King County residents will have more access to staff and services at the Department of Development and Environmental Services (DDES) under a new work schedule to debut next month that will close the office one day each week but extend operating hours.
Effective the week of Dec. 15, all staff at DDES will move to a 10-hour-a-day, four day-per-week work schedule. The department, located at 900 Oakesdale Ave. S.W., in Renton will be closed on Fridays.
This pilot project, proposed by King County Executive Ron Sims and supported by labor unions, is designed to increase efficiency in the government on multiple fronts, and also enhance customer service.
In random surveys, DDES permit customers expressed a desire for extended operating hours. Four 10-hour days will keep DDES open for business from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m., four days per week. This provides customers with an additional hour of access to DDES staff each day, Monday through Thursday. The DDES Permit Center will still provide free technical assistance to customers each of the four mornings DDES is open. Under the new DDES operating hours, free technical assistance will be given to property owners and permit applicants from 7 a.m. until 9:30 a.m., Monday through Thursday.
