New Atlanta Planning Commissioner Tim Keane knows he has his work cut out for him.
He began his job last month just as the city’s auditor released a report slamming Atlanta’s Office of Buildings as inefficient, glacially slow and at risk for conflicts of interest.
The problems are sizable, the report detailed. Though Atlanta increased its building permit fees in recent years to fund the streamlining of services, wait times for some permits have grown to months-long. At the same time, the office has accrued more than $28 million — money that hasn’t been spent on improvements. What’s more, the audit raised questions about potential kickbacks and favoritism inside the office.
Keane said he’s heard the complaints from, well, just about everybody.
Keane, who left behind a cozy job as planning director of Charleston, S.C., said he came to Atlanta because of its challenges. To learn more about how he plans to fix them, and his views on how the city — not developers — should guide growth, visit MYAC.com.
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