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© St. Petersburg Times, published January 30, 2003
CLEARWATER -- Phoning the city's planning department can sometimes be an exercise in frustration.
Besides waiting on people who show up at the counter, employees field hundreds of calls every week from residents with detailed questions about their properties' zoning, flood level or future land use designations.
But looking up each property takes time, meaning other callers frequently have to wait.
On hold.
With a recording.
Now, a new page on the city's Web site is designed to cut through the backlog.
The Web page features links to development and annexation applications as well as forms for sign and land clearing permits.
"Now that they can get that information on the Web site," said Planning Director Cyndi Tarapani, "we expect a significant reduction in calls and streamlined zoning and permitting processes."
Gina Clayton, the city's long range planning manager, said the Web site should free up staff and reduce wait time for answers to basic questions.
"We're hoping that people can sort of help themselves," she said. "You can essentially find out everything except for the property owner's name . . . They can just print it out in the comfort of their own homes."
The system can display and print maps and aerial photos of parcels as small as a single-family home's rooftop.
Developers and builders still need to bring completed applications into the Planning Department for review, but most of the information and forms they need to get started are available online.
For information, call the Planning Department at (727)562-4604.
-- Jennifer Farrell can be reached at 445-4160 or farrell@sptimes.com ">farrell@sptimes.com .
Windows-based browsers can go to www.clearwater-fl.com/city_departments/planning, which allows users to explore a map of the city, zooming in on selected properties, for detailed information.