Builders association finds major permitting friction in San Anselmo; council backs Phase 2 review

Rick Wells, chief executive officer of the Marin Builders Association, told the San Anselmo Town Council that a Phase 1, data-driven review of permitting in San Anselmo found substantial customer dissatisfaction and process problems. The association’s survey and focus groups produced a net promoter score of negative 58.5 and suggested that applicants experience permitting delays, fire-department plan-review bottlenecks, inconsistent application reviews and opaque fees.

"A negative 58.5 means detractors outnumber promoters by 60 percent," Wells said, urging the council to treat phase 1 as a benchmark and move to a staff-focused phase 2 to test and implement fixes. Casey Mazzoni, the association’s director of advocacy and permit improvement, summarized recommendations including structural and process reform (for example, integrating fire review into a one-stop plan-review workflow), customer-service transformation built around the 4 Cs (consistency, communication, customer service, costs) plus clarity, published response-time targets, and improved online permitting tools.

Council members asked detailed follow-up questions about the data and the scope of Phase 2. Several members pressed on the age and origin of the data (the association said surveys and permit samples covered January 2023 through mid-2025 and included 282 survey responses and focus groups), whether the NPS interpretation was oversimplified and whether quantitative measures such as permit aging and lifecycle timelines would be developed in Phase 2. Rick Wells said some qualitative claims (including estimates that 40–70% of construction may be unpermitted in parts of Marin) were based on resale-inspection analyses and focus-group evidence and that Phase 2 would allow a deeper staff-side evaluation.

During public comment, local real estate professionals and long-time residents described how unpredictable permit timelines and resale-inspection practices affect housing turnover and costs. Realtor Jen Pfeiffer asked the council to reconsider resale-inspection requirements, arguing they can delay sales and reduce inventory while discouraging voluntary safety upgrades. Realtor Chris Backer and resident Pascal echoed concerns about delays, staff responsiveness and the emotional cost to homeowners dealing with extensive resale demands.

Council members expressed support for continuing to Phase 2, emphasizing that Phase 2 should (1) refresh and validate the data now that the department’s structure has changed, (2) produce timeline/aging metrics that show how long permits take from application to completion, and (3) identify where staffing, third-party plan check, or fire-review are the greatest bottlenecks. Staff said Phase 2 scope would be shaped by conversations with department leaders and that additional surveys and targeted forensic reviews of specific permit cases could be part of the next phase.

No formal policy was adopted at the meeting; council members instructed staff to proceed with Phase 2 planning and return with more detailed, staff-informed analysis and specific near-term improvements.