Development Services says permitting timelines meet internal targets; council asks for infill data and follow‑up

Amin Thomas of Development Services briefed the Planning & Community Development Committee on Feb. 24 about efforts to improve permitting transparency and expediency, responding to a council consideration request from former council member Melissa Cabello Haberda.

Thomas described the department's online building permit activity dashboard, the BuildASay electronic application system, free consultation services and preliminary review meetings. He said targets range from one business day for minor repairs to 18 calendar days for complex projects, and reported an overall average permit time of 20 days in fiscal year 2025 for residential new‑home permits (3,834 permits issued), noting that customer delays to address deficiencies contribute to the overall average.

Council members welcomed the services but repeatedly questioned whether the presentation understated problems faced by small and infill developers. Councilwoman Court and others asked for follow‑up data on how often preliminary reviews and consultation services are used, how timeline metrics break down for infill projects versus suburban developments, and examples of cases where applicants received contradictory guidance from reviewers. Thomas said staff had provided requested data to council earlier that morning and agreed to provide written follow‑up.

Council members suggested procedural changes including a clearer option in permit tracking to mark a submission as 'infill' or 'small multifamily' so staff can measure outcomes for those project types, improved reviewer training to reduce contradictory comments, and better links to historic‑preservation guidance for applicants. No formal policy change was adopted at this briefing; staff will deliver written responses and any additional data requested.