Before implementing ProjectDox, Clark County grappled with the inefficiencies of a paper-based plan review system. Technicians were required to be physically present on-site to receive paper plans from applicants, causing delays and hindering productivity.
Victoria Abram, an Engineering Planning Technician, highlighted the challenges, stating, "Comparing building plans to engineering plans was difficult since the permit center is located in a different area of the building, requiring staff to visit the permit center in order to look at plans."
As other departments were scattered across different buildings, the process of shuttling paper plans became cumbersome. Deputy Fire Marshal Curtis Eavenson expressed the added complexities faced by the Fire department, located in a separate town, explaining, "The logistics of moving paper plan reviews from our building department located in downtown Vancouver to the Fire Marshal's office, located in Ridgefield, added additional days for review."
Covid Exacerbated the Challenges of an Analog System
The challenges were exacerbated during the COVID19 pandemic when most agency staff transitioned to remote work. "The in-office staff would have to scan documents (hard copies) to get them routed to the staff working remotely for review.
Completion of this task would take up the majority of time for staff in the office," noted Abram. This situation not only strained resources but also led to confusion regarding the receipt and tracking of submitted plans.
Amidst these difficulties, professionals within the community increasingly advocated for a digital solution for electronic plan review.
"I heard quite frequently from contractors, engineers, architects that they would like an ePlan system and they’d question when we were moving in that direction," said Jodi Bullock, Department Information Systems Coordinator.
Recognizing the need for change, the County sought a solution that would streamline processes, enhance the applicant experience, and adapt to remote work dynamics. "I think COVID played a major role in finding a new solution. And customer experience definitely played a big role in that too," said Chris Wirgler, Team Lead for Plan Reviewers.
"ProjectDox has decreased time spent approving permits in the Permit Center by approximately 20%."
Linda Tesauro, Permit Technician, Clark County,WA
ProjectDox Beats Out Competition on Cost and Integration
After considering several options, Clark County ultimately selected Avolve as their solution to modernize their permitting process.
One compelling factor was the widespread adoption of Avolve in nearby jurisdictions, including the City of Vancouver, Washington. This existing familiarity among architecture, engineering, and construction professionals in the community eased the transition for Clark County.
As Wirgler noted, "In our surrounding jurisdiction, they're already on Avolve, so moving in this direction was kind of a nobrainer, especially with contractors and other professionals out there already using the system."
Moreover, integration capabilities with their existing permitting system were a crucial consideration. Avolve offered seamless integration, aligning well with Clark County's needs.
When any questions or concerns have arisen, ongoing support from Avolve has been instrumental in mitigating any challenges.
Bullock commended Avolve's responsiveness, saying, "Support from Avolve has been very responsive to anything that we've logged through the issue tracker. The product team is quick to respond and resolve."
Clark County Decreases Time-to-Permit by 20% with ProjectDox
Clark County has implemented ProjectDox across various departments, achieving notable improvements in the efficiency and transparency of its permitting processes.
Adopting ProjectDox has resulted in a significant reduction in the time required to approve permits — with an estimated decrease of approximately 20% in their Permit Center.
Moreover, the platform has streamlined communication between applicants and the County, cutting down on potential delays in responses.
“ProjectDox allows the applicant to see a detailed report of the status of their project, which has reduced the number of questions our department receives on project statuses,” said Engineering and Planning Technician Abram.
By eliminating the need to scan hard copies of plans, ProjectDox has also streamlined document management processes, ensuring clarity and accountability in plan submissions.
Electronic batch stamping has emerged as a timesaving favorite feature, sparing staff from the manual effort of physically stamping and scanning each page of a civil set.
Furthermore, ProjectDox's remote accessibility empowers staff to work efficiently from any location, enhancing flexibility and productivity. ProjectDox has modernized Clark County's planning and permitting processes, delivering tangible benefits in terms of efficiency, transparency, and remote accessibility.
