1.  Start off right.  Come see us early – before you make significant decisions like purchasing a property or having designs drawn up. We are happy to meet with you and explain requirements – ask for a “pre-application meeting.”  For smaller jobs, come talk to us at the Permit Counter about your project ideas.  These meetings are free…and well worth the cost!

Here are two hypothetical examples to give you an idea:

Starting the permit process right: "I'd like to put a sign on my business.  What guidelines do I need to tell my designer to follow?"

Starting the permit process late: "I had someone design a sign for my business, and the sign shop is making it today.  I need a permit to get it up."

In the second scenario, you may have designed a sign with some detail that isn't permissible in your zone. You won't be happy with that answer, and we don't like having to give it! 

2. Tell us all about your project--even if you don't know all the technical terms.  Tell us things such as
    --how you'll use it
    --where it is in the City
    --how big it will be
    --what systems it will involve
    --whether it's commercial or residential

3.  Tell us more about your project!  Details that you may think are insignificant could be important to your final permit needs.  For example, don't just tell us you're serving food, tell us what kind of food.  Will you be serving alcoholic beverages too?

 

4.  Tell us about your project's timeline.  We may not always be able to meet your timing needs since we're processing many permits at once, but it's always good for us to know up front how flexible--or not--your project is.

5.  Be ready for something unexpected.  Unless you are a long-time developer, you probably don't know everything you'll need to complete the permit process.  For example, you may have installed systems in your personal home before, but if you're working on a commercial building, the codes are very different.

 

6.  Ask us to clarify.  We use technical terms every day and won't necessarily realize when we're using words that are new to you.  

 

7.  Be ready to bring in documents.  As good as detailed preliminary descriptions are to give us an idea of your project, we will need to get down to very specific details.  Assumptions can be costly in both safety and dollars.  Required documents depend on your kind of project, so look through the Online Permit Center for information, and ask a Permit Specialist what you'll need to provide when you first come into the Permit Counter. Getting all the needed materials and applications submitted early-on will go a long way toward receiving a permit as quickly as possible.

8.  Keep the big picture in view.  We may have to work through some challenges together.  As difficult as they may be during the permit process, fixing challenges now will be much better than having problems later.  The City’s codes are adopted to protect public safety and community interests while helping you to be safe and successful as well.