By Jen Lebron Kuhney | The Arizona Republic
Few people likely consider how long it takes to get a building permit in their city until they go to put in a backyard pool or build an addition to their home.
But beyond permits for individual homeowners, there’s a reason to pay attention.
West Valley cities court developers to bring in more jobs and revenue, and builders say one of the key variables is being able to easily maneuver through local bureaucracy.
Building permits can come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are a key hurdle for anyone starting a construction project. Developers need them for new housing developments and tenant improvements. Residents or contractors need them for projects such as pool installations or new electrical work that needs to comply with city building codes.
Time is money when builders wait for city staff to approve their projects. If a builder can get fast approval to start on a custom home, it makes it easier to line up subcontractors and ultimately get a new resident in that home, for instance.
Glendale, Peoria and Surprise say they fall within national standards, but Surprise was the only one that provided data to back it up.
