Senate committee hears bill to impose permit review timelines on utilities and special districts

The Senate Local Government Committee on Monday took testimony on House Bill 2418, a proposal to tighten permit review timelines by applying procedural completeness standards and shot‑clock requirements to special purpose districts, public utility districts and other non‑municipal agencies.

Committee staff Karen Epps summarized the engrossed second substitute, saying the bill would require local governments to determine whether a project permit application is procedurally complete within 28 days, make certain time periods excluded from the statutory deadlines, allow applicants to agree in writing to waive review deadlines, and require specific refund penalties in some situations. Epps said the bill would also require local governments to designate a permit responsible official for residential project permit applications and provide a single point of contact for each project; that designation…