The County’s Discretionary Permitting Process, which is managed by the RMA’s Planning Division, was identified by the Board of Supervisors as one of the County’s initial continuous improvement projects. The first step to transform the permitting process was to conduct an event called a “Value Stream Analysis”. Approximately 15 staff from the divisions of Public Works, the Resource Management Agency, APCD, Fire, and the Agricultural Commissioner’s office examined and analyzed the current process and then designed the changes that would improve it.

The primary outcome of this event was a “Get-to-Excellence Plan,” which identifies the specific actions that would result in a more transparent, efficient, and predictable process.

Full implementation of the Get-to-Excellence Plan is expected to be completed by the summer of 2009. Regular meetings with the public have and will continue take place as activities occur to assure that improvement efforts are aligned with the public’s expectations.