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Midland pursues faster permitting, redevelopment and more hangars as part of FY26 growth plan
Summary
City presenters said development services and airports will push priorities into FY26: faster permitting and inspection turnaround, master planning, airport hangar and terminal expansion, and downtown and West Midland redevelopment to expand the sales‑tax base.
Development services and airport staff told the council that FY26 priorities focus on speeding projects to market and expanding taxable value.
Permitting and inspections: staff said commercial and residential permit volumes are up about 27% year to date and that average permit issuance times for residential permits have been cut to just over seven business days. The Permit Midland online system was credited with faster submittals, and staff said inspections currently meet a target of roughly 96% completed within one business day.
Entitlement and code updates: staff said they will prioritize targeted code changes and updates to the future land use map and comprehensive plan to clear entitlement bottlenecks and make development friendlier in strategic districts. Master‑planning work for the airport area and other districts will be coordinated into the comprehensive plan.
Airport growth and hangars: airport presenters said record enplanements drove revenue increases and that capital projects include terminal expansion, entrance upgrades and new parking. For the Airpark the priorities include more hangar space and self‑service fueling to support general aviation and fuel sales. Staff noted $10.7 million in funding secured for an upcoming terminal expansion and said parking and parking‑revenue strategies are being evaluated to support future garage or surface expansions.
Downtown and West Midland: staff pointed to the Omni hotel as a downtown anchor and highlighted quick permitting for the new Costco—annexation through permit issuance took four months—showing the value of streamlined entitlement processes. Staff said they will expand downtown programming and a draft downtown parking strategy to increase visitation and support small businesses.
Why it matters: faster permitting and targeted code changes are presented as strategies to accelerate private investment, expand the sales tax base, and free revenue for core services without raising the property tax rate.
Quote: Elizabeth Triggs, presenting Goal 1 materials, said the goal is “growth that pays for itself and strengthens the city's fiscal health over the long term.”
