St. Pete Beach staff outline permitting overhaul: same‑day permits, extended hours and RFP for software

City staff presented a multi‑phase plan Jan. 13 to streamline the city’s building and permitting processes, saying the effort aims to reduce delays that followed last year’s storms and make timelines more predictable.

"What we have before you is basically an update on building and permitting processes and internal operations," said Devin, the staff member who led the presentation, outlining actions taken since December and a 90‑day roadmap through June. The plan includes exit interviews with volunteers and contractors, a new customer‑service communications standard, and assigning a single permit technician as the point of responsibility for each application.

Staff proposed several operational pilots intended to take effect quickly: blocking specific times during the week for the deputy building official to meet walk‑ins, piloting same‑day permits for straightforward work, and expanding evening service hours on Wednesdays to 5:30 p.m. beginning Jan. 21. Longer‑term items include issuing an RFP to evaluate the current iWork permitting platform and to explore features such as AI plan review and virtual inspections.

Commissioners praised staff for work since the storms while flagging further code clean‑ups. Commissioner Robinson urged staff to bundle review of obsolete or functionally obsolete ordinances into the 91‑day work plan, citing the sod bond and other items that complicate rebuilds. Vice Mayor Marriott warned against adding unnecessary inspections or permit requirements and emphasized that the purpose of permitting is to “allow people to build safely and effectively,” not to create extra hoops.

Staff said consolidated interdepartmental reviews remain a priority to avoid sequential comments from multiple departments, and that a revised, clearer set of timelines — grounded in statutory requirements but offering typical expectations for common project types — will be published. The city plans to return with status reports in March and June.

Commissioners did not take formal votes on the operational pilots during the presentation; the staff said implementation details and any resource needs would come back in subsequent updates.