Changes in Development Services Department allow staff to assist more customers remotely
June 5,2020
See full City of Fort Worth article here.
In an effort to reduce the risk to staff and development partners during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Development Services Department has placed all required applications and permits online.
Other recent service enhancements include:
Transportation Impact Credit applications can be accessed via the Accela Citizen Access online permitting system.
Staff created a permit for water and sewer fees for Water Development to track fees not related to permit activity.
Plat vacation and easement applications for Infrastructure can be accessed via Accela.
To provide more availability for customers, predevelopment conferences –originally one-hour face-to-face meetings – have been modified to 30-minute virtual meetings. These conferences allow an effective exchange of information between city staff and developers.
The Zoning Section has continued to provide public commission meetings and virtual public neighborhood meetings. The Zoning Section is creating new workflows in the Accela permitting system to allow electronic alcohol distance checks for those seeking new Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission licensing.
The Development Services Department continues to work with internal and external stakeholders to move as many services as possible onto digital platforms to provide consistent availability to the public and exceptional customer service. The department has worked with internal partners to execute all agreements electronically, leveraging Adobe Sign and electronic notarization. Contracts are executed in a more timely and efficient manner.
Development Support Services is extensively reviewing and updating permit requirements and descriptions to assist customers applying for permits online. The goal is to continue a fluid application process while most interactions are conducted virtually, by phone or email.
For all general questions, call 817-392-2222 or email Development Services.