Productive relationships between municipalities and the development community foster compact growth.  Municipalities should adopt best practices that can make permitting more predictable, equitable, cost effective, and efficient.  

Inefficient permitting and approval processes can discourage compact growth.  Developers who face a long, costly, and uncertain permitting process are likely to shift their resources and efforts to other locations, regions, or states.  This is especially concerning if inefficient permitting in appropriate locations causes developers to choose alternate locations that are inconsistent with the MetroFuture land use plan.  

Application of streamlined permitting processes does not require municipalities to lower their standards or feel pressured to approve bad proposals. Applied appropriately, Permit Streamlining Best Practices should reinforce local jurisdiction; encourage community supported projects; preserve local resources; and maintain the standard of review.  

The recommendations identified elsewhere in this strategy will also support streamlined permitting.  When municipalities have widely-accepted district plans with predictable and supportive zoning, and capital plans with corresponding financing strategies, then there exists a framework for developers to create responsive proposals.  A set of well-defined permitting best practices has been identified and should be adopted by municipalities.

12.a    Municipalities should adopt permitting best practices

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