.png)
.png)
.png)
Culpeper, Virginia, Saves Time With CivicPlus® Code Enforcement, Permitting, and Licensing Software
Before CivicPlus
Before implementing CivicPlus’ Code Enforcement, Permitting, and Licensing software, Culpeper County’s Building and Zoning Department used AS/400, a rugged, basic, greenscreen database solution to manage code enforcement and permitting-related documentation; however, the system did not allow for document storage or photo attachments.
In 2018, the County implemented CivicPlus’ software (formerly Civicgov by Wagsys).
After CivicPlus
For Bob Orr, CBO, Culpeper County Building Official, switching to CivicPlus meant gaining the software’s advanced functionality and saving money.
“The software has more of what we needed,” said Orr. “Many other software options are modules within finance software designed for building and zoning management. We wanted something designed for our needs that was more flexible.”
After implementing the new software, the County’s permit technicians quickly learned how to navigate the system and leverage the more advanced capabilities while taking advantage of the more robust reporting options.
“With the AS/400 system, if you needed a report outside the standard options, you had to create a query report in the database,” said Orr. “The CivicPlus software allows for both canned and customized reports — which is what our team needed.”
Leveraging the New Public Portal
CivicPlus’ Code Enforcement, Permitting, and Licensing system includes a public portal to empower easy access to submit inquiries and requests by residents, contractors, and businesses. It includes functionality to make it easy for communities to manage online applications, document and plan uploads, resident and contractor communications, credit card payments, and the digital distribution of documents like permits, licenses, and certificates. In addition, users can submit code enforcement complaints.
“Before the addition of the public portal, we were getting inspections sent to us by phone and email,” said Orr. “Now, people can schedule inspections and submit permit requests directly to our CivicPlus software through the portal. Our inspectors regularly access the portal from the field, which has been a time saver for them and us.”
Today, Orr says, 80 – 85% of plans are submitted for review digitally through the portal.
“We’ve had lots of positive feedback about the real-time email inspection reports from our customers,” said Orr.
