BREA

The city is looking for ways to clean up the way it processes plans for new housing, business and industrial developments. The City Council voted last week to have the Planning Department seek out bids from auditors for a “work flow” study of the steps needed to get a project built. The study will be paid for out of a $29,000 surplus of Planning Department audit money unspent from last year.

The purpose is to improve customer service and cut red tape. The study will address large- and small-scale projects--from the local business needing approval for a building addition to developers seeking to build hundreds of homes.