Planning Online Project Tracking System

About the Program

Category: Information Technology (Best in Category)

Year: 2011

The Online Project Tracking System is a web-based view into St. Lucie County’s Project management system. The County’s Planning and Development Services staff use the Project Management System to manage the approval steps of land development projects from the initial application through final disposition. The Online Project Tracking System provides the applicants with an internet-based view of the approval steps. This new system provides applicants, as well as the general public, with a detailed view of the steps required by the county to approve land development projects. It also supports the county’s efforts to ensure effective Land Use planning and economic development. Prior to 2006, there were approximately 307 active applications at various stages in the review process. Planners were faced with overwhelming workloads and mounds of piles of paper on top of their desks. An in-house electronic tracking system was greatly needed to assist in the timely processing of applications which includes scheduling meetings for pre-application conferences, Development Review Committee Meetings, Planning and Zoning Commission public hearings, Board of Adjustment public hearings, and Board of County Commissioner Public Hearings. In 2007 the Planning and Development Services Department established an Electronic Conversion Team for the Purpose of creating an online system to track the progress of applications for development approvals that would be accessible to County staff, outside reviewing agencies, agents and applicants, elected officials, lenders and appraisers, as well as the general public. Since that time, with the aid of the electronic project tracking system, the required tasks associated with the review process were streamlined to allow for more efficient handling of the paper work. Individual planner responsibilities have been expanded to include necessary computer skills enabling them to function in a more expeditious manner, thereby allowing them to process more applications.