El Paso County Planning and Community Development launched an Electronic Development Application Review Program (EDARP) in April 2017; in 2018, the website won an Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties.Nina Ruiz, EPC planner II, said EDARP provides many benefits for both the county employees and the community. It establishes consistency among the planners because everything is filed the same way, using the same process, she said. Additionally, all the files are in one place, which saves plenty of previously wasted time tracking down the necessary documents, Ruiz said.ìAnyone can use EDARP to find out about current active applications,î Ruiz said. ìThey may be scheduled for public hearing or in the beginning stages of the process. People can also see what applications are pending.îThe EDARP system also has application archives, which pull data from the active applications. There are many different ways to get to the information, so even if someone has limited details about the application they want to find, they can still find it, she said.Ruiz said one of the best parts of the EDARP is that people can now apply for the permits they need through the county, without having to drive to the Planning and Development Center. ìOnce they have a user account with us through the application process, they can go to their homepage to see all the comments about their project and address them as they proceed instead of later on,î she said. ìThey do not have to wait to get those comments back.îOverall, the system has been met with positive feedback from the community; small changes have been made to address any concerns that crop up, she said.ìWe as a staff are able to respond to questions quicker, and it has helped with the review process,î Ruiz said. ìIt should help reduce the number of reviews we have to complete as well. We can also be on the phone with someone and walk them through finding the information they need. We will help in every way we can, but we must remain neutral.îUltimately, the EDARP system will provide a higher level of transparency to the development process, which is always a good thing, Ruiz said.The award-winning website is http://epcdevplanreview.com.
