Thumbs up: What's next for Sonoma County? Drones?

Over the years, Sonoma County's planning and permitting process has been known for its delays, unpredictability and challenges in finding out where applications stood. No more. As reported on Monday, the Permit and Resource Management Department has gone digital with a new online permitting system that will allow residents and businesses to apply for certain permits, pay fees, check on their application status and schedule inspections. It also will make it easier for residents to report on problems next door such as loud parties at homes unpermitted for vacation rentals.

The $1.8 million online permitting system, known as Permit Sonoma, is part of a larger initiative to help the department shift entirely to electronic permitting. 'We're trying to move away from the DMV model of customer service, to more of an Apple Store model,' said county PRMD Director Tennis Wick. 'Our next leap is to Amazon.' Does this mean the use of drones for inspections will be next? This could get interesting.