ENTERING INTO A DIGITAL AGE To make researching planning documents easier for members of the Planning Department, as well as prospective developers and property owners, the City Council is expected to approve a contract to scan and index planning documents so they can be accessed by computer.
PC Imaging is asking for $750,000 to complete the task.
In one year, the Planning and Community Development Department receives approximately 1,200 public records requests. In addition, realtors, potential home buyers, attorneys, city staff and others research permit histories for properties at the Permit Center public counter daily.
It was recommended to the City Council that because of the strong demand for the records, they should be made more easily available by placing them on City Hall’s Web site. The conversion will help save paper and make the storing and retrieving of the documents faster, easier and more secure, according to a staff report.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 14, 2006. Read the original PDF.