The Permitting Debacle
How We Can Do Better
As Annapolis residents or business owners, many of us have faced it: The permitting process. Whether we're renovating our homes, building a new fence, or opening a new business, this system, ironically named for "permission," often delivers anything but. We operate under the assumption that doing things by the book—following rules, paying fees—will get us where we need to go. Yet, for many of us, that's simply not our reality. Navigating an outdated, multi-layered City Code or battling the misnamed Citizen Self-Service Portal reveals a broken system. We know it, and even City officials admit it's a mess. This flawed process cripples progress, drains our already hard-earned money, and can leave us with un-finished projects, deep frustration, and a few more gray hairs to show for it.
Throughout my campaign, you've made it abundantly clear: Our City must do better on permitting. This has been a constant focus and cornerstone of my Action and Accountability platform. Now, I want to share a powerful vision for a more efficient and impactful process, a vision shaped by your invaluable input, recognized best practices, and my own experiences as a renter, a homeowner, and business owner here in Annapolis.
We will transform the permitting process by implementing bold changes that prioritize accountability, transparency, and, most importantly, you, the citizen. Here's how we'll do it:
Launch a comprehensive audit of all open permits, requests, complaints, and inquiries. This isn't just an exercise; it's a time-bound initiative that will culminate in a publicly available report for every resident. This report will reveal the total number of open permit requests, categorize them by type, calculate the average resolution and approval times, and pinpoint the average cost of permits, all broken down by department. We will shine a light on the inefficiencies and hold departments accountable.
Mandate annual, clearly defined goals for all Department Directors. These aren't wish lists; these are predictive, influenceable goals with measurable, leading metrics. We will empower our leaders to proactively improve, not just react to problems.
Conduct a prioritized review of City Code requirements, focusing on the permit processes. We will collaborate with citizens to streamline the code, eliminating unnecessary burdens and making it work for us, not against us.
Introduce robust Service-Level Agreements (SLAs) for every permit and request process. These SLAs will impose strict requirements on the City for providing timely responses and approvals. No more endless waiting!
Couple certain SLAs with "de facto approval clauses." If the City fails to meet its defined SLAs, your request will receive automatic approval. We will shift the burden of inefficiency from your shoulders to the City's.
Tie permit fees directly to their respective SLAs. If SLAs aren't met, we will reimburse fees gradually. Should the fees be fully reimbursed and the delays persist, we will provide credits for future permits. The City will earn its fees by delivering timely service.
Integrate a mechanism into our online City Code for citizens to request reviews of specific language and sections. This will create a powerful, crowd-sourced audit to clear years of bureaucratic bloat and make our code truly accessible.
Standardize and Make Transparent Inspection Requirements and Common Permit Challenges. Too often we are at the whim of an inspector who might enforce different requirements from another inspector. This creates confusion, costs time and money, and sets unfair, disjointed standards for all of us. Common inspection and permit requirements should be standardized, uniformly enforced, and made easily accessible for all of us to follow. We should not be at the mercy of a lone wolf inspector!
Pilot a new, user-friendly online permitting system. We will replace the clunky Citizen Self-Service Portal with a customer-oriented platform that prioritizes ease of use and robust security, ensuring both residents and the City remain safe.
Establish a new Committee on Citizen Issues. It's time we put citizens at the heart of our government. This standing committee, composed of City Council members and citizen representatives with voting power, will focus on customer service and address the most pressing issues facing our residents and businesses. Annually, this committee will issue a report detailing citizen pain points and making direct recommendations to the City Council for action.
Launch a City Ward Ambassador program. These dedicated volunteers will serve as knowledge centers, offering invaluable assistance and guidance, helping residents navigate the permitting process and get their questions answered.
Implementing even a fraction of these recommendations will dramatically improve our collective experience with the permitting process. Ultimately, we all just want to renovate our home, build that fence, or open our business. It's time we demand more from our City and establish Annapolis as the gold standard for how to conduct the permitting process.
