Development Services Review. Final Report. Zucker July 2016

F.

T ECHNOLOGY

TRAKiT Permit System The City of Morgan Hill has undertaken the challenging task of implementing a comprehensive permit tracking system to be utilized by all of the departments currently involved in the development review, permit issuance and inspection approval processes. Currently, the City is using a permit software system developed by Tidemark that was initially installed approximately 10 years ago. While this system provided an impressive level of features that were consistent with the level of technology available to cities at the time of initial implementation, the system has not been periodically upgraded and therefore the system is no longer capable of providing the features that we and the public have come to expect from a community that strives to represent the government’s “best practices.” The City has purchased a new software permit system called TRAKiT and has contracted to have the system installed and maintained by Quartic Solutions. A review of the purchasing agreement indicated to us that the City has done a diligent job in evaluating their future needs and it appears that the software they have purchased has the capability of substantially increasing the scope and quality of the services they will be able to provide to their customers. The features of the TRAKiT system that we strongly endorse as representing best practices include the following:  Program will integrate the permitting operations of Planning, Building, Fire and Public Works/Engineering;  Allow staff to organize and access permit data to support the land entitlement process;  Enhance staff ability to generate reports and/or respond to data requests for both internal and external customers;  Program will be fully integrated with the City’s existing website and GIS program;  Afford inspectors access to permit information and plans while in the field through the use of tablet computers; and  Allow the submittal and review of digital plans (electronic plan review). 14. Recommendation: The new TRAKiT systems should include all the items outlined above.  Afford public access to permit records;  Allow customers to submit and track permit processing on-line;

Morgan Hill, California

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Zucker Systems