BasicGov / BLOG

Some government agencies use software to manage land use and community development so that parcels and permits information exist as layers on existing ESRI and Google Earth maps.  What this means is that with the additional visual GIS map layers, government employees have graphical information to help with complex land use analysis, solutions and decisions. The over benefits to government agencies are:

• faster services to citizens and business for building renovations, new developments, land use planning, etc.
• improved productivity for staff and reduced costs

Local Government Example

Mono County and the Town of Mammoth Lakes in California both update their permits, inspections, planning and code enforcement systems each night with information from the GIS data and tax database. This updated information allows the County and Town planners, developers and policy makers better decision making around complex community planning, smart growth and sustainable development. They do this using the BasicGov web-based system integrated with GIS.

• Read Mono County and Town of Mammoth Lakes case study here

• Learn more about GIS connector software here

This week there was an article about the City of Galveston, Texas (population 50K+) and how it is changing its permitting and code process to speed up the rebuilding several years after the devastation caused by Hurricane Ike.

Prompted by disgruntled developers, trade groups and businesses, the City has made some changes using software to streamline its processes as well as opened up dialogue with residents and businesses to change processes.

Here’s an example of changes that the City has made and plans to make to be more responsive (see source):

• Geographic Information System maps of the island now available online.
• Builders, developers and residents no longer have to go to city hall to research code compliance districts, building inspection districts, Federal Emergency Management Agency floodplain maps, zoning and zoning overlay district maps, points of interest such as churches, child care and parks, historic districts and building permit activity.
• Launch a public online permit tracking system and to make online permitting for such trades as mechanical, electrical and plumbing available online by July 1.

There are thousands of other cities that are doing similar changes.

Attend a free webinar and learn how the City of Beaumont, California has streamlined and sped up its planning, permitting, and code process.

Click to register.