Nestled in the heart of the San Juan Mountains, Archuleta County, Colorado, is a scenic rural resort community known for its stunning landscapes and thriving outdoor tourism. With a growing population of second homeowners and a recent surge in property values, the county faced challenges in managing its permitting and code enforcement processes. To address these issues, Archuleta County adopted GOGov's Code Enforcement and Online Permitting solutions, streamlining operations and providing residents with modern, accessible services. Discover how GOGov is helping this picturesque county improve efficiency, reduce paperwork, and enhance communication across departments.

About Archuleta County, CO

Archuleta County, Colorado, is a picturesque rural resort community nestled in the heart of the San Juan Mountains. With a population of approximately 14,500, the county is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, drawing visitors year-round to explore its stunning natural landscapes, including expansive National Forest lands and the culturally rich territory of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. The county is characterized by its unique geography, with over two-thirds of its area comprising public lands, making it an ideal destination for second homeowners and tourists alike.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Archuleta County has seen a dramatic surge in property values, presenting challenges in community housing and accessibility. With only one true municipality in the county, the town of Pagosa Springs, residents often find themselves navigating a complex permitting process that has traditionally required in-person applications. This has become increasingly cumbersome for the many second homeowners—primarily from Texas—who wish to invest in their mountain retreats.

What was the challenge that led Archuleta to GOGov?

Archuleta County recently adopted online permitting and licensing solutions from GOGov to address several challenges related to its outdated permitting process and the unique needs of its population, particularly the large number of second homeowners. The county wanted to simplify and modernize how residents and second homeowners apply for permits, make changes to their properties, and interact with the county’s systems. The manual, paper-based processes were not only time-consuming but also lacked flexibility for customers who needed a more accessible and streamlined way to manage their permits remotely.

"We had challenges with our previous online permitting system, which only handled short-term rentals through Granicus software, and it wasn’t meeting our needs. I was already familiar with GOGov from using their code enforcement software for a couple of years, and I had been very satisfied with it. When I learned that GOGov had a permitting solution, it made sense to bring everything under one platform." Pamela Flowers, Development Director

The decision to move quickly to GOGov was also driven by ongoing issues with managing short-term rental applications and the desire to switch to a new platform sooner.

"The ability to centralize everything with GOGov is a huge benefit. Now, when someone applies for a building permit, we can see if they have an open code enforcement case, which helps streamline our processes and improve efficiency," "GOGov has helped us build a clearer, more organized system where we can easily access historical data and ensure smoother operations across different services." Pamela Flowers, Development Director

By adopting GOGov, Archuleta County has been able to create a more user-friendly, modern permitting system that not only reduces paperwork but also allows the staff to better serve residents and second homeowners while addressing enforcement issues more effectively.

How is Archuleta Using GOGov today?

Archuleta County is leveraging GOGov’s products to improve its code enforcement and permitting processes. GOGov’s platform enables the county’s code enforcement team to handle cases more efficiently, creating violation letters and tracking cases with ease. This streamlines the workflow, reducing administrative tasks and allowing staff to focus on fieldwork. Additionally, the system maintains detailed records of communications, which is critical for monitoring case progress and managing complaints over time. These records also provide evidence for any necessary legal escalations.

The use of GOGov has significantly enhanced Archuleta’s ability to manage cases and improve service delivery and communication across departments.

Code Enforcement:

• GOGov streamlines case management for the county's code enforcement team.

• Enables quick generation of violation letters using customizable templates.

• Tracks case progress and maintains a detailed record of all communications.

• Simplifies escalation of unresolved cases to legal proceedings with strong documentation.

Permitting Platform:

• Recently implemented for short-term rental permits.

• Applicants can now track permit status online, reducing the need for manual emails.

• GOGov has cut permit approval time by half, despite frequent corrections needed from applicants.

Improved Communication & Record Keeping:

• All communications with applicants are stored in the system, providing transparency and reducing miscommunication.

• Staff can easily reference past interactions when handling complaints or queries.

Future Plans for Archuleta County

Archuleta County is committed to enhancing operational efficiency and improving citizen services through the integration of GOGov’s products. One of the primary initiatives is to streamline the permitting process. The county aims to simplify the application process by allowing applicants to submit all necessary documents for various permits—such as septic, planning, and building—in a single submission. This approach will reduce redundancy and make it easier for applicants to navigate the permitting system.

To facilitate this, Archuleta County plans to foster collaboration among different departments by encouraging staff to identify overlapping requirements. For instance, documents like site plans and building plans may be required for multiple permits, allowing for more efficient use of resources and reducing the time spent on each application.

"If you're dealing with complaints and code violations in the same departments where you're managing permitting, it makes sense to use GOGov Code Enforcement and Permitting Solutions together. This approach provides a comprehensive picture of each property, allowing us to see its historical context and current status, ensuring that all aspects are working together effectively." Pamela Flowers, Development Director

Your Municipality Powered by GOGov

GOGov is committed to helping municipalities and local governments enhance community engagement, streamline operations, and foster transparent communication. Our partnership with Archuleta County demonstrates the potential of our solutions to make a meaningful impact on cities of all sizes, and our continued efforts to improve and innovate further.  

GOGov specializes in providing CRM, Code Enforcement, Citizen Notifications, Online Permitting and mobile software to local governments of all sizes. We built our software from the ground up working with the departments and staff that now use our products every single day.

Interested in learning more? Sign up for a demo with the GOGov team today.

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