Page 72 - City of Fort Worth Budget Book

General Fund Development Services

The Development Services Division Communications Section is charged with creating a voice for the department
and proactively communicating changes, updates, and improvements both internally and externally to the
community we serve. A recent reorganization also added the Business Support Section to this division.
Business Support prepares the department’s budget, leads out in the business plan, manages purchasing,
accounts payable and receivable.

The Permitting and Inspections Division reviews and inspects all construction projects for compliance with
construction codes to ensure safety and sound building practices and ensures compliance with the city’s gas well
ordinance. This division is comprised of the following three sections: The Development Support Services Section
is responsible for permitting services and customer intake. The Building Services Section provides plans
examination, building inspections, and sign ordinance inspections. The Gas Well Section performs safety
inspections, permits gas well and gas-related right-of-way activity, and contracts with other municipalities for gas
permitting and inspections.

The Zoning and Design Review Division has three sections. The Zoning Section administers the city’s zoning
regulations, including Urban Forestry regulations. The Design Review Section administers the city’s historic
preservation and urban design ordinances. The Appeals Section staffs two Zoning Boards of Adjustment.

The Infrastructure Development Division was added by merging various functions previously housed in the
Transportation and Public Works Department and the Fort Worth Water Department into the Development
Services Department. The merge is a purposeful effort to create a more efficient and customer- focused complete
permitting process for our customers. The Division has five sections: Transportation Development Review,
Infrastructure Plan Review, Stormwater Development Services, Parkway, and Water Development Services.

FY2024 DISCUSSION AND SIGNIFICANT CHANGES
The Recommended Budget:

• Increases by $125,862 for the addition of one authorized position (AP) due to the growth in the
department, accountability and quality improvement
• Increases by $2.35M in salary and benefits for previously approved costs associated with pay for
performance, rising health care costs and pension contributions

• Increases by $145,636 for increased contractual services
• Increases by $37,984 in Microfilm Costs to increase digitization before move into new City Hall
• Increases by $4,000 for North Texas Coalition of Governments’ dues based on population
• Increases by $1,819 in General Operating & Maintenance for previously approved costs associated with
risk management and IT solutions allocation costs
• Decreases by ($2.13M) in Consultant and Other Professional Services as a decrease in consultant
services from Stormwater Utility
• Decreases by ($270,000) in Capital Interfund Transfer Out
• Decreases by ($276,735) for allocations and IT supplies
• Increases by $764,467 in the revenue budget based on outcomes of the FY2023 year-end forecast,
predominantly in building permit revenue as Fort Worth continues to be one of the nation’s fastest-
growing large cities

• Decreases by ($208,534) in Plan Review Fees due to decrease in requests for plan reviews
• Decreases by ($191,743) in Planning Commission Fee revenue and ($118,492) in Zoning Commission
Fee

• Decreases by ($190,107) in Zoning Letter revenue

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