Title
Planning and Development Department Process Improvements Update - Citywide
Description
This report provides an update to the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Planning Subcommittee on the Planning and Development Department's (PDD) ongoing efforts to streamline and enhance the plan review, permitting, and inspection processes.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION.
Report
Summary
On June 11, 2024, PDD presented its first annual Process Improvements Report to the City Council. The report emphasized building a culture of partnership and service through three Tenets of Service: Personal, Seamless, and Innovative. The 2025 Process Improvements Report serves as a follow-up to last year's commitments. It highlights key accomplishments, progress made, and outlines next steps. The report also addresses PDD's Financial Stability Plan with its three fundamentals of cost containment, staying current and cost recovery / rate setting. A full version of the report is available at: https://www.phoenix.gov/content/dam/phoenix/pddsite/documents/about-us/pdd-process-improvements-report-2025.pdf
Overview of Progress
The department has remained committed to implementing the three service tenets. Team members actively engaged in training, embraced changes to processes, and developed innovative solutions to better serve customers. Key highlights include a series of listening sessions with development partners from Fall of 2024 through 2025, with more planned to continue fostering collaboration and the launch of customer service surveys, with strong positive feedback indicating improved service quality and communication.
PDD has focused on cultivating a culture of excellence and service by establishing a clear Vision, Mission, and Service Commitments, which serve as the foundation for all training initiatives. Training efforts include personal, seamless, and innovative training, cross-training and technical training sessions, monthly learning sessions to build understanding of departmental roles and responsibilities, and re-establishing employee recognition programs.
Updates to process improvements include:
- Hillside Grading and Drainage
- Floodplain Management
- Civil Inspections Site Permits
- Gas sign-off prior to Certificate of Occupancy
- As-built Drawing Screening
- Series of process changes as a result of amendments adopted as part of the 2024 Building and Construction Code update
Upcoming Priorities
Continuous collaboration with development partners and delivering exceptional service remains a top priority. The department will continue to host listening sessions and provide educational opportunities for PDD staff, reinforcing its dedication to continuous improvement and service excellence. Additional departmental priorities are outlined in the process improvements report including launch of Release 3 for SHAPE PHX, standardization and streamlining of the administrative review process, the launch of a pilot to expand the Revision by Inspector program, a customer service initiative, and exploration artificial intelligence integration into the department's processes.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Alan Stephenson and the Planning and Development Department.