How Paperless Permitting Helped Cypress, CA Reduce Office Traffic by 80%

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The city of Cypress, CA turned to OpenGov for help converting their manual permitting process into a modern digital one. With OpenGov’s licensing and permitting software, they saw massive increases in efficiency, including reducing office traffic by 80% and decreasing permit application processing time to 30 minutes.

Video transcript:

Douglas Dancs, Public Works Director: “We have a very proactive city council with regards to we have strategic plan sessions. One of the things that came up in our planning sessions is how we can leverage technology to do our job better.

We don’t want plans, we don’t want paper, and I think that jives with the new generation that grew up without paper. With OpenGov, and with everything being online, I think we’re matching the people coming into the work force.”

Kirsten Graham, Management Analyst: “I use OpenGov every day. Our Citizen Services apps have made it very easy to navigate with all these other divisions and departments. So, it really makes my job easy.”

Dancs: “We contract out building and safety services, traffic engineering services, and order quality services. They’re all partners with us, when reviewing plans or issuing permits. The ability for us all to work together on the same page and in the same system has been really advantageous for everyone involved.”

Renee Meriaux, Contract Building and Safety Services: “The software has provided the ability for residents and architects and contractors to apply for permitting at home or at their offices. The traffic flow has reduced, probably, close to 80 percent. Everything is much more instantaneous using the OpenGov system.”

Dancs: “We had someone apply. I looked at the workflow. They applied at lunch at 12:10. It was processed, paid, and issued by 12:40.”

Graham: “Businesses don’t have to call us up or come to the counter or send somebody. They can communicate with anybody they’re working with, if they’re a contractor working with a homeowner. Both can have access to the application and work together to really save time and streamline the process.”

Dancs: “We should always be finding a better, quicker, faster way to go do it, to serve the public.”