Entrepreneurs and builders have told Lafayette candidates they avoid work in the city because licensing and permitting take too long, candidates said, and they proposed several fixes including improved web guidance, a staff “shepherd” for applicants and performance targets for review times.

“Here is the process that you need to go through,” said Eric Ryant, an independent business owner and candidate, urging clearer online information about required codes, licenses and permits. Multiple candidates echoed that the city website is not yet an effective roadmap for prospective businesses and recommended plain-language instructions tied to common business scenarios.

Several candidates described specific examples. Adam Gianola and others noted the Daily Grains Bakery case as emblematic of small businesses facing repeated permitting hurdles; Luke Arrington suggested assigning personnel to help shepherd small or immigrant-owned businesses through complex approvals. “When a business is encountering that level of difficulty, do they need a shepherd?” Arrington asked.

Some candidates recommended staffing increases or temporary consultant support to clear backlogs and to benchmark Lafayette’s permitting speed against peer cities. Others cautioned that codes exist for public-safety reasons and urged any streamlining preserve those protections. No formal municipal changes were made at the forum; candidates offered proposals they might pursue if elected.