Site and drainage permitting can be one of the most unpredictable and frustrating parts of a development project. Below are 5 Things to know and keep in mind when navigating land development – they can apply to municipalities everywhere in the US, but are focused on the Midwest.
1 – No two Towns, Cities, Counties, or utility entities are the same.
Just because you were able to get a grading permit in Town A within 30 days with a five-sheet set of plans and one round of comments doesn’t mean that will satisfy City B. Reading the ordinances and processes only gets you so far – find someone who is knowledgeable about the time and processes.
2 – Know what you Don’t Know
Generally the list of requirements and processes for permitting is published and can be followed pretty closely. This doesn’t guarantee timelines or interpretations that could cause changes. Make sure you ask every question of your consultant and of the municipality. It may seem redundant to ask about the zoning requirements and then also to ask about overlay district restrictions, but it could save a lot of time and money.
3 – Don’t Rob Peter to Pay Paul
One thing that happens quite often is an owner/developer asking us to push forward an idea or interpretation that may eventually help the layout/construction cost/etc., BUT that review comes at a price. I can argue about 20’ of additional sidewalk with the reviewer and their boss and maybe get relief from having to construct it eventually, but is that time and energy worth the extra three weeks it will delay the permit?
4 – Momentum can be Key
Most times, a project gets moving and continues through permits. Sometimes, however, due to funding or timing issues the process can stop in the middle. Keep in mind that it’s almost always easier to finish out permitting, pay for the permits and then delay the start of construction if needed. Going back a year – or even a month – later and trying to “pick up where we left off” nearly never works. New requirements, new reviewers, new administrators with different interpretations will almost always require some backtracking and additional time and effort – sometimes even starting over.
5 – Lastly!! They aren’t out to get you.
Although it may seem like it on occasion, in-house and consultant reviewers are generally not out to get you. They follow checklists and guidelines in an effort to be consistent across projects. In the best of scenarios they understand both what you are trying to do and the intent of the code they are trying to enforce. Sometimes it’s not quite that easy, but 99% of the time they are trying to do their job and to help.