Information on buildings, planning might go online

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto is asking city council to approve a $154,000 pact with a California company that makes building permit information available online.

Buildingeye Inc., of San Francisco, puts information on building permits, planning applications, code enforcement actions, business licenses, and coming events and developments on a public website. A resolution allowing the city to contract with Buildingeye is to be introduced to council today, and the administration wants to have a site operational by year’s end.

Buildingeye allows residents to search a map or sign up for alerts that notify them of permits, licenses or violations in their block, neighborhood or council district.

“It brings a whole new level of transparency,” Councilman Dan Gilman said.

Right now, residents have to visit the Department of Permits, Licenses & Inspections or the Department of City Planning, Downtown, or call a council member, for such information.

The proposed expenditure would keep the site operational through 2018.