Montgomery County, OH Embraces Digital Transformation with e-PlanSoft™

When Montgomery County, Ohio, decided to modernize its plan review process, it wasn’t just about moving away from paper - it was about transforming how the county delivers services to its community and residents. From logistical headaches to modern-day efficiency, the county’s adoption of e-PlanSoft™ has redefined how plans are reviewed and approved.

A Paper-Based Past: Cumbersome and Costly

Before implementing e-PlanREVIEW® from e-PlanSoft, Montgomery County relied entirely on a paper-based system, a reality that caused delays, inefficiencies, and frustration.

“Everything was done through paper, just like everybody else at one time or another was doing,” said Anthony Wenzler, Montgomery County’s Building Official. “We had to request three sets of plans - one for our office, one for the plans examiner, and one for the local fire department.”

Distributing paper plans added days - even weeks - to the review timeline. The county has been utilizing a third-party vendor for plan review as the commercial plans examiner position has been vacant due to staff turnover. One set of plans were physically picked up and delivered by the contracted plans examiner from Cincinnati twice a week, and another set were delivered to the fire department too. “You would have some lag time with that,” Wenzler explained. “And we would then have to wait for the plans to be reviewed and returned before we knew if the fire department had approved or denied the permit.” Chasing down approvals became routine.

A Crisis-Driven Catalyst

The shift toward electronic plan review had been discussed as early as 2014, but it wasn’t until back-to-back crises, a 2019 tornado and the COVID-19 pandemic, that the urgency became undeniable.

“The team started looking at going digital years before, but the tornado in 2019, and then COVID, really expedited the decision-making process,” said Wenzler. “It allowed the team to recognize that they needed something more effective.”

Initially, the county tried to manage digital submissions using another electronic plan review system. Results were mixed at best. “It was actually more of a hassle,” Wenzler noted. “People emailed in the documents or dropped them off, we had to scan them, then reprint them after review - it created more manual work than before.”

Implementing e-PlanSoft and Accela®

Montgomery County officially implemented e-PlanREVIEW® from e-PlanSoft in mid-2023, along with Accela for permitting. “We went with e-PlanSoft because it worked best with Accela®,” said Wenzler.

The implementation wasn’t without its hiccups. “There were initially some communication issues between the two systems,” he recalled. However, the responsiveness from e-PlanSoft’s support team helped smooth the transition. “Anytime we had a problem with e-PlanSoft, it was corrected very quickly.”

 

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Fire Departments and Real-Time Collaboration

One of the most dramatic improvements has been in coordination with fire departments. What once took days or weeks now happens in real time.

“Now, we can route to the fire department and the plan examiner the same day we receive the submission,” said Wenzler. “They’re able to do their reviews at their convenience, leave their comments, and when they're done, we get a response back in real time.”

Some fire departments are now in the system daily, and e-PlanSoft’s notification system ensures each department stay informed. “I can set it up so that they get emailed when they have plans to review - which is nice.”

Enhanced Applicant Experience

For applicants, the change has been equally significant. “They don’t have to come downtown anymore,” Wenzler said. “Architects and engineers love it. They just upload and they’re on their way.”

Real-time updates mean no more chasing paper trails. “Before, if someone called asking about a permit, we had to call the plan examiner and fire department. Maybe they’d finished the review but hadn’t sent the paperwork back. Now, we just look in the system.”

Internal Efficiency and Office Transformation

The county's internal processes have been redefined. “It has changed how we do our jobs,” Wenzler explained. Clerks no longer manually enter data all day - they verify applications and route them. Plan examiners don’t need large desks to spread out and stamp plans. “We had a whole bookcase full of drawings. Part of someone’s job was stamping plans all day. Now, that’s all gone.”

The space once used for storing paper has been repurposed. “We remodeled and got rid of the areas where we stored paper. Inspectors now have an improved work area,” he said. “We’re even planning on hiring another team member.”

Faster Turnarounds and Measurable Results

Permit turnaround times have improved dramatically. “Residential reviews take about five days, sometimes less. Commercial reviews average 10 to 14 days,” said Wenzler. “Before, we were pushing three and a half weeks.”

Montgomery County processes approximately 7,000 permits per year, with roughly half requiring plan reviews. The efficiencies gained through e-PlanSoft have not only improved turnaround times but also enhanced capacity.

Expanding Digital Collaboration

The success with e-PlanSoft has opened doors to broader digital collaboration. “We’ve never sent plans to the health department before. We intend to onboard them into the system for restaurant and food-related reviews,” Wenzler shared. “They’re really excited about it.”

Inspectors will also soon benefit from the shift. “We’re getting larger iPads so they can use digital plans on site instead of asking applicants to print them.”

Service That Makes a Difference

For Wenzler, one of the most impressive aspects of e-PlanSoft has been its customer service. “Your customer service is very good,” he said. “Filing a ticket is simple, the response is quick, and even when it’s not an e-PlanSoft issue, your team helps identify it.”

“We went with e-PlanSoft because it worked best with Accela®.”

Anthony Wenzler

Building Official, Montgomery County, OH

"[e-PlanSoft's} customer service is very good. Filing a ticket is simple, the response is quick, and even when it’s not an e-PlanSoft issue, your team helps identify it.”

Anthony Wenzler

Building Official, Montgomery County, OH