Westminster City Council
SUBJECT
Title
Strategic Plan Goal #4: Improve Customer Service Delivery to the Community Strategic Plan Objective: Review and update flowcharts and develop customer service-oriented material that better informs developers and residents on the Community Development Department’s work process and how city customers can best partner with the City on development projects.
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From: Christine Cordon, City Manager
Requested by: Administration
Prepared by: Richard Rojas, Community Development Director
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
Recommendation
Receive and file.
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BACKGROUND
On April 28, 2025, the City Council held a strategic planning workshop to develop the City’s second three-year strategic plan and identify priorities for the City. These include:
• Goal #1 - Achieve Financial Stability
• Goal #2 - Implement and Support Effective Land-Use Policies that Encourage Quality Development
• Goal #3 - Attract, Develop, and Retain Well-Qualified Staff Members
• Goal #4 - Improve Customer Service Delivery to the Community
• Goal #5 - Enhance Quality of Life and Beautification Throughout the City
The new goals stem from the first set of goals adopted in 2022, which included:
• Goal #1 - Achieve Financial Stability
• Goal #2 - Develop and Implement Specific Plans for Little Saigon, the Downtown District, and the West Side
• Goal #3 - Attract, Develop, and Retain Well-Qualified Staff Members
• Goal #4 - Improve Customer Service Delivery to the Community
The April 28, 2025 strategic planning workshop was an opportunity for the City Council to discuss the previous three-year strategic plan goals and objectives, reflect on lessons learned, and consider new priorities, concerns, and needs in establishing a new set of goals and objectives. The new three-year strategic plan includes previous goals that are being continued due to ongoing implementation of objectives, as well as new opportunities that have presented themselves since the previous planning period.
A follow-up strategic planning workshop was held on October 6, 2025 to evaluate the City's progress in achieving goals through the strategic plan.
The strategic plan goals support the City’s mission, which is:
“The City of Westminster is committed to providing the highest quality of service, ensuring that Westminster is a desirable place to live, work, play and do business.”
The Community Development Department is responsible for helping residents, property owners, businesses, developers and other members of the community navigate the City's planning, building, and development processes.
Development review can be complex and often requires coordination among applicants, consultants, City departments, and other agencies. The Department has developed a “Community Development Partnership Guide” to establish a more customer-service-oriented approach to development review, emphasizing collaboration, transparency, and clear communication.
The guiding principle of the initiative is: Building Our Community Together - Your partner in navigating the development process.
The initiative recognizes that the City's role extends beyond regulatory review. Community Development staff serve as Regulatory Reviewers, Project Facilitators, Technical Advisors, and Community Stewards, balancing the City's responsibility to maintain adopted standards and protect the community while helping applicants successfully navigate the development process.
The proposed initiative establishes five customer-service principles for Community Development:
1. Accessible: Provide clear points of contact and timely responses.
2. Transparent: Clearly communicate requirements, project status and identified issues.
3. Consistent: Apply adopted policies, regulations, and standards fairly and consistently.
4. Solution-Oriented: Focus on identifying solutions and available alternatives when issues arise.
5. Respectful: Treat applicants, residents, property owners, businesses and consultants professionally and value differing viewpoints.
These principles are identified in the “Community Development Partnership Guide” as the City's commitment to customers.
CUSTOMER EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAM
The initiative proposes developing a coordinated package of customer-facing materials to make the development process easier to understand and navigate.
1. “Community Development Partnership Guide.” A concise brochure explaining:
• What customers can expect from City staff;
• The City's role in development review;
• The applicant's role in project success;
• The development review process;
• Ways to avoid delays; and
• Effective communication practices.
The guide emphasizes that successful projects are a partnership between the City and the applicant.
2. Development Process Guide. Staff would provide a visual overview of the development review process, from initial research and pre-application meetings through application submittal, staff review, corrections, formal approval, permits, and occupancy. The intent is to help customers understand what happens next and what is expected at each stage of the process.
3. Applicant Checklists. Staff will develop easy-to-use checklists, including:
• Before You Submit
• How to Avoid Delays
• How to Respond to Staff Comments
• Five Ways to Keep Your Project Moving
These materials would encourage applicants to conduct preliminary research, submit complete applications, respond promptly, and address staff comments comprehensively.
4. Website Resources. A dedicated Community Development customer-service webpage would provide a central location for:
• Development process information;
• Application requirements;
• Checklists;
• Pre-application information;
• Frequently asked questions;
• Department contacts;
• Online permitting resources; and
• Customer service guidance.
5. Social Media and Public Education. Staff would implement a recurring “Community Development Quick Tip” social media series addressing common questions and providing practical guidance regarding development applications and project review. Potential topics include:
• Understanding zoning;
• Preparing a complete application;
• Pre-application meetings;
• What happens after an application is submitted;
• Responding to correction lists;
• Avoiding common delays;
• Designating a project contact; and
• Communicating with City staff.
Customer Service Marketing Campaign
Staff proposes implementing the outreach program over a 12-month period, with each month focused on a particular aspect of the customer experience. This phased approach would allow the Department to introduce the program gradually while reinforcing consistent messages throughout the year.
Communication Materials
The campaign would utilize consistent visual identity and message across multiple communication channels, including:
• Brochures;
• One-page checklists;
• Lobby posters;
• Website content;
• Social media;
• Applicant correspondence;
• Email communications; and
• Staff presentations.
Internal Customer Service Standards
The success of the initiative will depend on aligning external communications with the actual customer experience. In turn, the Department would establish an internal customer-service commitment emphasizing that staff should: acknowledge customers promptly, provide clear points of contact, explain requirements clearly, focus on solutions, apply standards consistently, communicate project status, reduce unnecessary back-and-forth, coordinate internally before directing customers between departments, ask questions before making assumptions, and treat customers professionally. This internal commitment complements the external customer-service principles established in the Partnership Guide.
Expected Benefits
The initiative is intended to provide several benefits to the City and its customers.
• Improved Customer Experience. Customers will have clearer information about requirements, processes and points of contact.
• Greater Transparency. Providing customers with a better understanding of the development process can reduce uncertainty and confusion.
• More Effective Communication. Standardized guidance can improve communication between applicants and City staff.
• Better Prepared Applications. Checklists and educational materials can encourage applicants to submit more complete applications.
• Fewer Avoidable Delays. Educating applicants about common causes of delay may reduce incomplete submissions, partial responses and other avoidable issues. The Partnership Guide specifically identifies incomplete applications, ignored comments, poor-quality plans and scope changes as common causes of delay.
• Stronger Community Partnerships. The initiative reinforces the City's role as both a regulator and a partner in responsible community development.
Next Steps
Following City Council direction, Community Development staff would begin this program in September 2026 as follows:
1. Finalize the Community Development Partnership Guide;
2. Develop the applicant checklists and development-process materials;
3. Establish the Community Development customer-service webpage;
4. Develop the 12-month communications calendar;
5. Create the initial social media and lobby materials;
6. Introduce the internal customer service standards to Department staff; and
7. Begin implementation of the 12-month outreach campaign.
Staff would evaluate customer feedback and the effectiveness of the materials throughout implementation and adjust as appropriate.
FISCAL IMPACT
The initiative is intended to primarily utilize existing staff resources and City communication channels. Many of the proposed materials can be developed internally and incorporated into existing Community Development, City website and social media communications. Any significant costs associated with graphic design, printing, video production, website modifications, or other specialized services would be brought forward through the City's normal budgeting and procurement processes.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed as to form.
CONCLUSION
The Community Development Customer Service and Outreach Initiative is intended to make the City's development processes clearer, more accessible and easier to navigate, while maintaining the City's responsibility to consistently apply adopted regulations and protect community interests. The initiative builds upon the Department's Partnership Guide and its core philosophy that successful development is achieved through collaboration, transparency, and shared responsibility.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
REVIEWED BY
Erin Backs, Finance Director
City Attorney’s Office
Christine Cordon, City Manager