El Dorado County Grand Jury
• 2022-2023
El Dorado County Grand Jury 2022-2023 Building Projects - Can You Help Me, .... Please?
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 9 findings
F1
A mission statement does not exist for the P&B Department. Building Services and Planning Services each have separate web pages but list the same mission statement; however, they each have different and distinct functions.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The P&B Department should develop a mission statement and refine the mission statements for both Building Services and Planning Services to more accurately reflect their respective missions. This recommendation should be completed
F2
Only commercial contractors can apply and pay for a simple permit online. Homeowners are unable to apply and pay for a simple permit online.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
Building Services should expand the current simple permit program to allow homeowners to request and pay for simple permits online. This recommendation should be implemented
F3
Commercial contractors have one point of contact throughout the process and homeowners do not. The P&B Department does not assign personnel the responsibility to manage complex permits through the permit process.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The P&B Department should assign a single point of contact to act as the advocate for each complex permit request to champion the project through the permit and building process. This recommendation should be implemented
F4
A permit status dashboard providing transparency has not been developed for projects.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
Building Services should create tools, such as a dashboard to provide transparency of permits in its system and document the approvals and inspections (by date) requested and the current status. Criteria should be established for triggering alerts when approvals or inspections stall. Update the system to require an inspection completion date. This recommendation should be implemented
F5
There is an Ombudsman position, assigned to Economic Development, available to assist customers through the many layers of the permit process. The Ombudsman is also assigned additional duties within Economic Development including special projects. A job description, reflecting the actual responsibilities of the Ombudsman, has not been developed – instead, an Administrative Analyst II job description is being used.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
The P&B department should work with Human Resources to create a job description for the Ombudsman position commensurate with the actual duties. This would include empowering the Ombudsman to be responsible for addressing and spearheading the resolution of issues and complaints. This recommendation should be implemented
F6
As part of the inspection process, Building Services sometimes assigns a different inspector to conduct follow-up inspections to determine if the required corrective actions were completed.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
When possible, Building Services should strive to send the same inspector to conduct the follow-up inspection. If a different inspector is assigned to follow-up on corrections, the initial inspector should review the file with them. This recommendation should be implemented by December 31, 2023. June 2023 Planning & Building
F7
Building Services conducts inspections for new fire sprinkler systems for homes as part of framing inspections. Three (3) fire districts no longer use Building Services but instead, conduct their own inspections at a higher cost to the homeowner. June 2023 Planning & Building
Related Recommendations (1)
R7
Building Services should review the home fire sprinkler inspection process for efficiency purposes and revisit returning the responsibility for all home fire sprinkler inspections to Building Services. Recommendation
F8
The permit status presentation only provided a summary of permit activity. It did not provide slides with data detailing the quantity or timelines for processing permits by permit type.
Related Recommendations (1)
R8
The P&B Department should establish a set of benchmarks by permit type for the time expected to get through planning and building projects. A quarterly report should be created detailing the overall activity of and status of timelines for processing permits for project types against established benchmarks. This recommendation is
F9
A customer satisfaction program does not exist. Customer Service Questionnaires that are received by the P&B Department are collected by the Ombudsman who then distributes them to the Director and the department manager. A summary of complaints is not captured, and follow-up has not been established. Paper Customer Service Questionnaires are dropped in a box in the Building Services Lobby.
Related Recommendations (1)
R9
The P&B Department should develop a customer satisfaction survey program to include customer surveys. A customer survey would be sent directly to the homeowner when the building permit is approved and again, when the building project is finaled. Summarize the responses and take action as needed. This recommendation should be implemented
No Responses Found 1
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
El Dorado County Board of Supervisors
Elected County Office