From Deseret News archives:

Salt Lake City OKs one-stop building permits

Published: Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007 12:14 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Would-be developers and builders in Salt Lake City should now find it a lot easier to get their projects approved.

The city on Wednesday kicked off its so-called "one-stop shop," an all-in-one location for the building permit and approvals process. In the past, developers have had to go to seven different departments in buildings throughout the city to have their plans reviewed and permits granted.

"Despite the efforts of city employees — and we have tremendous employees who have struggled through this in the past — this process has sometimes caused poor customer service," Mayor Rocky Anderson said at a news conference Wednesday.

The City Council approved the $1.45 million software contract with Accela Inc. during its 2006 budget process.

"While the price tag on this was a big gulp when presented to us, we knew that this was a long-term investment and valued the administration's recommendation that this product was a good one for Salt Lake City," Councilman Carlton Christensen said.

Story continues below
The Accela software combines the various permitting and plan-review needs in a suite that automates licensing and renewal programs, allows for city staff to perform job functions in the field, integrates data and does other things that Anderson said will make the entire review process "remarkably streamlined."

The city's Community Development department issues more than 8,500 permits, renews more than 12,000 licenses and processes more than 2,500 new licenses each year.

"If we create a predictable development review environment with timely, efficient processing and high-quality standards, we will get more and better development projects throughout the city," Community Development director Louis Zunguze said in a written statement.

The time-consuming bureaucracy that made up the building approval process in the past has long been a sore spot for developers in Salt Lake and a subject of discussion among city officials, planners and others. Christensen said it has been an issue since he first took his seat on the council 10 years ago.

"This is a revolution in better city services," Anderson said.


E-mail: dsmeath@desnews.com

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

Well played RSL. I was so pumped when they scored the equalizer, but didn't...

Take that. First "pro" team in Utah to win a title. What have the Jazz done?

RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks

Yes, but how many of the millions of people throughout the world who love...

What in the world do you think they are quivering in their boots about?...

Andy's a testament to perseverance in every sense of his life -- nice job!

RSL dancing with soccer stars

WE DID IT ! WE WON ! RSL # 1 !!!

At least one Utah team can beat an opponent from LA and win a league title.

The Fed is nothing more than a self-derving group of bankers who took an...

World has ample oil supplies

All we need to do is round up the dinosaurs and subject them to confined...

Advertisements