CATER Customer Service Advancements thru Technology, Engagement & Process Refinement

About the Program

Category: Planning (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

The land-use permitting process is an essential ingredient in community and economic development. For governments that manage this process poorly, the costs are high, especially in reduced investment and constituent trust. The County of San Bernardino, the largest and one of the poorest in the nation, has created an innovative program to revolutionize our permitting process. Known as the CATER Program, this innovation integrates three new strategic systems to make our permitting process convenient, timely and accessible. The results have been dramatic. Average permit review time was reduced by over twenty percent in our first year. We are on track to exceed this rate in 2014-15. Meanwhile, our customer service ratings are overwhelmingly excellent. The CATER Program’s three integrated systems include: 1. Streamlined Review Team: Our Permit Review Team, composed of all relevant specialties, closely collaborates from pre-design through permitting in guiding applicants through the application process. 2. One-Stop-Shop: All applications are simply submitted to one location with one deposit. Specialty staff are accessible from any County office via Skype; 3. Global Access System: Applicants can now access our zoning overlay system and GIS data sources any time around the world.