Approval delays prompt building permit changes

Manager: ‘Ugly cycle’ preventing expediency

EAST HAMPTON — In response to complaints from some residents, the town is revising its procedures for accepting building permit applications.

Town Manager Michael Maniscalco outlined the changes to Town Council members this week. The main thrust of the change is that the building department will no longer “accept applications at the counter unless they are complete,” he said.

Secondly, applicants will only pay the required permit fees when they receive an approved application.

In comments to the council earlier this week, Maniscalco said, “We want to make this process much smoother and quicker, and we hope to stop the bouncing around. We’re trying to break it out and make it clearer” for applicants.

In reporting on the proposed changes, Maniscalco said, “Over the last few months, I have fielded concerns regarding the building department process from residents and developers. As a result, I have spoken to and met with numerous residents, developers and builders.”

From those conversations Maniscalco said, “It is clear there is an issue with the application process. It’s taking a bit of time for people getting their permits. There is an ugly cycle of going round and round and round.”

A partial explanation of some of the delays may be that some applicants are unfamiliar with navigating the application process. Another factor, Maniscalco acknowledged in the conversation Thursday, is “the state enacted a number of code changes last year,” which affected — and may have confused — even some developers and builders as well as residents.

There is another aspect to the discussion that affects the situation as well.

During the first quarter of the year, the town received 245 permit applications, approved 238 and conducted 450 inspections, Maniscalco said. What’s more, “Over the past two or three years, we’re averaging 26 to 30 new house applications,” he said.

It was against that background that Maniscalco introduced procedural changes.

“A false sense of completion was given to many applicants when they turned in their application only to find a couple of weeks after it was not complete,” the memo says. “Checklists are being created for applicants and staff to review, together, that will ensure clear expectations for everyone regarding what is required.”

For most permits, payment won’t be required until the application is complete, reviewed and approved. Payment will still be required upon receipt of the permits.

“A satisfaction survey has been developed to include with every application packet in order to measure our success and identify places where improvements can still be made,” the manager said.

Finally, Maniscalco told the council, “Staff will continue to ensure applications meet all codes and regulations and that buildings are constructed in a safe manner.

“The hope is to make this procedure more efficient for residents, developers and staff,” he said.