HomeMy WebLinkAbout050624 email - Jefferson CO DCD growing concernsALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Deer Commissioners
As a local business, I have experienced long delays when seeking permits for building and land development. Both homeowners and developers are facing unnecessary delays, which results
in increased costs & missed deadlines and has actually ended some projects.
The timeline for review and approval, is not getting any better and has only gotten worse. 9 months for a permit to be processed? Unacceptable? Shutting down building inspections
for a whole week; Unacceptable!!! Citizens are losing loans; Contractors are having to lay employee's off until their permits are approved.
The SDR & LLOR while it was a fantastic idea, has epic failed, and created more work than Jefferson Co DCD can handle - resulting in needing to hire a consultant team to do Jefferson
Co DCD work? I wonder how much that has increased DCD budget? Is it truly helping? It does not seems like from the outside!
I also wonder why Jefferson Co DCD took away the CAM and or walk in hours for the public to talk with a Land Use Planner from Jefferson Co DCD regarding possible future projects and
property sales.
It is also completely frustrating that we can no longer watch our pending permits online via the County GIS PORTAL- It was last October that I brought this major concerns to all
of you and the County Administrator. This does not only hurt me and my business, it has to make it almost impossible for anyone Real Estate agents, Septic Designers, to provide a
feasibility study.
This means a Real Estate agent when they list a property for sale, they cannot see any permit that has been applied for since 12/06/2022 when Engov went live. They cannot see if
the property has an active code violation.
It is clear that Jefferson Co DCD needs to evaluate their current processes and how that office is reviewing permits. Maybe they need to bring back the Upfront review team revisit the
LEAN process.
Maybe they need to stop hiring Consultant and actually hire more staff for the DCD team and do their work!
It is my understanding that Phil is currently wearing 4 hats- Building Plan Examiner, Building Official, Fire Marshall, Building Inspector? It is no wonder permit review time is running
slower. Jefferson CO DCD needs to provide Phil some support and hire at minimum a new Building Plans Examiner immediately. This is how Jefferson CO DCD loses good employee's -
They are given so many different positions, and their pay is rarely increased and expected to get it all done in a 40-hour work week. This leads to burn out and then it leads to Jefferson
Co DCD needing to hire a new person, train a new person, etc. etc. etc. I only voice this as a concern, and as an example on why Jefferson Co DCD losses great staff, and I do not
want us to lose Phil!
We all do our best to work with Jefferson CO DCD and to support them and their new policies, and procedures but at some point, we must make a stand.
It is currently taking 3-6 months for an SDR & LLOR to be processed- after processed you can then turn in the next development permit, septic, building, etc.
The currently time frame for building permits is 6 months. That means 9 months total if you are lucky. If you have critical areas on your property, we could be talking a year to a
year and half before your permit is reviewed and approved.
It is clear that Jefferson Co DCD needs help, and I personal feel the management team needs to be held responsible to make positive change, not only for the professional that work with
that office on a regular basis, but for their current employees and for the citizens of our community.
Thank you for your time and thank you for your help.
Respectfully
--
Sally Ellis
Permit Consultant/Permit Runner
(360) 531-3374
olympicpermitsolutions@gmail.com <mailto:olympicpermitsolutions@gmail.com>