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Release Date: 10/25/2017
Mayor-President Broome, Businesses Continue to Support Third-Party Permit Reviews
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Mayor-President Broome, Businesses Continue to Support Third-Party Permit Reviews
BATON ROUGE, La. — Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome today continued to voice her support of third-party reviewers to supplement the services City-Parish’s Department of Permits and Inspection. This initiative was also a recommendation from the mayor-president’s transition committee for the Department of Development, within the Department of Public Works. The company chosen by a committee earlier this fall, the South Central Planning and Development Commission (SCPDC), will provide expedited building plan reviews for the City-Parish department, pending contract approval by the Metro Council today.
“Since last year’s floods, our permit and inspection department has seen an increase in the number of permit requests,” Mayor-President Broome said. “While that agency is committed to providing a high level of customer service, as well as ensuring the integrity of design and construction, we recognized that we could continue encouraging smart development in our parish by implementing a third-party plan review contract.”
Local companies and business organizations have also voiced support for the third-party review process, citing increased economic development opportunities. Among supporters are Russell Mosely, president of the Baton Rouge Growth Coalition.
“The decision by this administration to supplement the plan review process with third-party reviewers is the single most important improvement for the development community within the Department of Public Works,” Mosely said. “The Growth Coalition has been working with Mayor-President Broome and the Council to bring this improvement to a reality. We appreciate all the work to make this program happen.”
According to Carey Chauvin, director of development, SCPDC could begin servicing applicants as soon as November if the Council approves the agreement and it is executed by the City-Parish. SCPDC, based in Houma, is one of eight regional planning commissions in the state and has experience providing review services to other municipalities.
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