Today I attended the inaugural "Lunch and Learn" program hosted by the Development Services Department of the City of Sacramento.  This was the first of the Development Services Department's "Community and Staff Brown Bag Education Series." 

The purpose of the series is to introduce to community residents, developers and interest parties to the process one goes through to build or remodel a home or commercial property in the City of Sacramento.  Or, as they said, "To continuously provide our customers with the tools to get them to success."  The Department's motto is, "We help build a great city." 

It was encouraging to listen to Bill Thomas the director of Development Services as he outlined the program and the topics to be discussed. 

Topics included:

•  "MATRIX":  a new and novel program established by the City of Sacramento to create a team concept within the department to expedite the development process;
• Application Process: When do I need a building permit;
• Development Review Process for residential and commercial projects; and
• Submittal Requirements:  What do I need?

The reasons by the customer friendly Development Services Department are essentially that in order to build a great city you must plan for it while allowing developers to get their projects done in a timely and orderly manner. 

Permit Services Manager Richard Heins presented detailed information and answered questions about the actual building permit process.  His department is incredibly busy.  In 2005 they handled almost 50,000 customers - not including 65,213 phone calls received by the Help Desk.  In 2005 the department issued 18,450 permits and processed 20,092 permit applications essentially issuing a permit every 61/2 minutes.

Keith Winkle, the City's Chief Plumbing Inspector, took us through the building inspection process.  Again, in 2005 the City's building inspectors handled 98,639 requested inspections, approving 59,775 or an average of 402 inspections per day.  Keith stressed the reason for field inspections is not to slow the building process but to check for building code compliance and to protect the public's health, safety and welfare. 

The City of Sacramento is working hard to create a positive environment for well planned growth and development.  The Development Services Department is leading the way. 

For the two dozen of us at the meeting it was a refreshing and eye opening discussion about the City's development process.  I would highly recommend you attend one of these sessions if development is in your future.  Take the time to go to "lunch and learn."  You will be glad you did.