by Amy B Wang and Gary Nelson - Sept. 19, 2012 08:12 AM
The Republic | azcentral.com
Starting this fall, certain businesses could be eligible for a pilot program in Chandler that would allow an expedited permitting process, modeling a program in Phoenix that city officials there say has been successful.
In Phoenix, the program, self-certification, after a period of training allows design professionals to walk into Phoenix City Hall with a set of self-certified plans and walk out all but immediately with their building permits.
"It's a novel approach, but I think it addresses an old challenge," said Chandler building official Dave Nakagawara.
Chandler hopes to replicate that approach starting with a few projects, using those professionals who are self-certified with Phoenix. The process tends to place a greater responsibility on architects and design professionals to "get their ducks in a row ahead of time," resulting in time saved when the city must review plans, Nakagawara said.
"The higher quality of product that comes in for review, the faster you can turn it around," he said.
According to city records, Chandler's transportation and development department reviews thousands of permit requests each year. However, Nakagawara stressed that in most cases, the time spent will be about the same for developers and others seeking construction permits. There are few shortcuts when it comes to planning for construction or for building renovations.
"It might change the balance of where that time is spent, but the overall time that's spent is going to be comparable," Nakagawara said. "From the time you put pen to paper to when you start hammering the first nail, I'm thinking that that's going to be comparable in either process."
In Chandler's pilot program, the expedited permitting process would be for "non-hazardous" projects only, such as existing retail stores converted for different use.
Mike Perry, principal architect with Whitneybell Perry Inc., has worked on developments in Chandler for about 30 years and said the existing process has always gone relatively smoothly.
"My experience has been positive on all aspects, from the rezoning process to the process that you go through the Planning Commission and then the permitting process," Perry said. "Maybe it's just because I've been here so long and done so many projects here. We find the process easy to go through, and we haven't had any issues."
Perry is a self-certified architect with Phoenix. He believes that self-certification could be a positive addition to Chandler's permitting options but said he has not yet chosen the self-certification process for larger projects in Phoenix.
"I think it's going to work really well on smaller projects: single-family homes, tenant improvements, smaller custom homes, smaller office buildings," Perry said. "For the larger projects, I'm not totally sure."
Even through self-certification, larger projects still must go through a 30-day review process. If the city finds something wrong with the original plans, the builder is responsible for correcting it, even if construction is under way.
"So, there's that risk involved," Perry said.
Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio has been the driving force behind this new system that in many cases boils the permitting process to a day or less.
His reason: The sooner buildings come out of the ground, the sooner construction workers can start collecting paychecks and the sooner those buildings can begin generating other economic benefits.
He is spreading the news with the zeal of an apostle, approaching numerous other Valley communities with the idea because, he said, a job for one city is really a job for all.
The program, DiCiccio said, sprang from the deliberations of a 125-member committee representing such diverse groups as unions, builders, city staffers and the libertarian Goldwater Institute.
DiCiccio organized the panel along with Phoenix Councilman Tom Simplot, even though the two differ on political philosophies.
The aim, DiCiccio said, was "to make the city of Phoenix literally the best in the country when it comes to job creation."
Government, he believes, is too cumbersome in approving construction permits. On the other hand, privatizing that function into the hands of just one company would create another monopoly.
So far, he said, 115 professionals are entitled to use the expedited process, and other individuals or companies can go through them if they want quick permit approvals.
Not all projects are eligible, however. Buildings taller than 75 feet, steep-slope projects and potentially hazardous land uses still must undergo full vetting by city staffers. Otherwise, every commercial and residential project in Phoenix can hit the fast track.
Further, DiCiccio said, the professionals undergo rigid scrutiny their first few times through the process.
"The first three plans that are submitted get fully audited," DiCiccio said. After that, city staffers look carefully at 10 percent of that person's plans.
"If they fail three times, they can't do business in the city of Phoenix under this model for three years," DiCiccio said.
Self-certification, he said, allows people with skills in one area -- say, large industrial buildings -- to serve that sector more quickly than can a city building department that must have expertise in everything.
And, he said, today's rapidly moving economy makes it essential that jobs come on line faster than before. Businesses come and go more quickly and buildings become outdated faster than before.
19 Sep, 2012
-
Source: http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/articles/2012/09/19/20120919chandler-may-fast-track-building-permits.html
--
Manage subscription | Powered by rssforward.com
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Chandler may fast-track building permits
Dengan url
http://lorenzotheleading.blogspot.com/2012/09/chandler-may-fast-track-building-permits.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Chandler may fast-track building permits
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Chandler may fast-track building permits
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar