Glynn County building department shortens permit reviews, moves to fully electronic submittals and boosts inspector certifications

Glynn County's building permitting and inspections operation has moved further toward online processing, shortened typical review times for residential permits, and advanced staff certification, Chief Building Official Dave Carver said in a recorded interview.

Carver, introduced on the show as Glynn County's chief building official and director of building permitting and inspections, described the county's transition to an OpenGov portal for electronic plan submittals and reviews. "We converted over to it because we had some bugs and everything," he said, and credited IT customizations for improving the system. He said the shift eliminated the logistical issues associated with large paper plans and allows permit applicants to pay and submit documents online.

On timelines, Carver said the department's residential permit target is to issue permits "within a week," noting internal goals of five working days (seven calendar days) for reviews. "Most residential permits, if everything is good on the plans and the scope of work, usually can get turned around in 3 days or so," he added. He cautioned that commercial projects typically take longer because they involve more reviewers and may require resubmittals.

Carver outlined what requires a permit: structural changes (bearing walls), new plumbing or electrical work inside walls, mechanical systems and other systems work generally require permits, while interior cosmetic work and re-roofing that does not alter framing typically do not.

The department reported staff development successes: four inspectors earned certifications, two of whom advanced to senior inspector positions. Carver said these certifications improve the department's evaluation scores and support Glynn County's Community Rating System rating for flood management; he said the county currently holds a CRS rating of 5, which he described as giving "about 25% discount on our flood rates for everybody in the county." Carver also described an active Home Builders Association recharter and a series of lunch-and-learn training sessions for builders and developers, including an upcoming session on the 2024 code changes and fire-safety topics following two recent houses that burned under construction.

Carver said the department remodeled its front permit area to reduce noise and improve customer interaction and reiterated the department's customer-service and outreach goals. He closed by encouraging local builders to join the reconstituted Home Builders Association so the department can disseminate code updates and training.

The county did not provide specific staffing budgets or exact timelines for additional staffing or further reductions in review times beyond the stated targets.