30 Jun City of Yuma improves residents access to development activity with Community Connect

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YUMA — The City of Yuma has been introducing to the community a new way that puts information about citywide development activity at users’ fingertips, its called Community Connect.
Community Connect is an online portal featuring maps that can be customized to highlight specific areas of interest and details related to development projects. Residents and developers can explore building permits, planning applications, inspections, and business licenses. Users can configure heat maps that show where certain types of activity – for example, residential or commercial development – are most active over a designated time period.
“This program will increase transparency and provide an opportunity for residents to stay informed and gain useful info about development projects within the city,” said Director of Planning and Neighborhood Services Alyssa Linville.
Community Connect is a map-based application. At full width, the maps show locations of pins that represent development records; for example, it can show the number of permits in that specified area. Users can then zoom incrementally to neighborhoods, blocks and individual parcels to view records specific to that land, such as a plan number, application date, and project status.
Using Community Connect is free and registration is not required. However, those who wish to register with their email address can sign up for emailed alerts regarding permits, new planning applications, newly scheduled inspections and newly applied business licenses. Additionally, these alerts can be delivered at intervals set up by the user – daily, weekly or monthly – and set by type.
“This is a handy tool for users to stay updated on what is being built in their area, or an area they are interested in,” Linville said. “It also helps those who may wish to develop within the city to see where the growth is.”
For example, if a local swimming pool supplier wants to know which new homes have been built with pools in order to market to potential new customers, they can set up an alert through Community Connect to receive that information directly. Previously, they had to file and collect requests for public records.
To use or for further information, access the “Community Connect” tab from the Community Development page of the City’s website, or go directly to www.yumaaz.gov/communityconnect.