Durham Strategic Plan Dashboard
Prosperity
Status Indicator: 
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Complete/Ongoing
Initiative: 4.33 Enhance interdepartmental collaboration in the development review process
Innovative & High Performing Organization
Description
This initiative aims to improve the coordination and collaboration surrounding development review matters. This initiative will focus on clarifying the guidance around when collaboration should take place during the development process, how it should be conducted, and who is responsible for managing that collaboration. Additionally, it will help establish a formal process to escalate any issues related to the development process if collaboration does not yield timely solutions.
Key Measures & Data Analysis
Development Cases Processed by Durham Planning and Development
Why is it important?
This initiative will significantly benefit residents of Durham, developers, design professionals, and city staff by enhancing communication and collaboration in the development process. By fostering greater transparency and predictability, it aims to streamline interactions among all stakeholders involved.
What have we been doing?
The city's development review functions have been consolidated into the Planning & Development Department as part of a city-wide reorganization effort. The Planning & Development Department has implemented targeted process improvements and strengthened cross-departmental coordination — making it faster and more consistent for applicants to navigate the development review process.
Key activities include:
• Hiring a new Assistant Director over the Development Infrastructure Division within the newly formed Planning & Development (P&D) Department, bringing improved leadership and coordination.
• Convening monthly meetings with the Home Builders Association subgroup and leading weekly Development Management Team meetings to surface and address pain points in real time.
• Implementing 25 process improvements FYTD — 17 complete and 8 underway — including 9 development review improvements and a new Temporary ROW Closure Consolidation process now fully handled by P&D.
• Maintaining an Express Review for Priority Projects: 10-business-day staff review (vs. 30 normally) and 30-business-day applicant resubmission (vs. 180 normally), available for schools, universities, affordable housing, and city/county projects.
What's next?
Work to continue improving the development review experience will continue through the following activities:
• Process Improvement Pipeline – Continuing to identify and implement additional process improvements across development review and infrastructure inspections.
• Recruitment – Filling 21 current vacancies, including the ombudsman role.
• Ombudsman Expansion – Expanding the scope of the ombudsman function to provide broader project advocacy.
• Clariti Implementation – Implementing the Clariti system to modernize development tracking and reporting.
• Combined Performance Metrics – Developing a Clariti-based dashboard for cross-departmental performance monitoring.
City Website Home Page: Durham, NC | Official Website (durhamnc.gov)
Budget Website Page: Budget & Management Services Department | Durham, NC (durhamnc.gov)
Budget and Management Services Department
Office of Performance and Innovation
Strategy and Performance Division