Move permit intake online by March
Most permit applications wait in the counter queue, not in review. Taking them online removes the wait without adding reviewers.
In October the counter took 1,184 applications. The median applicant waited 47 minutes to hand in a form that a reviewer then opened 3 days later. Review time has held steady for a year; the queue has grown every month since May.
Online intake moves the form, the fee, and the document check to before the visit. Applicants who submit online skip the queue entirely. The counter stays open for people who need help filling the form in.
Why March
The spring building season starts in April and October's volume doubles by May. Launching in March gives four weeks to fix problems before the peak.
What changes
| Step | Now | After March |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Paper, at the counter | Online, before the visit |
| Fee | Card or check at the counter | Card online |
| Document check | Clerk, during the visit | Automatic, with a list of what is missing |
| Counter | Every applicant | Applicants who ask for help |
Cost
The intake form runs on the records system the office already licenses. The one new cost is the payment processor's fee.
Counter staff move to the help line and the document check for paper applications, so no position changes.
- Setup
- $18,400 one time
- Payment fees
- $2.10 per online permit
- Counter cost now
- $9.80 per permit
- Break-even
- About 2,400 online permits
Risks
- Applicants without a card still need the counter. It stays open with the same hours.
- Wrong uploads move the delay to review. The automatic check lists missing documents before payment.
- The records system vendor needs six weeks' notice for the form. Notice has to go out by January 20.