Elk Grove to Launch First-in-State Same-Day Permit Processing

April 10, 2015 | At the urging of the advocacy group Region Builders , the City of Elk Grove announced at Wednesday night's City ...

April 10, 2015 |

At the urging of the advocacy group Region Builders, the City of Elk Grove announced at Wednesday night's City Council meeting it will launch a one day permit processing. 

"We are excited to announce the city is expanding  its expedited, same-day permitting program," Elk Grove City Manager Gill said. 

According to Gill, the expedited permitting process is expanding to include permits for commercial tenant improvements for facilities up to 5,000 square feet. The previous limit for same-day permitting for tenant improvements was 2,500 square feet.

The adoption of the new standards has been part of a concerted push by Region Builders to implement what they call permit simplicity throughout the Sacramento region. According to Joshua Woods of Region Builders, similar permitting processing have taken up to eight weeks in some area jurisdictions.

The program is similar to one used in Phoenix. The difference being that in Phoenix one day permitting can be used for projects larger than tenant improvements. 

"We are excited to see Elk Grove become the first city in California to adopt Permit Simplicity. This program allows Elk Grove to deliver an attractive expedited permit process that will serve as a strong incentive to attract businesses," Woods said. "This program is touted by economic growth experts in Arizona as their "supreme differentiator" in attracting business. We anticipate Elk Grove to experience the same results."

In addition to the launch of same-day permitting, Gill said that an ad-hoc committee of Vice Mayor Pat Hume, Councilmember Steve Detrick and city staff met last week to discuss ways of speeding building permits for same-week approval. Although Gill did not offer specifics, she said it would require applicants to be pre-qualified by the city to participate. 

Gill said it is hoped the streamlining processes will be approved by the City Council for a July 1, 2015 launch. If the policies are formalized by that date, Gill said Sacramento Area Economic Council would be able to provide information about the streamlined permitting to companies who are considering relocating to the region.   

"Elk Grove is serious about attracting new employers and expanding existing businesses in order to reduce our jobs to housing imbalance," Detrick said. "Permit simplicity will crystallize our position in the regional market as destination city."
  



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16 comments

Anonymous said...

That is exactly the city we want to copy...Phoenix! Has anyone visited that city lately? Pure sprawl, dusty, dirty and Fast Food heaven. Why can't we just be our own vision and not copy someone elses?

If I never hear that word "Destination" again in my life time I'll be one happy camper. It seems our city council has run that one in the ground and it now is the most hated word in EG. Please....that word puts the people in a negative mood, get your dictionary out and find a new word. I seem to remember Mr. Hume mentioning that word might be put to rest......

Anonymous said...

Exactly what we need...Developers telling US what is best for our city. Doesn't our City Council know that Developers look out for Developers and not for the taxpayers. Is our City Council really that naive? You have all sold us out to the highest bidder and we, the taxpayer, will pay for that in the end. Been there, seen that! Developers don't s@*# in their own backyards...just go down the road to the most gullible city.

Anonymous said...

..


A City by the developers, of the developers and FOR the developers!

Increase in armed robberies, assaults, criminals carrying loaded assault rifles and handguns and various street crimes.

Home of the mailbox breakin.

More sprawl, horrendous congestion and smog.

$100 million soccer stadium

Paid $6 MILLION for a piece of land that sold for $700,000 three years prior.

http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/25/elk-grove-may-be-paying-more-than-double-value-of-land-for-proposed-soccer-stadium/

Garish 70 - 100 foot tall lighted freeway monument signs

Sister city to the Kingdom of Zamunda

Octopus Civic Center

Amusement park right across from single family homes in Madeira "the Jewel of Elk Grove".

Visions of the Olympic Trials.

3,600 units of high density very low and low income housing on the way to "Meridian" (the Southeast Plan Area) - Hood of the future to be known as Mack Road South.

Trash blowing in the wind,flat, bland, hot, windy sprawling, fast food joints, nail salons, gun stores, smoke shops, vape palaces, strip malls, cheap looking high density low income apartment projects, lack of symphony light opera and ballet, very few upscale restaurants, dollar stores, cookie cutter houses.

Texas?

No, Elk Grove brought to you by the rubber stampers.

Stockton and Modesto have performing arts centers, orchestras and other cultural amenities.

Stockton and Modesto have high quality local restaurants.

Elk Grove has fast food joints, chain restaurants and convenience store cuisine.

Bring on more garish 100 foot tall freeway signs, low income housing projects, liquor stores, fast food joints, shooting ranges, gun stores, smoke shops and nail salons.

Elk Grove Thriving!

Proud Heritage, Bright Future?

Yeah right, ROFL!

viewfromhear said...

Efficiencies and process improvements are actions to be encouraged. However, by issuing permits in one day, can the City guarantee the same quality of inspection? I will vie for quality over quantity!

Steve L said...

I have to agree with the above poster; which is more important, quantity or quality?

The council has spoken and again they make the wrong decision, siding with developers who don't live here over the community's best interests.

Quantity over quality wins.

How long will the citizens bury their heads in the sand?

Anonymous said...

there is something to be said about efficiencies; however when the developer "union" insist this is good for the city, one needs to check their pocketbook..cause these developers are in business to make money...not to make a city strong, vibrant or a "destination." Developers throw up the cheapest building they can; make their money and move on. This one day process seem to eliminate any oversight; concern or communication with the residents...just another way the developers have their hands in the council's back pocket. Why is it that no other city has accepted this method of doing business??????

Anonymous said...

Why you ask...because we have no one on our city council except for perhaps Pat Hume with any business expertise. We have left ourselves open for all sorts of money making sharks to come in and raid our city. Our council gets caught up in the money craze from developers, thinking they serve the city with best intentions. Nunez & the MLS is a good example of that money pit we threw ourselves into and continue to do so it seems.

Anonymous said...

While we "crystallize our position in the regional market as destination city", how about cleaning up/mowing the area on the east side of Bruceville between Civic Center & EG Blvd. That's been an eyesore for a few years with tall weeds, suckers & who knows what else along the roadside and corner of Bruceville & EG Blvd.

Anonymous said...

Hey Dan! I have an idea for you. Why don't you pack up and move to Stockton or Modesto and do your blogging there? You absolutely have no relevance or contribution to Elk Grove. You don't even have a sense of humor, man!

Anonymous said...

How about that....another one attacking the messenger. You lose....

Anonymous said...

Funny how you think EGNews is not relevant, but look, you're here and contributing to the conversation...if not relevant, why are you HERE?? Apparently you're as stupid as your comment. Dan is just reporting the new policy...like it or not, he's not the news....this inept council is who we should be consider "irrelevant".

Moving on...

Anonymous said...

Forget Philadelphia - All things considered, I'd rather be in Indian Village, check, make that New Mexico!

Anonymous said...

Anon @12:55, I can recognize a Doc Souza (or Doc impersonator)posting in 3 letters.

If you don't like to content and presentation on this site then don't read it and post your comments. There is another site for comments like yours. Use it.

Connie said...

I thought the discussion at the last Council meeting on the new permitting system was very vague which is probably why there are some questions/doubts.

I received the following response from Shane Diller from the city of Elk Grove, which I have his permission to share. “Speaking for the City, our plans are as Josh described them and would limit this option to tenant improvements. I hope it is also reassuring to the community to note that this would be only one option. We would still make available all of our current processes (both standard and expedited). As with all new programs we would monitor and evaluate what works and doesn’t and make adjustments as necessary. We would only consider expanding this offering as an option to other types of permits after it is proved useful with tenant improvement permits.”

Shane also stated there will be a presentation on Permit Simplicity that will outline the program at one of the May Council meetings.

Capt. Benjamin Willard said...

I think the more obvious and unspoken point here is that Region Builders are giving the marching orders to the city council.

Anonymous said...

I think you're right Capt. and this is just a little teaser of where this will eventually go.

"You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time." - Abraham Lincoln

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