City of Yucaipa Digitizes Permitting Guides with ArcGIS StoryMaps

Permits are essential for ethical development in cities. But the process can be frustratingly slow for both developers and residents alike. However, modern technologies, such as a geographic information system (GIS), can be leveraged by local governments to build systems and digital workflows that are capable of modernizing and streamlining their processes. In Yucaipa, California, city employees have implemented GIS solutions that are improving how customers interact with the city.

The city has launched an online permitting portal, the Yucaipa Permit Exchange. This portal allows customers to apply for permits and planning applications, schedule inspections, make payments, and track the status of their projects entirely online. The solution has streamlined the city’s permitting processes and ensures applicants have complete insight into their project status from submittal to approval.

Implementing a new technological solution can always present challenges. From first-time users to those who are less familiar, city planners recognized that deploying a new system alone would not support a positive customer experience. To ease the transition to their fully digital system, Yucaipa’s Planning Division collaborated with the city’s GIS team to create interactive “how-to” user guides powered by ArcGIS StoryMaps briefings. These guides inform applicants of key functions, including how to create an account and navigate the new online platform.

The decision to use ArcGIS StoryMaps to create step-by-step and interactive guides rather than static PDFs was an obvious solution to the Yucaipa team. Unlike static PDF guides, ArcGIS StoryMaps allowed staff to incorporate dynamic, interactive, and easily updateable content such as maps, GIFs, videos, and 3D web scenes. These elements help to demonstrate information that is easier to see rather than explain via PDF.

This approach also simplifies future updates. For example, if the permitting system changes and the instructions need to be updated, city staff can make real-time updates to these “how-to” guides without having to rehost or relink documents on another platform. Staff can quickly make edits and refresh content in StoryMaps at a moment’s notice, with no other strings attached.

“We're trying to incorporate technology to improve everything we do,” said Madeline Jordan, associate planner for the City of Yucaipa. “Our residents and customers are changing, and we really look forward to improving how we provide services such as permitting. We are here to make it as painless as possible.”

Another resource that the Planning Division created to support the new online permitting portal was the development of unique application checklists.

“Yes, we’re going digital to ensure access to government services anytime and anywhere, but we also recognize that our customers are not robots, and that in-person interaction is still extremely powerful to equitably serve our community,” said Jordan.

While print checklists offer in-person customers a tangible take-home deliverable, online customers can access this support material from the web. The Yucaipa team used ArcGIS StoryMaps to embed the PDF resources. By creatively hosting these individual PDF checklists, city staff can ensure the long-term ease of maintenance for this resource. If a PDF file is uploaded with the same name as the original checklist, the resource will update the story on the fly with no other changes needed.

The customer support material created to support the launch of the City of Yucaipa’s new digital permitting system is a testament to how ArcGIS StoryMaps and briefings can be leveraged to create community resources that can be easily accessed and maintained into the future. 

Yucaipa’s forward-thinking initiative exemplifies how technology can bridge gaps, improve processes, and enhance transparency for all stakeholders involved in the permitting and development processes. This comes with a long line of other GIS solutions that the Planning Division has successfully leveraged to help residents and other stakeholders with the development process.