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Business Plan

The Information Technology Department is dedicated to being a
vital partner with City departments in providing quality services through the
innovative use of technology. This will be accomplished by: working with
departments to obtain realistic project expectations, building productive
relationships within & beyond the IT Department, developing our resources
into stronger technical teams, providing enterprise systems and solutions to
meet the City’s goals, and maintaining technology policies as well as
hardware and software standards for the City of Arlington.
Planning and Development Services strives to make Arlington a
premier City by engaging in visionary planning, building vibrant
neighborhoods, and serving our residents, businesses, and visitors.

Customer service is the core focus of this department. Since the launch of the One
Start Center and the AMANDA tracking software in 2006, the Planning and
Development Services Department in Arlington has continuously enhanced
customer service. The One Start Development Center assists homeowners,
business owners, and the development community with the permitting process that
includes payments, business registrations, permit issuance, as well as provides
guidance to walk-in customers by three over-the-counter professionals: planner,
engineer, and plans examiner. During FY 2018, the One Start Center assisted
21,501 walk-in customers and processed 28,127 permit applications.

The Land Development Division strives to understand the developer’s vision and make it happen for them. This is where
creativity meets practicality. Planners and engineers in this team set up a pre-submittal meeting with the developer to understand
the vision, and then guide them with the development processes as needed, rezoning, platting, or site plan process. In FY 2018,
staff facilitated 170 pre-submittal meetings, and approximately 60 percent have already turned into real projects. 62 zoning, 84
plats, and 106 site plan applications were processed this year.
The Building Inspection Division is responsible for the plan review of
residential and commercial building permits, as well as the inspections
of those structures during construction and before issuing certificates
of occupancy. The team ensures that structures are constructed to
adhere to the current building codes to protect the safety of those who
utilize the structures. During FY 2018, the plan review team’s goal for
st
plans reviewed to the 1 comments were met 98% of the time for
commercial plans. This was a record year for building permits issued
for construction valuations totaling $1.6B. This was a 77% increase
over FY 2017.

During FY 2018, approximately 24,000 permits were issued and close to 48,000 inspections were conducted. All inspections
were completed within 24 hours of the request. This also includes sign permits and inspections, as well as health services
provided through food establishment and childcare permits and inspections. The Health Services team also manages the
mosquito mitigation program and responds to citizen’s health complaints. The Gas Well team is responsible for the land
development, permitting, and inspections of gas well drilling and production in the City of Arlington.

The department is also making steady improvements in online servicing of the customers and making a lasting imprint. The
leadership is promoting iCare culture amongst staff following the principles of ‘Impression’, ‘Connection’, ‘Attitude’, ‘Response’,
and ‘Exceptional’. In FY 2019, Planning and Development Services was awarded the CLIDE Award, the Greater Dallas Planning
Council 2018 Urban Design Award and the Project Excellence Award from Midwest Section Texas Chapter of the American
Planning Association (TX-APA) for the Arlington City Center Project.

2020 Adopted Budget and Business Plan 17 City of Arlington, Texas