Posting staff reports on-line

[ruralplanner]

For some time I have contemplated the idea of posting staff reports for rezone and subdivision petitions on the County’s website. While I see a number of pluses to this practice such as better visibility for planning, a way to (indirectly) teach the public how plans are used in decision making, more open government, ease and cost efficient information distribution, etc, etc…. I really don’t see any negatives other than the occasional complaint from folks who are internet inept or who have dial-up.

Anyone else post staff reports on-line? Any thoughts from anyone as to why this would not be good practice? Or a good practice?

[NHPlanner]

Started doing it in January.

Sample from a past agenda.

Been very well received from the Board, the press, and some members of the public.

[cch]

We don't do it here. But I have often thought it would be a good thing to do. I don't see any downside. People could always still show up in person to see a staff report, if they wanted.

[Plan-it]

Absolutley! We used to have to print 50 extra copies of our zoning analysis (which can run upwards of 200 pages) book every month for various civic and neighborhood associations. Now we place them on-line so they can view the data. It has saved us considerable time and money.

We just convert the analysis to a .pdf file and post each individual case on the agenda as a seperte item in a folder for the meeting (by month). It iis really easy and will save you LOTS of time in the long run.

The only problem now is that if we are even 6 hours late in posting it, we get calls from the "citizen planners" asking why it is not available yet.

If you want to view the website PM me and I will get you the info.

[progmac]

slightly on-topic: do you save staff reports with your final physical files? i find that when i need to look up a file, i never consult the staff report, i only look at the final result including conditions.

if you do, do you save the planning commission staff reports and those for elected officials or just the final report?

for the past couple of years, tons of documentation is saved with every file (print outs of email correspondence, etc.) I am trying to pare this down to the extent possible, but I realize there could be possible legal issues down the road.

[Richmond Jake]

Our Board memos are on-line but our planning commission reports are not. Because my office just leased a new Xerox copier with scanning capability, I'll get my lazy ass admin to start posting the pc reports this month!!

I don't see any downside.

[Suburb Repairman]

We are preparing to start doing this in late-May early-June. All of our Boards and Commissions are preparing to go completely paperless this year as part of the city's sustainability policy.

Along this same line, we are planning to create a log-in system for developers to check status on subdivision projects, zoning changes, variances, commercial/MU/Ind/multifamily building permits, etc. It would include all correspondence between us and any of their consultants & contractors. It should reveal that delays are rarely because of our response, but because of contractors and consultants. We might turn something around in five days, but it takes the consultant 45 days to respond.

[Zoning Goddess]

At my last place of employment from 1995-2007, every public meeting or hearing staff report was online. Everything that was sent to the boards or committees, including maps, surveys, letters received, etc. It was cumbersome but it saved planners' time by reducing the number of phone calls from citizens/reporters about the projects. The only downside was the insane time it took the support staff to post everything.

It's hard to believe anyone isn't doing this yet!

slightly on-topic: do you save staff reports with your final physical files? i find that when i need to look up a file, i never consult the staff report, i only look at the final result including conditions.

if you do, do you save the planning commission staff reports and those for elected officials or just the final report?

We saved everything. Full report for P&Z, BCC, Board of Adjustment, whatever. Full copies of two transmittals to the state. Oftentimes, the planner's hearing notes are on those reports, and when they leave and the new guy comes in, he/she has to be able to figure out what happened and why.

[Planning Fool]

We post all of the staff reports for our rezoning application online once they've been distributed to the Planning Commission and Board members. I think it's a great tool as it allows citizens, especially adjacent property owners & nearby neighbors to find the answers to many of their questions and reduces the number of phone calls we get our cases.

[ruralplanner]

Good feedback. I suggested the idea to other staff and got a positive response as well, so I suspect we will have our reports online in the next couple of months. In the next couple of months we will also have a separate website dedicated to our comprehensive planning process, complete with blog capabilities. Hmm… I wonder if we can expand that idea to allow people to post and respond to proposed rezones and subdivisions, using the staff report as a summery of the proposal. That way, the public can say their peace and not guber up public hearings with hour after hour of the same or similar testimony. Especially in NIMBY situations.

[Tom R]

We have been putting our staff reports, PC minutes and other stuff on our web site for quite a while. http://www.planning.co.medina.oh.us/ A lot of interested parties (Local govts., applicants etc.) love it. The only down side has been that I have inherited the job of web jockey, and as you can tell from the site, it is a position for which I am no way qualified.

[chasqui]

...
The only problem now is that if we are even 6 hours late in posting it, we get calls from the "citizen planners" asking why it is not available yet.

Where I used to work we experienced the same exact thing. We transitioned to placing all staff reports online. This cut down on people coming in and asking for copies or calling about cases because it was more convenient for them to see it online. Of course we had an "official" date when reports would be available, and of course, if they weren't online that second... That was the only problem we had. And truly, it wasn't a huge problem. We just felt like saying "give me a minute!" In the end they loved having the files online, and it was a lot easier saying "do you have access to the internet" than "do you have a fax machine" or "let me print a copy for you"

[mike gurnee]

But if you post reports, the public will know what we are up to.
"Recommendations should not be made public until the city commission has had a chance to review them." At least according to a mayor from 3 jobs ago.

[Queen B]

There is not enough of me to add any more steps to the notification process. I am doing well to get the required information out.
Although I do think it is a good idea.

[Rem]

More transparency means more acccountability - it is a good first step but you should go further and include all submissions, internal reference reports, agency comments, letters to applicants and objectors etc. We do it (all the way) with development applications and are working on a scheme to achieve it for planning instrument amendments. There were misgivings at the start about this service, but it has proven valuable in ensuring people think about what they wtie and make sure what they write is defensible.

If you would like to see our system click here. Click "I Agree" and then search on an older application to see the extent of disclosure that is possible.

[Richmond Jake]

Our Board memos are on-line but our planning commission reports are not. Because my office just leased a new Xerox copier with scanning capability, I'll get my lazy ass admin to start posting the pc reports this month!!

I should have badgered my lazy ass admin. I checked our web site this morning. No agenda and no staff reports after I was assured it would happen. A couple of my staff sensed that I was pissed off. The material was posted within 30 minutes.

And tomorrow is our planning commission meeting.

I work with brain-dead morons.

[AirGarcia]

Everything in our office is public record and thus would only increase accesibility at our own cost. We are a bunch of cheap asses so I don't imagine expanding our website capability in order to host reports. It took me one year to get enough bandwith to provide info on Regional DRI's