Permit expedition plans in the works

Miami’s municipal government has plans to speed up the process for certain city permits, especially for those related to property improvement; such as building a shed in the backyard or installing a brand new door. Door installation has joined the ranking among work types that Miami warrants worthy of an expedited permit.

Beginning on April 9th, Miami city employees will accept applications for specific types of permits. They will be accepted from one municipal department to another for their review as opposed to requiring property owners and hired contractors to do so.

This new policy is intended to quicken the overall review and approval process for more than 50 types of permits for work being done on residential and commercial properties. The process will ensure the entire approval process will be completed within 30 days.

Property improvements with quicker timelines aren’t just limited to doors and sheds. It also includes permits for new windows, driveways, awnings, and even solar panels.

If the review of the application raises any questions, the city will notify the applicant, and they will be allotted seven days to address the issue.

The new practice does not include permits for tree removal or permits to work on properties in a historic district or Coconut Grove’s Neighborhood Conservation District 3. In addition to those exclusions, the new process also excludes permits that require a warrant exception, variance, or waiver.

City Commissioner Joe Carollo explained the new review process would eliminate the need for ‘expediters’ who shovel a stream of permit applications through the city’s bureaucracy for property owners and their hired contractors.

The permit application is available online, but the applicants must submit a notarized hard copy in person.

This new process created by the Miami municipal government is expected to be put into practice by the end of the year.