Building Department reduces permit processing time to enhance efficiency

The Mount Vernon Board of Ethics Meeting on May 22, 2025, highlighted significant improvements in the city's building permit process, aiming to enhance efficiency and responsiveness. The meeting revealed that the city has successfully expedited permit applications for fences, windows, roofs, and signs, resulting in a notable increase in applications processed—217 in April alone, compared to just 100 in January.

Deputy Commissioner Heidi Mamak reported that the average response time for permit applications has decreased from 44 days to 29 days, with a goal to further reduce it to just 10 days. This improvement is attributed to cross-training clerks, which will begin in June, allowing for uninterrupted processing of applications even when staff are unavailable.

The meeting also addressed public engagement, noting that the average response time from the public has improved from 44 days to 15 days in April. The city is encouraging residents to utilize the OpenGov platform for submitting documentation and inquiries, which has led to fewer in-person visits and phone calls.

Mamak emphasized the goal of issuing 20 permits per week and mentioned the hiring of a temporary clerk to manage the anticipated increase in summer applications. Additionally, the city is reviewing standard operating procedures and seeking insights from other departments within Westchester County to further streamline processes.

Despite the progress, discrepancies in inspection data were noted, with some inspectors not fully utilizing the OpenGov system, leading to skewed metrics. The department is addressing this by providing training to ensure accurate data entry moving forward.

These initiatives reflect Mount Vernon's commitment to improving service delivery and responsiveness in its building department, setting a positive trajectory for future operations.