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Your building department plays an important role in public safety and compliance with regulations. But it comes with challenges: urbanization, changing construction standards, and increasing permit demands are making permit review more complex than ever.
To keep up, building officials and permit departments have to modernize their processes to improve efficiency and transparency. The challenges they face include:
- Increasing workloads and job complexity, requiring more inspections but usually the same level of staffing.
- The need for better collaboration, both within departments and with the public.
- Technology adoption, making sure that software makes operations easier, not harder.
Understanding these challenges—and how the right solutions can address them—makes safer, more sustainable communities.
Increased Workloads and Job Complexity
Most likely, you’re processing more permits than ever—a trend driven by population growth and economic expansion. But this rise in demand doesn’t always come with increased staffing. That means you have to find ways to ensure compliance without overburdening your team.
And it’s not only the number of permits that’s changing. The permits are becoming more complex, too.
Part of this is due to evolving regulations. The 2024 International Codes (I-Codes) introduced over a thousand changes across more than a dozen standards. For instance, inspectors must now check for a carbon monoxide (CO) detector in all occupancies that have a CO-producing device.
Modern construction methods add to the challenge: More complex materials, techniques, even just the increased height of buildings.
For inspectors, this means in-depth on-site evaluations with detailed documentation requirements. Without streamlined processes, the burden of paperwork can slow down approvals and create backlogs.
The Need for Effective Collaboration
Modern building departments don’t work in isolation. They have to coordinate with multiple agencies, contractors, and the public to keep projects moving efficiently. But when communication breaks down, it leads to delays and frustration for everyone involved.
The solution? Collaboration in-house and out of house, behind the permit counter and outside of the permit counter.
Internal Collaboration: Working Across Departments
Building permits often require input from multiple departments, like public works, planning and zoning, stormwater management, and even state or federal agencies. When each department operates in a silo—relying on emails, phone calls, or separate databases—it becomes nearly impossible to track progress in real time.
For example, suppose a stormwater review is holding up a permit approval. The applicant may not know where the bottleneck is or who to contact for an update. Sometimes, building department staff even struggle to get a clear answer. A more connected approach prevents these delays.
External Collaboration: Transparency with Contractors and Citizens
People like their status updates—especially these days. The public and contractors don’t want to call the building department every week to find out what’s happening with their permit or why it’s taking longer than expected.
But many building departments still rely on manual processes that keep applicants out of the loop.
Departments need a system that allows contractors and citizens to check their permit status instantly through an online portal. That’s a win-win: the public gets transparency, and you get fewer phone calls.
Technology Adoption
Outdated, paper-based processes create unnecessary delays. Paper applications have to be manually reviewed, stored, and transferred between departments. This is inefficient and increases the risk of lost documents and miscommunications.
Fortunately, the third trend of technology adoption provides solutions. A digital permitting platform speeds up processes by allowing applications, plans, and inspection records to be submitted, reviewed, and approved online. This shift makes it so that stakeholders—whether internal staff, field inspectors, or external applicants—can quickly access the information they need.
But all of this depends on selecting the right software for your department.
You can improve collaboration and make workloads manageable when your technology:
- Integrates with your other solutions
- Automates repetitive tasks
- Can be configured to your exact specifications
Breaking Down Data Silos with Integration
Your department probably relies on many different platforms, including:
- GIS systems
- Document management solutions
- Financial software
- State or federal databases
When these systems don’t communicate effectively, staff end up stuck in a cycle of manual data entry, redundant processes, and unnecessary delays. That’s why it’s important to choose a permitting solution that integrates with your existing software.
Former building official Darren Emery explained what it was like using software that didn’t integrate well:
“It was just a logistical nightmare trying to make emails and phone calls to figure out who was at what stage with the plan review systems. You couldn’t see at a glance to know what division was working on it, whether they’re almost done or they’re not quite there yet.”
The reverse was true when he started working on a project with Pottawatomie County, which contains a portion of the City of Manhattan.
Pottawatomie County started issuing building permits for housing processes for the first time about 5 years ago. Darren said he expected pushback from contractors and homeowners who now had to get permits in the part of the City of Manhattan that was in Pottawatomie County.
But Pottawatomie had just implemented the MCCi Community Development platform, which integrated with the City of Manhattan’s legacy permitting system. As a result, the permitting process didn’t slow down construction.
“We heard almost no pushback. It was one of the biggest surprises I ever had. And I know that part of it was because the systems were talking to each other,” Darren said. “It is an incredible help no matter what department you’re in, just allowing everyone else within your organization to know where you’re at and what’s going on.”
Automation to Reduce Time-Consuming Tasks
Even in the most well-run building departments, staff spend hours each week on repetitive administrative tasks: data entry, document filing, and status updates. Automating these tasks not only improves efficiency but also increases job satisfaction.
When one building official began implementing software in his department, he spent time analyzing the repetitive tasks his colleagues worked on. These became opportunities for automation.
“You get nothing but smiles when your coworkers have some free time because a system is working better and automation can eliminate those repetitive processes,” he recalled.
Configurable Workflows
But what if you buy a software and it doesn’t quite work the way you want it to? Off-the-shelf solutions often force departments to adapt to rigid workflows.
The problem is that your workflows aren’t necessarily the same as the much larger or much smaller city or county next door. Many government agencies have unique permitting and inspection processes due to local regulations, staffing structures, and department policies.
That means your software can create new inefficiencies instead of solving old ones. All of a sudden, this automation becomes your Achilles’ heel.
That’s why configurable systems can be your best friend. You can tailor the software to your specific processes without extensive custom development.
Configurable workflows allow each department to:
- Automate Steps in the Process: Reduce manual tasks by setting up triggers for approvals, notifications, and document reviews.
- Adjust to Changing Regulations: Update workflows when new ordinances or state laws require changes.
- Improve Efficiency Across Departments: Ensure different teams (permitting, code enforcement, planning, etc.) can collaborate easily.
For example, two cities—City A and City B—both issue building permits. But their internal processes, regulations, and departmental structures require different workflow configurations.
City A: Small Municipality (Simple, Centralized Process)
At City A, one department handles zoning, public works, and building code review. Their workflow might go like this:
- Applicant submits permit online.
- System routes it to the building official for a single review.
- If approved, inspections are scheduled.
- After passing inspections, the permit is issued.
Why It Works: Fewer handoffs keep the process fast and efficient for a small team.
City B: Large Metro Area (Complex, Multi-Department Process)
City B has separate teams for zoning, fire safety, public works, and environmental review. Their workflow is more complex:
- Application is submitted and auto-routed to zoning.
- Public works, fire safety, and environmental teams review in parallel.
- System tracks approvals and sends reminders to avoid delays.
- Once all approvals are in, the building department issues the permit.
- Required inspections are scheduled before final occupancy approval.
Why It Works: This ensures compliance with complex regulations while keeping departments aligned.
Configurable workflows let agencies tailor software to their structure, whether centralized or multi-step, rather than forcing them into a rigid system.
MCCi Community Development was designed with flexibility in mind. Among other configurations, you can:
- Define custom approval paths for different permit and license types.
- Configure automatic notifications and escalations to keep processes on track.
- Set up role-based access to ensure the right staff members handle each step.
What’s Next?
“Other software companies are a one-size-fits-all solution, with no flexibility. We had to mold ourselves to their platform. [MCCi Community Development] molded their platform to us and how we operate.”
If your department is struggling under the weight of increased workloads, a well-integrated, user-friendly permitting system can make all the difference.
Want to learn more? Fill out the form below to talk with us about how MCCi Community Development can support your community’s needs!