Mt. Lebanon will debut two significant improvements to its website next year, changes that planners say will modernize and streamline its online offerings.

A services portal that will allow residents to submit requests and report concerns online will begin the first part of a two-phase launch late this month or in early January.

Upgrades to the municipal website, which will highlight key information and improve overall navigation, will take effect April 13, said Susan Morgans, public information officer.

"Our goal was just making the website easier to use," she said.

The municipal commission allocated $30,000 for the services portal and website upgrades. Planners have spent $25,000 thus far, which includes the cost of working with the company that designed the original website -- and will carry out the changes and redesign -- on monthly conference calls.

The services portal, "myLebo," will allow residents to create a personal user name and password to sign on. In addition to reporting a missed garbage pickup, for example, residents can obtain building permits and submit requests via the portal.

A repair request made on myLebo will be shuttled to several people in public works. When the request is accepted, the system sends an automatic email alerting the user.

Residents also can pay parking tickets on myLebo, although they won't need to create a user name to do so.

A first draft of the overall website redesign will be unveiled to planners Jan. 11. They will have about a month to make any changes and will invite 10 residents to be part of a focus group to contribute to those discussions.

Those planners met this fall with all municipal departments to examine every page of the existing website and removed any outdated or redundant information, Ms. Morgans said. Those changes are being updated now, so the most germane information will migrate to the new website.

The revamped site will feature keyword-search A-Z menus, community calendars, more news updates and an emergency mode.

The portal's phase two launch, which is to happen during the first half of next year, will enable residents to purchase parking permits and will revise "from the ground up" LeboALERT, the municipality's alert system that sends emergency updates and other news to subscribers via text message or email, said Nicholas Schalles, manager of information technology.

The 4,000 LeboALERT subscribers will be migrated to myLebo.

The portal also will host an online store where users can place orders and pay online for Mt. Lebanon merchandise.

"With the framework done ... [the] sky's the limit," Mr. Schalles said.