Marion County officials are hoping to use online resources to improve the permitting process as part of their overall strategic plan.
The improvement of the permitting process was one of the sections included in the Marion County Administrative Strategic Plan for 2022-2026. The plan outlines a list of economic initiatives and objectives that Marion County government officials hope to carry out over the next few years.
Among other items included in a list of objectives to evaluate and review the current process, county officials placed an emphasis on creating “how-to” guides for public and staff that would be available online.
“In addition to making sure staff fully understand their own processes, it is important to ensure that those processes are as transparent and user friendly as reasonably possible,” reads the strategic plan. It goes on to specify that the county will make an “internet based ‘Knowledge Hub’” for prospective permittees and applicants.
The county believes that, “if done properly,” the knowledge hub could act as a resource for internal and external training and education. It could also allow staff to “point customers to when they have frequently asked questions,” according to the plan.
The knowledge base would include high quality checklists for each of the permit submit processes, videos that explain the review processes and identity all departments involved, and establish expected turnaround times for different permit types.
“Sometimes just understand how complex a review process is can help applicants be more patient,” reads the report.