Process Problems
Thursday's SacBee chronicles the Facilities Permit Program (FPP) which was launched by the City of Sacramento four years ago to help facilitate economic activity in the community (link here).
FPP is designed to push along development of commercial and industrial facilities by allowing companies to begin work on multiple aspects of their projects with a single building department approval. Projects are still subject to inspections, plan reviews and permit requirements, although permits are issued when work is completed instead at the onset of the project. Full drawings and project submittals were required before work could begin.
The City Attorney, who apparently was not aware of the program, now claims that the program is probably not legal. Staff believes that with minor retooling, the program can be adjusted to be consistent with local and state laws.
The process enabled the fast tracking of over 1,500 tenant improvements in 50 large buildings. It likely saved many projects that might have gone to another jurisdiction if improvements had to follow the usual lengthy process.
This issue is typical of the challenges faced by city planning and buildinig departments. Cities are under tremendous pressure to deliver projects quickly to ensure their success--state regulations often make this a herculanean task--and give project opponents the opportunity to slow or kill projects with red tape.
FPP is designed to push along development of commercial and industrial facilities by allowing companies to begin work on multiple aspects of their projects with a single building department approval. Projects are still subject to inspections, plan reviews and permit requirements, although permits are issued when work is completed instead at the onset of the project. Full drawings and project submittals were required before work could begin.
The City Attorney, who apparently was not aware of the program, now claims that the program is probably not legal. Staff believes that with minor retooling, the program can be adjusted to be consistent with local and state laws.
The process enabled the fast tracking of over 1,500 tenant improvements in 50 large buildings. It likely saved many projects that might have gone to another jurisdiction if improvements had to follow the usual lengthy process.
This issue is typical of the challenges faced by city planning and buildinig departments. Cities are under tremendous pressure to deliver projects quickly to ensure their success--state regulations often make this a herculanean task--and give project opponents the opportunity to slow or kill projects with red tape.
Labels: Development, Economic Development
posted by City Manager @ 12:51 AM
2 Comments:
At December 24, 2009 6:19 AM ,
scud said...
There is no way anyone can change the Building Code so you can start work without a permit. You can only adopt something to the Code that would make it stricter. Someone has claimed that Oregon has made it possible to do business outside the box so Sacramento should also be able to likewise. I do not know about you but my Mother would tell me that two wrongs do not make a right. If the City of Sacramento found them to be under tremendous pressure to deliver projects they should hire back all the building inspectors they laid off which move the process along, as you called so called, “expedite the process”. At the City of Sacramento, you have to wait for many days to get one inspection after you called in your request. If one has submit plans to be approved, well good luck with having them processes for the inspectors they laid off also did the plan checking and many other things the made such the happen as you so called, “expedite the process”.
At December 24, 2009 2:43 PM ,
scud said...
There is no way anyone can change the Building Code so you can start the work without a permit. You can only adopt something to the Code that would make it stricter. Someone has claimed that Oregon has made it possible to do business outside the box so Sacramento should also be able to do likewise. I do not know about you but my Mother would tell me that two wrongs do not make a right. If the City of Sacramento found themselves to be under tremendous pressure to deliver projects they should hire back all the building inspectors they laid off which move the process along; as you so called, “expedite the process”. At the City of Sacramento, you have to wait for many days to get one inspection after you called in your request. If one has submit plans to be approved, well good luck with having them processes for the building inspectors they laid off in 2/28/09 also did the plan checking. The building inspectors are the main person that expedites the process and many other things that made it happen, “expedite the process”.
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