25 hours a month back for one planning team

In Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, a city of roughly 14,000 residents, a three-person planning team managed a steady flow of projects moving through the Planning Commission process. Keeping reviews on track required coordination across multiple departments, relying heavily on emails, shared documents, and manual follow-up. Over time, staff spent significant time managing the process rather than reviewing projects.

This case study looks at what changed when Lawrenceburg brought planning and zoning into a modern digital workflow. By bringing reviews, communication, and coordination into one place, the city reduced administrative effort, improved visibility for applicants, and gave staff valuable time back each month.

The impact of P&Z coordination

With GovWell, Lawrenceburg replaced manual follow-up and comment compilation with a streamlined system for planning and zoning. Coordination became easier, public visibility improved, and staff spent less time managing reviews.

The result is a more sustainable workflow and 25 hours returned each month to a three-person planning team.

“I'm not trying to be dramatic, but it was at least 40 hours a month for all of the coordination and review for the Planning Commission. Now I would say it's closer to 15 hours a month.” — Ali Cobb, Planning & Development

Inside the case study

In this case study, you'll learn:

• How small planning teams can manage growing project volume without adding administrative burden
• How automated routing, reminders, and comment collection reduce review-cycle friction
• What it takes to replace emails, shared folders, and manual follow-up with a connected workflow
• How giving applicants real-time visibility improves service and reduces unnecessary back-and-forth
• How AI can help answer routine planning and zoning questions while keeping staff in control