A consultant’s study on Clark County’s permitting process has identified a long list of problems, citing customers and stakeholders who describe the process as unpredictable, inconsistent and sluggish.
Those same customers and stakeholders complain in the much-anticipated report that doing business in the county is more costly than in other jurisdictions, and that it can take years to navigate through the county’s permitting process.
“An underlying or foundational issue that has emerged from the interactions during this study is that there is a need to build trust between all parties,” the report states.
Those challenges and some recommended solutions will be presented Wednesday morning in the 142-page report to the county council during a work session. That report is the result of a lengthy $84,048 study by Citygate Associates.
Citygate’s report also states that customers complained that staff make alterations to previously approved designs, add additional conditions mid-process or micro-manage engineers. Others complained of bad communication and a lack of accountability, among other concerns.
The report also describes how customers will go directly to county councilors when they don’t get what they want or need, muddling the process.
“Councilors are being used as a hammer versus working together,” reads the report. “When this is allowed it causes delays for the other applicants. Some County staff appear to be reluctant or fearful of making decisions, and Councilor involvement impacts this.”
Under the county’s Home Rule Charter, the council is responsible for setting policy while the county manager is tasked with supervising administrative departments. The report calls on the county to “fully transition to the Council-Manager form of government” and adhere to their respective roles. The report notes that councilors “ironically” don’t want to want to be involved in permitting.
The report concluded that the physical space of the Permit Center adds to the problem. There is insufficient space for over-the-county interactions with customers, and back offices are ineffective for meetings, according to the report.
The Permit Center should implement a performance management system to better track data, and the county needs better coordination between relevant divisions and departments the report found.
The report found that, based on stakeholder input, the Permit Center should be more courteous to customers and provide better communication regarding requirements, process and schedules. Staff at the Permit Center should be more thorough in reviewing plans and answering questions, while also being knowledgeable about building code, according to the report.
A particular challenge facing the Permit Center is a “vicious cycle” regarding staff, according to the report. The report describes how staff are expected to perform a wide range of tasks, but newer staff members have limited access to training. Staff are unable to meet the expectations of customers, who complain to the council who then put more pressure on them. Staff leave for other opportunities and the center is left with new, inexperienced staff, according to the report.
“There is a serious deficit in training for Permit Center staff,” reads the report. “This deficit is well known within the Community Development Department and to the customers of the Permit Center. The resources necessary to address this situation need to be deployed as soon as possible.”
Industry response
The Building Industry Association of Clark County issued a statement in response to the report, saying it wasn’t surprised by its conclusions.
“Citygate consultants accurately captured building industry stakeholder feedback,” reads the statement. “We agree with all recommendations being made and look forward to being an active participant in the roll out of this plan. A lot of the identified solutions are things that the BIA and County staff had mutually identified prior to the report and are currently working on to implement.”
The report makes a series of recommendations that includes developing checklists to guide customers through the process, accepting plans from licensed professionals with minimal review, cutting down on the amount of corrections staff make to plans and better designating decision-making authority.
For nearly a year, Clark County has been without a permanent county manager. The report states that the new manager needs to be given time to “adjust to the role and begin to lead.”
The report suggests county officials launch a “listening tour” to build relationships and trust. According to the report, Citygate will be returning in six months to assess the county’s progress.
