The mission of the Development Services Department (DSD) is to facilitate appropriate and timely development; deliver a process that is predictable, efficient and understandable to the people who use it; act as a single organization – “One City” – in the delivery of development services; and to protect the quality of public and private infrastructure, the safety and integrity of the built and natural environment, and the livability of the city.
Department vision
Development Services advances the community vision as a high performance organization committed to providing exceptional customer service, upholding the public interest, and being effective stewards of our financial and environmental resources.
Department Goals
- Goal 1: To provide a process that is timely, understandable, and effective.
- Goal 2: To educate customers so they are prepared to succeed.
- Goal 3: To provide the data, tools, and policies to assess performance, balance resources, and quickly respond to changing needs.
Metric 1: Percentage of permits meeting their First Review Decision timelines target.
This metric is used to compare the length of time it takes to complete a First Review Decision to the respective target timelines for different permit types.
How was this calculated?
The data for this metric comes from the City's permitting system, AMANDA, and compares the actual First Review Decision end date with the established target end date for each permit type. The percentage is calculated by taking the total number of First Review Decisions completed on time, divided by the total First Review Decisions completed.
Data:
Why is this important?
The target for this metric is 80%. The percentage of applications that met their First Review Decision target timelines in 2019 was at 71%, which was an improvement from 61% in 2017. This improvement is largely attributable to the staff's prioritization of meeting first review decision targets and the process efficiencies that were created by moving toward 100% paperless permitting. It is important to track this metric because it helps Development Services further analyze why targets are not being met and what improvements can be made to both internal and external processes that affect the review cycle of permit applications. The department is committed to efficiency, predictability, and timeliness, which lowers the risk to developers and provides the assurance to anticipate financing and scheduling needs.
What are the next steps?
Development Services will continue to review the First Review Decision data on a regular basis and implement business process improvements to increase the percentage of First Review Decisions meeting their target deadlines. In addition, there is a current effort underway to re-visit and revise target timelines for specific permit types. Changes to target timelines will likely affect this metric moving forward.
Contact Name: Joanna Paradiso
Contact Email: JParadiso@bellevuewa.gov
Metric 2: Reserve levels remain above 20% of operating costs.
This metric represents the level of financial reserves in the Development Services Fund, which supports the delivery of development review, inspections, land use and code enforcement services.
How was this calculated?
The data for this metric comes from the Development Services six-year fund forecast. The reserve amount is calculated by taking the beginning fund balance, adding current year revenues and subtracting current year expenditures. Based on the reserve financial policies, the estimated reserve contributions and ending balances are forecasted.
Data:
Why is this important?
At the end of 2019, Development Services exceeded its reserve policy target of 20%. It is important to maintain these financial reserves to protect essential programs during periods of economic downturn. Reserves ensure that core staffing levels are balanced with cyclical needs, that adequate resources are available to process existing applications and permits, and that funds are available to meet technology and capital equipment needs.
What are the next steps?
Development activity and the Development Services fund levels will be closely monitored and corrective measures will be taken during the six-year forecast period if market conditions warrant doing so.
Contact Name: Joanna Paradiso
Contact Email: JParadiso@bellevuewa.gov
Metric 3: Percentage of initial application submittals accepted as complete.
This metric represents the effectiveness of the Development Service information delivery function by demonstrating the success of the submittal and pre-application information provided to its customers.
How was this calculated?
The data for this metric comes from the City's permitting system, AMANDA, and looks at the percentage of time where an application has been marked as 'complete.' The percentage is calculated by taking the total initial applications submittals accepted as complete, divided by the total initial application submittals.
Data:
Why is this important?
The target for this metric is 100%. The percentage of initial applications submittals accepted as complete in 2019 was at 87% which was an improvement over 2018 at 84%. This improvement can be partially attributed to the department's move towards paperless permitting. Customers now follow a decision tree in the online portal to submit their applications, which helps them determine which permit type to apply for and what documentation is required. In addition, Permit Technicians perform an initial screening that checks for completeness and ensures that applications are ready for review. Experience has shown that the more complete information applicants receive prior to making their final application, the more successful they are in submitting their applications. Thorough applications lead to fewer revision cycles during the review process and faster issuance of permits.
What are the next steps?
Development Services has prioritized information delivery and will continue to aim to meet this target by further analyzing these results to determine why applications are being marked as incomplete and what steps can be taken earlier in the process to ensure customers understand what is expected of them.
Contact Name: Joanna Paradiso
Contact Email: JParadiso@bellevuewa.gov
Metric 4: Percentage of inspection results posted on the same day performed.
This measure represents how quickly customers are receiving their inspection results. Timely posting of results ensures the predictable delivery of inspection services, which enables customers to move their projects forward on schedule and build in additional time for delays, if necessary.
How was this calculated?
The data for this metric comes from the City's permitting system, AMANDA. This metric is calculated by taking the number of inspections results posted and dividing it by the total number of inspections performed.
Data:
Why is this important?
The target for this metric is 100%. The percentage of inspection results posted on the same day as they were performed was at 96% in 2019, which was an improvement from 94% in 2017. This improvement was largely attributable to available staff resources and workload. It is important to track this metric because it helps the department determine if it is meeting customer expectations and if the level of resources is sufficient to meet the demand.
What are the next steps?
The department will continue to strive to meet this target and will perform further analysis of the data to determine why the target is not being met. The Inspection Services Management Committee (ISMC) will continue to evaluate the metric and make determinations options available to more accurately track and account for timeline of responsiveness.
Contact Name: Joanna Paradiso
Contact Email: JParadiso@bellevuewa.gov
Metric 5: Percentage of code violations closed through voluntary compliance in a calendar year.
This metric represents the percentage of code violations that are resolved through voluntary compliance and measure's the Code Compliance team's effectiveness. Code Compliance responds to community concerns about safe buildings, environmental damage, and nuisances that affect the health, safety and desirability of residential and commercial neighborhoods throughout the City.
How was this calculated?
The data for this metric comes from the City's permitting system, AMANDA. This percentage is calculated by taking the total of code violations closed through voluntary compliance and dividing it by the total of all code violations.
Data:
Why is this important?
The target for this metric is 60%. The percentage of code violations closed through voluntary compliance in 2018 was at 66%, which was an improvement from 61% in 2017. This improvement can be attributable to the successful onboarding of new Code Compliance Officers as well as the development of standard operating procedures and increased legal support and training, which led to more efficient and consistent interpretation and application of codes, particularly with respect to single-family dwelling rental ordinance enforcement. The collective result of these actions created more capacity for staff to focus on moving cases towards voluntary compliance. Continuing to track this metric is important because it helps the Code Compliance team determine if their practices are effective in resolving issues through voluntary compliance.
What are the next steps?
Code Compliance staff regularly review procedures and individual cases to seek more efficient and effective ways to move code violations to compliance. Effective code enforcement also depends on the public education services that are offered. Code Compliance staff provide substantial information, education and guidance to the public about codes and how to comply with code requirements in particular cases.
Contact Name: Joanna Paradiso
Contact Email: JParadiso@bellevuewa.gov