July 1, 2010
Outside firm to study improving San Diego fire response times (San Diego, CA)
"San Diego is hiring an outside firm to examine how long it takes the fire department to respond to emergencies and to provide a blueprint for improving in the future. Right now, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department is far from meeting the national standard, which calls for engines to arrive within 5 minutes 90 percent of the time."...read more

June 30, 2010
New Study To Consider How SD Fire Department Should Go Forward (San Diego, CA)
"The city of San Diego is commissioning its own fire deployment study. It will come from Citygate Associates, the same company that prepared a similar report for the county last spring."...read more

May 27, 2010
San Clemente completes 62% of plan-review to-do list (San Clemente, CA)
"SAN CLEMENTE – A new city report says community-development staff has completed 62 percent of a consulting group's 39 recommendations aimed at improving city/business relations, but some hot-button changes are still in the works."...read more

May 27, 2010
Supervisors seek implementation plan for emergency response study (San Diego County)
"Not only did the San Diego County Board of Supervisors accept the regional deployment study to assess the delivery of fire and emergency medical services in San Diego County, but the supervisors’ 5-0 vote May 19 also directed the county’s Chief Administrative Officer to develop an implementation plan based on the study’s recommendations and return to the Board of Supervisors within 120 days with such a plan."...read more

May 24, 2010
Supervisors Endorse First-Ever Regional Fire Deployment Report (San Diego County)
"San Diego County wants to increase its firepower in fighting fires - especially massive blazes like those that rampaged across the region in 2003 and 2007."...read more

May 20, 2010
Fire study endorsed by county (San Diego County)
"County supervisors voted unanimously Wednesday to adopt a study that calls for building 14 fire stations throughout the region to reduce coverage gaps. But it’s unlikely that any stations will materialize soon because of budget constraints."...read more

May 19, 2010
REGION: Supervisors call for plan to improve fire protection (San Diego County)
"About the time peak wildfire season arrives this fall, San Diego County supervisors will get a report that outlines ways to improve regional fire safety.The supervisors on Wednesday directed county staffers to develop a plan to institute recommendations included in a more than 200-page regional fire services study conducted by a consulting firm."...read more

March 17, 2010
San Clemente vows no more '2nd bites at apple' (San Clemente, CA)
"But implementing what's known as a "no second bite at the apple" policy means there will be zero tolerance for incomplete plan submittals, according to the Community Development Department's new plan to incorporate 39 recommendations from the Citygate Associates study."...read more

March 4, 2010
Escondido: Golden Door Spa asks county to postpone Merriam Mountains hearing (Escondido, CA)
"Attorneys for a business opposed to the 2,630-home Merriam Mountains development proposed for north of Escondido have asked county supervisors to delay the project's March 24 hearing until the county's blueprint for improving regional fire safety is complete."...read more

February 28, 2010
Newark agrees to contract with Alameda County Fire Department (Newark, CA)
“By the time the next fiscal cycle begins, fire engines in Newark could bear the name of the Alameda County Fire Department. City Council members have voted in favor of a five-year contract with the countywide department, a move that could save Newark as much as $3.4 million over the life of the deal.”…read more


February 18, 2010
San Clemente to beef up customer service, Nordstrom-style (San Clemente, CA)
“In its regular meeting Tuesday, the council approved the top 10 out of 39 recommendations in a consultant’s study on how the department – which issues building permits and business licenses – can improve its service to residents.”…read more


February 18, 2010
Improvements to San Clemente's Planning/Building Process Coming Soon (San Clemente, CA)
“Jay Corey, a principal auditor with Citygate Associates, LLC, finished an in-depth report of the city’s planning, building and code compliance processes and reported his findings to City Council Tuesday. Before laying out his recommendations on an overhaul of current city practices, he commended city staff on the auditing process, claiming all who were asked to participate were very candid and open.”…read more


February 17, 2010
San Clemente OKs building-permit fixes (San Clemente, CA)
“The city of San Clemente will move forward with a consultant's 39 recommendations to fix behind-the-counter bottlenecks in the Community Development Department after a unanimous City Council vote Tuesday night.”…read more


February 10, 2010
City's Building/Planning Practices Under Review (San Clemente, CA)
“An in-depth report of the city’s planning, building and code compliance processes will be presented to City Council on February 16, ostensibly leading to an overhaul of current city practices. The report, created by Citygate Associates, LLC, is comprehensive in its analysis of the city’s existing processes.”…read more


February 4, 2010
Press Release: Citygate conducts management review of community development dept. (San Clemente, CA)
“The City of San Clemente hired Citygate Associates, LLC, a professional consultancy firm, to conduct a management review of the policies, procedures, management, staffing, and operations of San Clemente’s planning, building, and code compliance processes.”…read more


January 13, 2010
Peninsula fire department merger heats up (Bay Area, CA)
“The Burlingame, Hillsborough, Millbrae and San Bruno city councils have voted to hire Citygate Associates LLC, a Folsom-based firm that specializes in fire and emergency medical service consulting, to do an evaluation of whether it's possible — or advisable — for the cities to merge their fire departments.”…read more


January 5, 2010
Burlingame agrees to fund fire merger study (Bay Area, CA)
“The wheels are in motion for the final stage of a potential four-city fire department merger.”…read more


November 21, 2009
Study has top marks for fire agency (Carlsbad, CA)
“The Carlsbad Fire Department has been given an exemplary rating by an independent consultant hired to evaluate the department and recommend improvements.”…read more


November 11, 2009
Accounting mess teaches Surprise painful lesson (Surprise, AZ)
“Surprise has grown dramatically the past decade, adding about 87,000 residents, national retailers and sports attractions, including a tennis center and Cactus League ballpark.”…read more


November 19, 2009
Business group says city is holding back progress (San Clemente, CA)
“San Clemente is on the brink of becoming a business-investment hot spot as the economy starts to turn around, but the city's permit and development-review process is holding it back, according to the San Clemente Business Council.”…read more


September 2009
Update on the Citygate Associates Study of the SLC Planning Process (Salt Lake City, UT)
“Citygate Associates, LLC conducted a nine month study evaluating the Salt Lake City Planning Processes and presented the report to the Mayor and City Council in April 2009. There have been substantial efforts to implement their recommendations since that time”…read more