Laguna Beach introduces online permitting portal; city sets 2–3 day screening goal

Laguna Beach’s Community Development Department on Tuesday introduced a new online permitting portal built on the EnerGov platform and said the system will be offered in addition to in-person counter services.

Assistant Director of Community Development Matt Schneider led the webinar and said the portal will let applicants submit zoning plan checks and building permits 24 hours a day and track reviews online. “Our expectation right now is that your submittal will be reviewed within 2 to 3 business days,” Schneider said. He also said the department’s goal is that, after online payment, a planner or plan checker will be assigned within five business days.

The city emphasized the portal is additive, not a replacement. Schneider said applicants should continue to bring two hard sets of approved plans to City Hall for job-card issuance during the initial rollout. “At least initially, as we start, we want to continue to have 2 hard sets available — one for the field and one for our walls here in the city,” he said.

Why it matters

City staff said the portal is intended to reduce paper handling and speed routine steps by allowing digital uploads, online payments and immediate access to reviewer comments. For frequent applicants and design firms, the portal aims to make it easier to see who is holding up a review and to exchange revised plans without printing multiple hard copies during iterative reviews.

What the portal will do and how it will work

Schneider walked attendees through common workflows: register; choose permit or plan check (ADU, commercial, residential); enter project address;…