Land Use Review Process Improvements Initiative

1.1 Addition of a Principal Planner

The Land Use Review Division received the addition of one Principal Planner to address increasing caseload demands.

• Current legislative caseloads significantly exceed those managed by peer jurisdictions and industry standards.
• The additional Principal Planner will support:
  • Management of complex rezonings and legislative cases
  • Mentorship and technical oversight of planning staff
  • Quality control of staff reports, proffer analysis, and legislative coordination
• This position is critical to improving throughput and ensuring timely, consistent, and legally defensible recommendations to PC and BOCS.

1.2 On-Call Consultant Support

Funding was allocated to expand the use of on-call land use planning consultants through the County’s established A/E rotational task order contracts.

• Consultants assist with:
  • Technical case review
  • Drafting of comment letters
  • Preparation of staff reports
• Consultants are currently assisting with active land use applications, with County staff providing oversight and coaching.
• This supplemental capacity:
  • Helps maintain momentum during sustained high workloads
  • Reduces delays related to staffing constraints
  • Ensures cases progress within reasonable and predictable timeframes

2.1 Electronic Application Portal

To streamline intake and reduce paper-based submissions, the Planning Office is implementing an online application platform for legislative land use applications.

• A beta version for Special Use Permits launched on November 7.
• SUP applications have already been successfully submitted through the system.
• Expansion to Rezonings and Proffer Amendmentsis planned as system capabilities continue to mature

2.2 Benefits of Online Submission

• Ensures complete and standardized digital submittals
• Enables digital signatures where appropriate
• Provides real-time application status tracking for applicants and staff
• Reduces administrative handling and physical storage needs
• Automatically archives submissions into the County’s EDMS for consistent recordkeeping

3.1 Bluebeam Integration

Beginning next fiscal year, the Planning Office will pursue Bluebeam integration to support coordinated digital review of Master Zoning Plans (MZP) and General Development Plans(GDP).

• Review agencies will annotate plans in a shared digital environment
• Comments will be consolidated into a unified markup layer
• Applicants will receive a single, coordinated markup set, reducing confusion and rework
• Positive move towards sustainability by reducing paper copies

4.1 Scheduled Post-Submission Meetings

To establish clearer expectations and improve coordination, a Post-Submission Meeting will be scheduled at the time the QC Letter of Acceptance is issued.

Process improvements include:

• QC Acceptance Letters will include a scheduled post-submission meeting date, typically two weeks after comments are due.
• A pre-meeting coordination check with review agencies will ensure comments are substantially complete prior to the meeting.
• The meeting will address:
  • Key agency comments
  • Preliminary issues
  • Proffer or condition considerations
  • Expected revision timelines
• Applicants will receive clear guidance and deadlines for their next submission

5.1 Internal Review Timeframes

• Standard review cycle targets (e.g., 45 day or 30-day reviews) will be maintained and published for transparency
• Automated notifications will be provided at key milestones.

5.2 Applicant Responsibilities

• Expected resubmission timelines will be established during the Post-Submission Meeting
• This approach:
  • Reduces idle cases
  • Promotes mutual accountability
  • Supports compliance with “Land Use Application Due Dates for Public Hearings.”