Slashing Port St. Lucie’s building permit fees through efficiency |
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PORT ST. LUCIE – On Monday, April 11, 2022, Port St. Lucie City Council approved the reduction of single-family and commercial online permitting fees between 10-30% and eliminated some permit types by combining them at the recommendation of stakeholders.
An online building permit cost savings will be between $15 to $200 for small jobs such as plumbing, electrical, fences, windows and roofs. For large construction projects, the reduction can add up to tens of thousands of dollars, making Port St. Lucie one of the most affordable cities for developers and builders. The fee reduction will be implemented later this month. This is the seventh permit fee reduction ordinance presented to Council in the past 14 years. In 2021, City Council approved a 29.5% decrease in permit fees.The Building Department increased its efficiency by accelerating the permitting process through virtual inspections, online permitting and technology upgrades. The decreasing costs are passed down to Port St. Lucie residents, citizens, developers and builders.
“Staff efficiencies and the application of technological advancements have reduced the Building Department costs for carrying out the requirements of the Florida Building Code, even during this current inflation period,” said Building Code Administrator Joel Dramis.The online permitting process promotes accountability by allowing for easier project tracking and automated progress reports. It also grants some power to customers so they can be aware of the progress, resulting in fewer frustrated calls to determine the status of a permit.
The City’s Building Online Service Portal enables contractors to complete all the steps in the building permit process online, including scheduling inspections and viewing inspections results. Its online permitting platform cuts down on permit review time without sacrificing review standards and now, 84.99% of permits can be found online. The Building Department has set a goal of June 2022 for 100% of all building permits to be available online.Port St. Lucie’s Building Department is one of only three internationally accredited building departments in Florida and only one of 22 building departments in the world that is internationally accredited. Dramis and his staff have proudly taught their best management practices to 44 departments throughout the U.S.
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