DPLU customers can schedule appointments online

SAN DIEGO – San Diego County Department of Planning and Land Use (DPLU) customers can now schedule certain appointments online without waiting on the telephone or visiting County offices for help.

Customers can schedule two types of appointments online:

· Appointments to submit applications for discretionary permits at DPLU’s Zoning counter.

· Appointments to submit applications for Department of Public Works major grading permits at the Land Development counter.

“Our department is always looking for ways to make our process easier for our customers,” said DPLU Director Eric Gibson. “Placing these functions online means customers don’t have to wait in line.”

Scheduling the online appointments is easy. When customers first log on at the appointments link at http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/dplu/qmatic/luegappointments.html, they need to fill out a registration form to receive their ID number. Then, they simply type in their ID number and e-mail address in the appropriate boxes to schedule their appointment, and print out a copy of the barcode that is displayed when the appointment is set.

When they arrive at the County’s permit center at 5201 Ruffin Road, San Diego, they scan their printed barcode in at the lobby’s self-serve kiosk, which automatically notifies County staff that they have checked in for the appointment.

The online appointments system is the latest customer-service improvement DPLU has provided. Last year, the Building Division improved its permit process. It cut the number of lines that customers needed to wait in. It allowed applications to be reviewed sooner and it offered customers pre-application meetings to identify project issues early on.

DPLU has also introduced online tools to research property and building-permit histories, check developer deposit accounts, estimate building permit and plan check fees and file some building permit applications.