Broadnax wants to fill vacant positions, replace the outdated permitting software and improve workflow.
鈥淲e are going to hire. We're going to fill the seats. It is not a revenue issue it is about finding a way to get better. And we will measure that by the speed at which we can produce the turnaround times in the permitting,鈥� he said at a city council meeting Wednesday.
Developers say it can take more than 40 days to get a permit in Dallas for a single-family home, Permits in are processed in approximately 10 business days. And in 7 days.
Dallas city council members blame the city's broken permitting system on staff shortages, lack of accountability and communication.
"If we need the people, hire the people, pay them,鈥� Council Member Paula Blackmon said.
Blackmon is the co-chair of tasked to come up with ways to streamline the city鈥檚 building permitting process. She, along with Council Member Chad West and Paul Ridley, questioned why the city is hiring an outside company for manpower instead of hiring and training city staff to review and approve permit applications.
鈥淚s there some inherent reason why they (contracted workers) are more efficient than city employees?鈥� Ridley said. 鈥淚f it鈥檚 a matter of they are able and we are not and that鈥檚 because of respective pay scales, why don鈥檛 we pay our reviewers more?鈥�
City staff said it will begin a compensation study in June that will look at how Dallas pays compared to other cities and whether salaries for new hires should be boosted.
Broadnax said a new online platform will lay out the process and estimate how long it will take to get a permit.
Got a tip? Alejandra Martinez is a corps member for 四虎影院. Email Alejandra at amartinez@kera.org. You can follow Alejandra on Twitter
四虎影院 is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider . Thank you.
