Eastpointe says permits will be faster, offers same‑day service for many jobs

At a public permitting workshop, Kimberly Smith, planning and community development director for the City of Eastpointe, told residents the department is rebuilding staff and wants to make permitting easier and faster for homeowners, contractors and businesses. "This is my seventh year…we thought it would be a very, very good idea to reach out to our community…to provide an overview of exactly what we do in the planning and community development department," Smith said.

The presentation explained how residents start with applications on the city website and submit permits through the BSNA portal. "After you complete your application, then you want to go to the BSNA portal," Terrence Harris, permits and license manager, said, adding the city has returned to an online-first submission process launched during COVID.

City staff said some permits are processed the same day if they do not trigger a building permit or plan review; examples listed included yard sales, many plumbing and electrical permits, roof permits, HVAC, tree permits (fewer than five trees), interior demolition to studs, and window replacement. Harris said construction that requires plan review has longer timelines: new construction typically receives an initial review within two weeks, most residential reviews within five business days, and resubmittals commonly take one week. "As long as they don't have a building permit that's attached, we are putting all our effort in getting your permit issued the same day if you walk in or by the next day if you submit it through the portal," Harris said.

Staff outlined who may pull a permit: homeowners working on their own house (with a homeowner affidavit and proof of ownership), state‑certified contractors for trades such as general, electrical, mechanical and plumbing, and specialty trades that hold a business license for that trade. Harris noted specialty trades are those not required by state law to be certified, such as roofers, landscapers and concrete contractors.

Emergency repairs are allowed to make a structure safe immediately, staff said, but the permit application must be submitted by the next business day. "The code literally says...the permit application shall be submitted within the next working business day," Harris said. Staff cautioned that commercial emergency work may require more oversight from SafeBuilt (the city's contracted building reviewer) and the fire marshal.

The city described fees and reviews: the plan review fee is half the permit fee, plus an administrative fee; the initial plan review payment covers three review cycles, and additional reviews require additional fees as set in the city's ordinance. Harris said the department eliminated a prior bond requirement that had slowed issuance and credited that change with speeding service. He also told attendees the department reached $5,000,000 in FY2025 construction revenue.

SafeBuilt, a private reviewer, performs building plan reviews and serves as the city's chief building official under contract, staff said. Harris encouraged applicants to request plan review meetings if they receive comments: "If you need to talk to the plan reviewers, email us back and say you want a plan review meeting...On your behalf, we schedule the plan review meeting."

Practical items emphasized included threshold rules (for example, accessory structures over 200 square feet require permits; window replacements are a same‑day permit unless the opening size changes), document formatting preferences (PDFs for digital submission rather than scanned printouts), and proof requirements for homeowners and contractors (ID, signed affidavit, tax bill or deed, and up‑to‑date business registrations where applicable).

Staff said the permitting software will be taken down for a planned system upgrade from July 16–20 and urged applicants to plan accordingly. Harris also said the department plans to publish permit metrics on the website, run follow‑up surveys and hold targeted monthly workshops on technical topics.

For questions or to request a plan review meeting, staff directed the public to Permits@eastpointcity.org.

Ending: The department said it will continue outreach, add staff and publish guides and videos to help residents and small contractors navigate permitting.