City of Naperville issued the following announcement on Oct. 24.

In order to limit the City’s environmental footprint, Naperville has begun reviewing development submittals in a digital format, instead of on paper. The move to e-plan review will eliminate thousands of pounds of paper being submitted to the City each year. In addition, e-plan review will allow for a more efficient submission process. With e-plan review, submittals can be conveniently made with a few clicks by customers from their own computer. The mark-ups made within the e-Plan review appear directly on the submittals, minimizing any confusion about what is required. The software allows all reviewing departments - building, planning, engineering, fire, utilities, public works - to collaborate more effectively within digital documents to provide clear direction to applicants.

A multi-departmental team of city staff, led by the City’s Transportation, Engineering and Development (TED) Department has been working since February to launch e-plan review. This effort has involved extensive software training, hardware upgrades, and refinement of numerous processes that have existed for decades. Moving to e-plan review eliminates thousands of pounds of paper being submitted to the City each year.

Currently, all development projects subject to administrative review and all applications that must be reviewed by the Naperville Planning and Zoning Commission and/or City Council to approve entitlements (e.g., rezoning, variances, etc.) are required to be reviewed digitally. This is Naperville’s first step on a path toward full e-plan review and permitting. By early 2020, the City will begin requiring electronic submittal of all new buildings, additions and alterations for both commercial and residential projects including new single-family homes, residential room additions and residential room alterations. The same benefits will apply to these customers when comparing e-plan review to paper-based processes. Long-term, as Naperville seeks to move toward e-permitting, all remaining applications for smaller projects (e.g. fences, decks, room additions, signs, driveways, etc.) will be also be converted to electronic environments as well. For more information visit the City’s website www.naperville.il.us/developmentpetition

Original source can be found here.