City Introduces New Program to Enhance Customer Service in Building Permit Process
Electronic recording of documents now available
Once again introducing a service to expedite the building permitting process in Tallahassee, the City's Growth Management Department recently began offering electronic recording of required permit documents. The service is available to projects needing permits within the city limits, and saves the applicant an extra trip to have the documents legally recorded.
The new optional electronic recording services includes City Growth Management permitting documents such as Notices of Commencement, Limited Partition Affidavits, Previously Established Land Use Conformities, Technical Amendments, easements and other agreements. Introduced Dec. 1, the optional e-recording service saves contractors a trip to the County Courthouse. The transaction fee for this service is $7.50 (plus the regular County fees associated with recording services). Notarized Affidavits of Originality can also be obtained directly from City Growth Management for a fee of $2.00.
"I love it … it's a blessing," said Dustin Wells, president of Dustin Wells Construction. "I'm very thankful not to have to go two places anymore.” Another local contractor said he'd be willing to spend far more than the $7.50 to be able to save the time of going to the courthouse and making an extra trip. Prior to City Growth Management offering the e-recording service, contractors would have to file permit applications at the Growth Management offices in the Renaissance Building then make a separate trip to the courthouse to have the documents legally recorded.
"The City Commission and City staff are committed to finding ways to fast track and enhance the overall development process for the construction industry. It not only helps ensure we are business-friendly, but also means new jobs in this tough economy,” said City Commissioner Mark Mustian, lead commissioner for the Long Range Planning target issue. “This new tool is one more way we are using technology to make it faster and easier to develop in Tallahassee."
The new service comes on the heels of other recent customer-service initiatives from City Growth Management, all designed to make the permitting process more convenient. These improvements include:
- Implementation of an electronic delivery system for public records requests.
- Electronic submittal and review of site plans, plats, limited partitions and Land Use Compliance Certificates.
- New customer service area in the Land Use and Environmental Services Division.
- Implementation of a new Customer Service Team.
"One of the first suggestions given to me by contractors when I first became Director last November was to find a way to e-record permitting documents from Growth Management offices so applicants would not have to make a separate trip to another office," said Growth Management director Karen Jumonville. "We took this suggestion to heart and are pleased to be able to offer this new service to help not only our contractors, but also applicants for land use permits. We are continuing to look for additional ways to simplify the permitting process and anticipate unveiling additional improvements in Building Inspection over the next few months."
The City's Growth Management Department is located in the Renaissance Building at 435 N. Macomb St. For more information, visit Talgov.com/growth.
CONTACT
Karen Jumonville, Growth Management Department, 891-7030; or Bill Behenna, Communications Department, 891-8533
Tags: Tallahassee Permitting Tallahassee Permit
