The new Denver Permitting Office, announced\u00a0by Mayor Mike Johnston in April, got up and running in mid-May, according to the city, although not all components of it are currently in place.<\/p>\n
The office\u2019s mandate is to speed up the entitlement process<\/a> and improve customer service for applicants \u2014 those getting permits to build new structures or build out existing spaces around the city. At an April news conference, Johnston touted a 180-day \u201cshot clock,\u201d saying plans and permits would be approved within that time, and pledged refunds of up to $10,000 on fees if the city failed to do so.<\/p>\n Johnston didn\u2019t provide specifics at the time on how the 180 days would be calculated or when refunds would be made. But last week, DPO Director Jill Jennings Golich shared documents with BusinessDen \u2014 the full text can be found\u00a0here\u00a0and\u00a0here\u00a0\u2014 on each of those points.<\/p>\n \u201cThe 180 days is purely city time,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n But that can be somewhat complicated, especially since many projects require multiple permits issued by different city agencies. Jennings Golich encouraged applicants to submit plans simultaneously for each of the permits they\u2019re applying for, for simplicity\u2019s sake.<\/p>\n Inevitably, there will be some overlap in the building permit process. An applicant may be redoing its plumbing plans while the city is reviewing a separate electrical permit, for example.<\/p>\n In instances such as those, as long as the city is still reviewing a component of the overall building plans, the 180-day clock will be ticking, even if the applicant is working on other permits related to the project, according to the city.<\/p>\n \u201cAny time that [application] is with a city discipline, we\u2019re counting it as a city day,\u201d said Robert Peek, a DPO official.<\/p>\n The 180-day pledge doesn\u2019t apply to subdivision plats, concept plans, large development reviews or infrastructure master plans.<\/p>\n In terms of refunds, when the 180-day deadline is missed, Jennings Golich will initially review the application, checking its quality and the responses given by the city. Her report will be completed within 14 days.<\/p>\n DPO\u2019s Executive Permitting Committee will then review the report and determine whether \u201cthe\u00a0delay was attributable to the city due to things such as internal city processes or city\u00a0review time,\u201d according to the DPO documents. If the city is at fault, the applicant is eligible for a refund.<\/p>\n\n