TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to conduct a review of the city's hiring practices, and to issue a directive which prioritizes fully staffing the Permit Center as well other offices dealing with the review and approval of building permits;
Request City Manager to provide a report within 30 days regarding the status of the city's permitting software and provide options for optimizing and expediting the building permit review processes; and
Request City Manager to explore the creation of a "Development Shot Clock" for the review of local development in line with transparency, timelines, and standards consistent with state law.
DISCUSSION
The Problem
On May 11th, Director of Development Services Oscar Orci submitted a TFF to the City Manager, the Mayor, and members of the City Council detailing the challenges the Building and Safety Bureau faces in issuing construction permits. The memo highlighted lengthy permit turnaround times, lack of communication with applicants, and a slow development review process among other issues. During the COVID-19 pandemic the city's Permit Center saw its full-time staff drop from 11 to 6, with replacement hours coming in the form of private contractors and overtime work. This resulted in substantial delays in the review process which, although understandable, have had significant impacts on workers and prospective tenants.
A recent Long Beach Post article documenting these delays featured interviews with a number of local developers, one of whom even went so far as to say they had stopped doing business in Long Beach altogether after the pandemic.' As the city pursues a robust economic recovery, the ability to receive, approve, and execute building permits in a timely manner will have a significant impact on Long Beach's ability to thrive as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. This is of particular concern given the national focus around building infrastructure, both public and private, to fuel this recovery.
...
Click here for full text