BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS LEON COUNTY, FLORIDA

Title: Approval of Proposed Staffing and Customer Service Enhancements at the Department of
Development Support and Environmental Management
April 9, 2013
Page 2
Report and Discussion
Background:
Due to the downturn in the land development and building construction related industries over
the past several years, staffing levels at the Department of Development Support and
Environmental Management (DSEM) have been significantly reduced. The reduction in staffing
was achieved through elimination of vacant positions during the Board’s annual budget process,
as well as by transferring DSEM staff to other departments and/or divisions vacancies in the
County. The DSEM staff downsizing was also a direct result of the reduction in application
review fees being collected due to the downturn in the economy. Throughout the
implementation of this staff downsizing, it was noted that when development and construction
related activities increased, along with an increase in the collection of associated application
review fees, staffing enhancements would be proposed to ensure the maintenance of the level of
customer service anticipated by the public that utilize the various services provided by DSEM.
Analysis:
The Department’s Building Plans Review and Inspection Division is an enterprise operation
funded through the collection of building permit application review and associated inspection
fees. During the downturn (2008 – 2010), four positions were eliminated from the Division
based on the reduction in building permit applications and associated fees. The positions that
were eliminated included two Building Inspectors, a Building Plans Reviewer position, and the
Deputy Building Official position. The Division’s operating budget during the economic
downturn was maintained as an enterprise account through the elimination of positions and the
utilization of the Division’s unappropriated fund balance that had been accumulated prior to the
downturn.
The Division’s workload, including building plans reviewed, building permits issued, and
building inspections completed, has leveled off and/or returned to historical levels. As a result of
this return to historical activity levels, the requested position can be fully funded in the current
fiscal year and subsequent out years from the associated increase in building permit fee revenue
without the use of current fund balance. The Division’s workload has transitioned over the past
several years from predominately application requests for alterations and additions to existing
structures to more application requests for new residential and non-residential structures. This
transition in application type has resulted in an increase in associated review and inspection fees.
In addition, staff has recently initiated the beta testing of ProjectDox for the building plans
submittal, review, and approval process. This expansion will allow applicants to electronically
submit building permit applications and associated documentation for review. Similar to the
implementation of ProjectDox in the Department’s other divisions (Development Services and
Environmental Services), it is anticipated that when the program is fully implemented the
Building Plans Review and Inspection Division will realize increased review efficiencies,
including a reduction in overall review and approval time frames.
Page 131 of 622 Posted at 5:00 p.m. on April 1, 2013