City Will Speed Approvals for Minor Construction Jobs

To streamline the permit process for construction jobs valued under $50,000, city officials have decided to exempt most of them from a process known as project review.

The change is expected to shave about 30 days off the average 75 needed to process permits, said Robyn Uptegraff, executive director of planning and building for the city.

Project review is a checklist the city uses to ensure that all the proper city agencies, from police to public works, have reviewed construction project plans. The process also allows city staff to provide developers with suggestions and inform them of potential code violations.

But project review, Uptegraff said, can be too detailed and time-consuming for many small-scale projects where, for example, an office might change interior floor plans.

“If a new law firm wants to rearrange the walls, it may cost a half-million dollars,” Uptegraff said, “but there’s no reason for planners to review the plans.”

Completed projects, however, must still pass inspection by various city agencies.

The proposal to cut project review for some buildings came after the City Council earlier this year asked for ways to streamline the permit process.