On the Heels of a Community Workshop in 2025, EHS Has Unveiled an Evolving Program to explicitly encourage business success and foster a “One Marin” mindset—balancing safety standards & a commitment to the economic vitality of the local food community
On February 10th at the Board of Supervisors, featuring Shannon Bell, Supervising Environmental Health Specialist, Community Development Agency identified process Improvement Strategies for the Environmental Health Services Consumer Protection Food Program: Review of Proposed Program Modifications RECOMMENDATION:
1) Conduct a study session on the Environmental Health Services (EHS) Consumer Protection Food Program Improvement Work Plan and identified near-term actions and 2) Direct Staff to return with any necessary board actions to effectuate improvements in public health and safety, customer service and satisfaction.
https://marin.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=33&event_id=4146&meta_id=1419471
SUMMARY: The EHS Consumer Protection Food Program (Food Program) is undertaking strategic enhancements to support businesses and community vitality. Following stakeholder feedback, the department has identified 11 initiatives incorporating changes to program systems and permitting approaches, which include: 1. Self-Certification for Qualifying Change of Ownership Permitting
2. 10-Day Turnaround for Resubmittals 3. Tiered Permit Review 4. Modified Applicability of Restroom Configuration Requirements 5. Interjurisdictional Workflow Coordination 6. Engagement and Consultation 7. Digital Improvements 8. Public Information 9. Food Program Practices and Procedures 10.MEHKO Ordinance.
Today, the program is evolving to explicitly encourage business success and foster a “One Marin” mindset—balancing appropriate safety standards with a commitment to the economic vitality of the local food community. This report details how EHS will work within the CalCode to identify solutions that navigate regulatory requirements in a more engagement-centric and expedited manner to foster business growth and sustainability.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND: Goals The primary goal of this initiative is to transition the EHS Food Program from a traditional regulatory oversight model into a modern, partnership-based framework. This work aims to provide food operators with greater predictability, efficiency, transparency, and support throughout the business lifecycle—from the initial Change of Ownership (COO) through ongoing routine operations. EHS seeks to eliminate administrative friction, ensuring that public health safeguards serve as a foundation for, rather than a barrier to, the economic vitality of Marin’s food industry.
At the workshop in particular we also heard of obstacles that food business operators face outside the permitting process, such as financing and navigating leases. Beyond the improvements identified, staff is committed to continue productive dialogue and discussion with partners and holistically address the overall environment in which food businesses operate.
This effort is a core component of Elevate CDA, a department-wide initiative focused on improving the customer experience and streamlining permit processing across CDA, supported by the OCE Transformation Office. This collaborative approach ensures that EHS improvements are not siloed but are integrated with broader agency goals, such as digital transition and interjurisdictional coordination.
Proposed Food Program Modifications To modernize EHS operations, the department has developed targeted initiatives designed to leverage technology and restructured workflows to prioritize speed, clarity, and business support. These strategies focus on working within the legal framework of CalCode while proactively removing unnecessary hurdles for operators. Improvements target both the permitting process (Initiatives 1-5) and the core internal systems and structures (Initiatives 6-11) that currently create hurdles for food businesses. Addressing these systemic issues is essential to improving the operator experience. Two conditions have shaped the Food Program as it now operates:
• Digital Infrastructure: EHS currently utilizes CDA’s permit tracking data, Infor, but does not have a digital permitting system. The department is in the configuration process for a new permit tracking system, Health Space. Without this key system, Food Program staff operate with manual inefficiencies, inaccessible data, and obstacles to coordination.
• Cost Recovery: As a full cost-recovery department, EHS operates almost entirely on a fee-funded budget. To minimize the financial impact on operators, staffing levels have historically been kept at the minimum threshold required to fulfill mandated services. This limits the Food Program to core inspections and permit reviews. Necessary unfunded work occurs and is covered through other portions of the CDA budget. There is minimal existing capacity for improvement-related work such as developing enhanced communication tools, support and digital resources.
Proposed Food Program Modifications:
To modernize EHS operations, the department has developed targeted initiatives designed to leverage technology and restructured workflows to prioritize speed, clarity, and business support.
These strategies focus on working within the legal framework of CalCode while proactively removing unnecessary hurdles for operators. Improvements target both the permitting process (Initiatives 1-5) and the core internal systems and structures (Initiatives 6-11) that currently create hurdles for food businesses.
Addressing these systemic issues is essential to improving the operator experience.
Two conditions have shaped the Food Program as it now operates:
• Digital Infrastructure: EHS currently utilizes CDA’s permit tracking data, Infor, but does not have a digital permitting system. The department is in the configuration process for a new permit tracking system, Health Space. Without this key system, Food Program staff operate with manual inefficiencies, inaccessible data, and obstacles to coordination.
• Cost Recovery: As a full cost-recovery department, EHS operates almost entirely on a fee-funded budget. To minimize the financial impact on operators, staffing levels have historically been kept at the minimum threshold required to fulfill mandated services. This limits the Food Program to core inspections and permit reviews. Necessary unfunded work occurs and is covered through other portions of the CDA budget. There is minimal existing capacity for improvement-related work such as developing enhanced communication tools, support and digital resources.
https://marin.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=33&event_id=4146&meta_id=1419471