Concerns about the processing speed and costs of building permits have prompted Saanich to launch a review of its practices, a review that staff promise to complete by the end of June 2018.

Saanich council earlier this month approved a review of the building permit process in responding to long-running concerns about SaanichB次元官网网址檚 process.

B次元官网网址淥ne of the things that every member of this council hears about is that Saanich is one of one of the slower municipalities when it comes to building permits and getting through that process,B次元官网网址� said Coun. Colin Plant. B次元官网网址淲hile IB次元官网网址檓 not sure that IB次元官网网址檓 disappointed in the fact that Saanich takes its time and is very thorough in the work it does, because we have a beautiful community, IB次元官网网址檓 sensitive to the fact that people are saying, B次元官网网址榶ou can do betterB次元官网网址� and our job is councillors is always to do better.B次元官网网址�

Coun. Fred Haynes said the study promises to give both industry and residents the confidence that Saanich is listening to their concerns.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 very pleased with it [the proposed study], and I really like the methodology,B次元官网网址� he said.

SaanichB次元官网网址檚 processing speed of new building permits B次元官网网址� or lack thereof, depending on your perspective B次元官网网址� broke into full public view about a year ago, when the posted a sign next to their Dieppe Road property that urge others to skip Saanich for Langford because municipal staff had been slowing in issuing various permits over the course of a process that has lasted at least five-and-a-half years.

The sign in front of the property says read in part that B次元官网网址淸this] extremely lengthy process is mostly due to SaanichB次元官网网址檚 inability to process a rezoning and permit application in a timely fashion. It has taken almost six months for a building permit alone. If you are thinking of doing business in or with the municipality of Saanich, start young or go to Langford.B次元官网网址�

The issue will also consider whether SaanichB次元官网网址檚 processing fees are appropriate. Casey Edge, executive director of the Victoria Residential BuildersB次元官网网址� Association, said Saanich should change its inspection fees.

Saanich, as many other municipalities, calculate fees on the value of construction, which includes contractorsB次元官网网址� profit, workersB次元官网网址� compensation liability insurance, and other factors having no relationship to the cost of delivering inspection services, he said.

This practice, he said, has yielded Saanich big surpluses over the years.

Chief administrative officer Paul Thorkelsson said Saanich is aware of this industry concern, but suggested Edge overstated his case.

B次元官网网址淲hat council has to understand is that this is not a surplus generated by building permits,B次元官网网址� he said. Service fees support a wide range of services that go beyond inspection, he said.

B次元官网网址淭hose revenues actually apply to a laundry list of other functions within the organization that support the inspection process,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e will bring that forward and clarify that both with the industry and council through this process, and it will be part of the report that will come at the end.B次元官网网址�

Council heard that the final report would arrive by the end of June. While efforts to review the permitting process date back as far back as early 2016 following a recommendation from SaanichB次元官网网址檚 Planning, Transportation and Economic Development Advisory Committee, the installation of SaanichB次元官网网址檚 current CAO (Thorkelsson joined in January of 2016, shortly after the initial recommendation) and new staff caused delays.

Several councillors said they were pleased to see the review move forward in praising its speed. Coun. Leif Wergeland, however, said more could have been done earlier. B次元官网网址淪urely staff, senior staff, would on an on-going basis look at efficiencies in our system in how we can better serve our community,B次元官网网址� he said. It shouldnB次元官网网址檛 need to come as a report.B次元官网网址�

Thorkelsson said staff are generally always looking for efficiencies, noting that council specifically initiated the review.

B次元官网网址淭his has been a specific request of council [as part of its strategic planning],B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hat is why we brought this forward.B次元官网网址�

Wergeland responded that he did not aim his comments at anyone specifically, but at the municipality at-large, including council.