implementing improvements that work to addressand removethe identified barriers.For the site plan process, this involved understanding a complex, multi-year approvals process from the perspective of the applicant and finding improvements that streamline the customer experience, ultimately resulting in a decrease in review and approvaltimelines through better communication,coordination,collaboration, and creative problem-solving. Early data shows that, on average,there has been a decrease of 60%in the time it takes to obtain an approval in principle. Satisfaction ratings of 85% and 90% have also been achieved for thenew pre-submission process and the new onsite certification process, respectively. A summary of all improvements is provided in the body of this report and in Attachments B and C. BACKGROUND: The purpose of the development services review wasto look at how development functions interact and are coordinated, and to identify if that coordination can be improved in a way that results in clearer accountability, stronger collaboration, and ultimately an even better customer experience. Fiveobjectives forthe reviewwere identified early in the process: 1.Establish a Shared Vision for Economic Growth, City Building, Sustainability, and Development Interests:With a variety of disciplines involved in the delivery of development services, representing functions with competing interests at times, it is important that staff are working towards common goals and understand how their contribution supports the results that we are trying to achieve within the city. Starting from existing strategies, plans and policies, staff will need to establish shared goals, objectives and principles to guide effective and consistent decision making. 2.Align Work Processes to Support the Development Services Vision: Selected development processes will be reviewed end-to-end on a prioritized basis using Lean methodologies to ensure a clear and consistent focus on delivering customer value, efficient services, and streamlined customer interactions. 3.Enhance Team Building, Collaboration and Creative Problem Solving:The most challenging development opportunities require all stakeholders to work together in trusting and respectful relationships that support the best results for the community. 4.Take a Coordinated Approach to Development: Support less experienced applicants to more easily navigate the process. Engage the community in a coordinated way to build a holistic vision for their neighbourhoods. Coordinate staff resources to reduce wait-times, hand-offs and work backlogs. 8 - 2