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Council discusses permitting delays, developer communications and using a communications contractor to improve outreach
Summary
Councilmembers and staff spent substantial time on process improvements: customer service for permit applicants, use of consultants versus in-house staff, online permitting tools, a possible developer ombudsman, and expanding communications work by staff contractor Josh Johnson to better tell city project stories.
Port Orchard councilmembers used the April work study to press staff on permitting timelines, customer service for small businesses and property owners, and how the city communicates about projects publicly.
Council and staff described recurring complaints from small business owners and developers that the permitting process is hard to navigate and that third-party consultants sometimes do not keep applicants informed. Staff said the city relies on outside consultants for plan review and inspections when workload spikes and that hiring enough in-house staff to cover peak demand would be expensive and risky in an uncertain workload environment. Staff said they are exploring process-improvement options used by the county and shoring up checklists, email templates and one-page guides to help applicants.
Several councilmembers recommended creating an ombudsman or developer liaison role to guide applicants through the process. Staff said some jurisdictions have such positions and that Port Orchard could consider one, but emphasized resourcing and surge staffing are constraints.
Councilmembers also asked about digital permitting software and whether a consultant should diagnose needs before the city buys a platform. Staff supported starting with a diagnostic and comparing what the county has done.
Separately, the council discussed strengthening the city27s external communications. Councilmembers proposed bringing the city27s communications contractor, Josh Johnson, into a council work study session so he could hear meetings directly and better identify newsworthy items. Staff said Johnson produces content but does not post directly to the city27s social channels and that communications workflow with department heads can be improved.
Ending: Council directed staff to research process-improvement models used by neighboring jurisdictions, produce clearer checklists and applicant-facing materials, and arrange a work study with the city communications contractor to develop a coordinated outreach plan.
