Planning, Development Services still operating

Th, March 19, 2020 past Jo Clifton

Despite the unprecedented claiming presented by the COVID-xix outbreak, the city is attempting to acquit its land use and development services business to keep those processes moving forward.

Jerry Rusthoven, leader of the Planning and Zoning Department, told the Austin Monitor on Wed that all members of his 55-person staff are doing their jobs from home. They are able to exercise that in function, he noted, considering some staffers from the Development Services Department are performing intake duties for them. When an bidder brings in a certificate intended for the Planning Department, the DSD employee at the intake desk-bound scans it and emails it to the appropriate person at Planning and Zoning.

If someone comes to try to carry planning and zoning business in person, Rusthoven said, a sign at the function explains what number to call to reach a receptionist, who will forward the bulletin to the appropriate staff member.

Denise Lucas, director of the Development Services Department, posted a memo to all stakeholders Tuesday. "Our Development Services Department team knows that many of y'all are working difficult to keep of import projects moving forward under challenging conditions," she wrote.

She pointed out that many of the section's processes are available online and do not require a visit to the part. Nonetheless, she asked those who demand to go in person to 1 Texas Middle to follow recommended social distancing, with no more than x people in the waiting area 6 feet apart from i some other. When a reporter stopped by the expanse, simply two people were waiting. "We appreciate your patience as wait times might be longer than usual," she wrote, and recommended that people check in online prior to inflow.

DSD spokeswoman Robbie Searcy told the Monitor via email that the department has 432 employees, with 55 of those employees continuing to work at 1 Texas Center, "including the department managing director and members of the executive squad." She said those employees are in their offices "to handle walk-in services that are vital to helping the construction community proceed to work during this critical time."

Searcy added that walk-in customer traffic has been lighter than normal while they are seeing an increase in electronic submissions.

Land planner Ron Thrower of Thrower Design told us that he and his staff have not experienced any item issues because of the new procedures. 1 member of his staff has had some limited face-to-face contact with DSD since the COVID-19 virus has changed so many things. He said he thought the online procedure was working well.

Lucas' memo includes numerous links to e-mail addresses for things like site plan exemption requests, corrections and state use review.

Austin Energy and Austin Water walk-ins have been suspended until April 1, just applications for water and wastewater service and electrical service can be submitted by email.

According to the memo, the DSD is looking for a new digital solution for commercial plan review, but customers who have previously used ProjectDox may keep to practice so.

In add-on, "All scheduled inspections will continue until further notice. Inspectors are using precautionary measures, such equally social distancing and enhanced sanitation practices. Tree inspectors will continue to respond to regulatory calls," but Tree Smart training events take been canceled.

Rusthoven said prior to COVID-19, several members of his staff were working on getting set up to move from One Texas Center to the new Airdrome Boulevard location. The move was supposed to take place in June or July, but he wasn't sure if that timetable might modify. Some employees are working on that from home, he said, by scanning in paper documents that the department does not desire to carry to the new offices.

Rusthoven said some members of his staff are devoting time to reading the i,000-page new Land Development Lawmaking. The date for the adoption of the code is now an unknown, of class, and Judge Jan Soifer's ruling tardily Wednesday puts the adoption in even more jeopardy.

Photo by Jo Clifton.

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