Sector(s)
Located in the heart of California’s Central Valley, Tulare County is known as the “Gateway to the Sequoias.” It’s a vibrant, family-oriented community with deep agricultural roots and stunning natural surroundings that attract both residents and visitors alike. The county’s numerous websites required a unified approach to effectively engage residents and provide accessible, reliable information.
About the project
Like many local government sites, navigating Tulare County’s websites was frustrating. Residents often found themselves clicking through page after page, just trying to find a single form or the right person to contact. Something as simple as getting a phone number or accessing a service shouldn’t feel like a scavenger hunt, yet for many visitors, it did.
On top of that, their existing platform, Mura, was being deprecated. This meant they had no choice but to find a new solution. While this posed a significant challenge, it also opened the door for a fresh start. Moving to Acquia’s technology stack would give them the modern tools they needed, but it wouldn’t be a simple lift-and-shift. The transition required careful planning and problem-solving to migrate their many websites smoothly and securely.
We carefully reviewed their existing websites, analyzing every page and piece of content to understand the full scope of what needed to be migrated and improved. This deep discovery process helped us define a clear, scalable site architecture that would unify all county departments under one cohesive system.
We also established user roles, designed permission workflows, and created a comprehensive communication plan to keep everyone aligned throughout the process. By the end of this initial discovery phase, we had a clear roadmap and a set of actionable goals to guide the project forward. These goals included:
- Reducing operational costs through a more efficient and manageable system
- Designing an accessible, mobile-friendly experience for all users
- Establishing a consistent design and theme across every Tulare County website
- Integrating essential tools such as the Inmate Search, Animal Services, and GIS mapping for waste management
This website redesign project transformed Tulare County’s digital presence into a modern, user-centered platform that truly serves its community. By rethinking how residents interact with the county online, we created a seamless experience where visitors can quickly find what they need and take action without frustration.
One of the biggest improvements came from simplifying navigation. With the new task-based filter dialog and an intuitive department directory, residents no longer need to know which department handles their request. Whether they are applying for a marriage license, reporting a lost pet, or searching for waste collection information, they can now get to the right place in just a few clicks.
County staff also gained powerful tools to manage their vast network of websites. Through Drupal, Acquia Site Factory, and Acquia DAM, their teams can easily organize assets, update content, and maintain consistency across all sites without relying heavily on technical support. The nine flexible page themes, inspired by Tulare County’s agricultural community, give each department a cohesive look while allowing content authors to make changes quickly and independently.
We also built custom applications tailored to specific departmental needs, including an inmate search tool for law enforcement, a lost and found animal tracker for Animal Services, a kennel permit calculator, and an interactive GIS map for waste management. These tools have now streamlined internal workflows for multiple departments.
Most importantly, the new platform is built with accessibility in mind. With integrated translation tools and a clear, mobile-friendly design, information is now available to all residents, regardless of their language or the devices they’re using.
Why Drupal was chosen
To bring Tulare County’s new digital vision to life, we implemented Drupal/Acquia’s technology stack, including Drupal CMS and Acquia DAM. This made it far easier for county staff to organize content, upload images, and manage assets across their sites. Acquia Site Factory became the central hub for their page templates, giving the team the ability to quickly create new pages or update existing ones with minimal effort.
Accessibility was another key focus. County websites serve a diverse audience, so we made sure information was available to everyone. By integrating Google Translations into their Drupal environment, we created a site that is easy to navigate while ensuring content can be understood across different languages and communities. This way, Tulare County’s websites truly serve all residents, no matter their background or needs.
Technical Specifications
Drupal version:
Key modules/theme/distribution used:
Acquia DAM made content management a breeze for county staff, streamlining the upload process and minimizing duplicate pieces of content crowding their environment,
