DeKalb eases business permitting process
DeKalb officials said Monday that the county has become a better place to do business over the last year by speeding up its permitting process and working more closely with developers.
About 92 percent of participating commercial projects now get reviewed within 10 days, clearing the way for building permits to be issued, said county officials during a press conference. The reviews are conducted by certified engineers and architects who are hired by developers to peruse construction documents for code compliance.
“It has been extremely successful for my clients,” said Tina Rodriguez of PDH Construction, a contractor that builds medical and dental offices. “They are helping their customers.”
DeKalb also published a 60-page development manual Monday that serves as a detailed guidebook for the county’s permitting process.
“It’s working,” said Patti Wallis of Permit Solutions, which provides business consulting services. “You’re on the right track to becoming a business-friendly county.”
Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May said the government is trying to improve the county’s business climate.
“Economic development is priority No. 1 for us — making sure that we are an attractive place for businesses to come to DeKalb County,” May said.
The Expedited Commercial Plan Review Program began last May as a way to have peer reviewers evaluate projects, certify them and then recommend them for submission to the county.
Copies of the Development Manual are available online through the DeKalb Planning Department's website at http://planningdekalb.net/.
About the Author
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
