Leon County Upgrades Development Support
and Environmental Management
Upgrade continues enhancements to service, efficiency, resources, and clarity
In an effort to promote continuous improvement and efficiency in County services, the Leon County Board of County Commissioners voted today to provide enhancements to Development Support and Environmental Management (DSEM) that will better facilitate both the highest quality service to customers and the highest quality development for the community.
Throughout the Great Recession, the County listened to its customers through lunch and learns, industry training sessions, and the Citizen Engagement Series which lead to significant changes to the development review and approval process in order to meet customer expectations. The timing of this upgrade and relaunch arrives as the community is experiencing higher levels of developer interest and investment providing enormous opportunities to make specific and systematic improvements to the County's development-related processes.
“At our retreat in December, the Board said the development and review process was a high priority,” said Leon County Commission Chairman John E. Dailey. “The improvements discussed and approved today build on the County’s long history of engaging stakeholders as our community continues to responsibly grow and develop.”
This upgrade builds upon the many programs and enhancements offered through DSEM while also acknowledging that more can be done to facilitate assisting customers through the development review and approval process. In recent years, other improvements have included eliminating “the local business tax” to offering after-hours and weekend inspections, and from expanding web-based permitting services to opening the DesignWorks studio.
“Whether you are a contractor or a conservationist, we believe that service and stewardship are not mutually exclusive,” said Leon County Administrator Vincent S. Long. “This upgrade further improves the County’s DSEM office, and it is not the first enhancement nor will it be the last. We are committed to significant and continuous improvements to meet the needs of our customers.”
The core components of this upgrade will result in enhanced customer service and outreach efforts including the continual utilization of technology to support the industry, coupled with the recognition of the personalized face-to-face customer interaction.
The County’s DSEM upgrade and rollout is the next step in service enhancement at DSEM that will promote existing services, process improvements, better incorporate citizens and professionals in the development process, offer unparalleled customer service through an “ombudsman” position and higher level professional services to functionally resolve foreseeable problems, offer greater clarity and certainty in the development process, and enhance coordination with trade association stakeholders.
Leon County will schedule an open house in May to showcase not only the physical features and updates in the DSEM lobby, but also introduce citizens and business partners to the upgrade service delivery and staff who will help them through all phases of a project.
For more information, contact David McDevitt, Director, Development Support and Environmental Management, at (850) 606-1300 / McDevittD@LeonCountyFL.gov or Mathieu Cavell, Leon County Community and Media Relations, at (850) 606-5300 / cmr@LeonCountyFL.gov .
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