Sonoma County Grand Jury
2025-2026
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Findings & Recommendations
7 findings
F2:
Permit Sonoma generally meets AB2234 (2022) requiremenb regarding review of permit applications within 30 business days.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
By December 19,2025, Permit Sonoma shall develop a plan to implement all workflow syskr changes required to capture and repor! in a reliable and sustainable manner, individual employee and colledive permit througbuq and agency compliaoce with Califomia Assembly Bil 2234 (2O22) timely performance requirements.
F3:
The Civil Grand Jury was unable to conclusively veri! A82234 (2022) compliance because Permit Sonoma workflow systems do rot reliably and consistently capture elapsed time for permit reviews.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
By December 19, 2025, Permit Sonoma will esablish and publish objective performance and throughput goals regarding permit review and approval.
F4:
Permit Sonoma is not able to factually r€polt permit review and approval throughput because its wortflow tracking systems are not capturing data on a consistent and reportable basis.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
By December 19,2025, Permit Sonoma shall review and make available on its website and o&er publicly accessible documents all over the counter penDit processes and requirements.
F5:
Permit Sonoma has made excellentp/ans to implement all of the Berry Dunn management review recommendations, but its reports overstate the actual progress observed by the Civil Grand Jury. p6. plll irnplementation of Berry Duna management review recomendaions will t"ke additional application development resources that are not currently in place within Permit Sonorna.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
By December 19,2O25, Pemrit Sonoma shall review and publish its requtements and expectations for express permit review and approval, third party plan check, permit and iaspection self-certification, and use of pmgram management techniques to fulfill all Berry Dunn Report recommendations.
F7:
Other ftan compliance wift Califomia Assembly Btll2214 (2022), Petmit Sonoma senior management has not established objective expectations for staffperformance regarding plan review or timely permit issuance.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7:
By March 27, 2026, Pennit Sonoma shall determine whetber additional resources are required to fully implement the workflow system upgrades needed to fulfill all Berry Dunn Report recommendations and communicate such incremental budget requirements to tie County Executive Officer and the Board of Supervisors.
F8:
Permit Sonoma does not pmvide information to the public about over the counter and express permit review requirements and opporurnities in a manner that is easily accessible and comprehensive.
Related Recommendations (1)
R8:
By Ivlarch 27, 2026, Perrnit Sonoma will review, publish (and require consistent staffusage of) requirements checklists for issuance of all permit types.
F9:
Pemit Sonoma permit intake and plan check staff need additional worffiow systems training to ensure accurate data enty and consistent use of status reporting conventions. May 2U25 Page lE of23 Smoma Caimty Civil C-rrad Jury Permit Sotroma 2025 CTYIL GRAND JURY RECOMMENDATIONS
Related Recommendations (1)
R9:
By March 27,2026, Permit Sonoma shall review and up&te its workflow system training materials and protocols for all Pernit Intake, Plan Check, and Planning personnel.
Additional Recommendations
5
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
By Octobet 17,2O25, Permit Sonoma shall require that all employees record, within the workflow systems, time spent on task for permit intake and plan check, site visitation, field inspection and code enforcement review.
R6:
By December 19,2O25, Permit Sonoma shall review and publish an accurate update to its January 2025 Board of Supervisors repoi on progress toward fulfillment of the Berry Dunn report recommendations-
R10:
By tvlarch 27,2026, Permit Sonoma shall establish and publish, in a consistent forma! standard operating procedures for all Planning, Building, Engineering, Well & Septic, and Code Enforcement permit issuance/compliance review processes.
R11:
By May I s! 2026, the Coun! Executive shall review Permit Sonoma's resource requirement noted in Recommendation 7 for inclusion in the Board of Supewisas' 20262 7 budg* review.
R12:
By July 1O,2O26, and annually thereafter, Permit Sonoma shall publicly post an accurate annual report ofeach deparhnent's permit processing performance and compliance with timeliness requireme s of 2O22 California Assembly Brll2234.
Additional documents
Documents found alongside this year's reports — not grand jury reports or responses.