[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:10]
PERMITTING PROCESS AND WAYS WE CAN IMPROVE UPON IT.I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR CITY CLERK. THANK YOU. MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE INVITED TO ATTEND, EITHER IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY.
YOU CAN ALSO PHONE IN AT 305224 1968 AGAIN 305224 1968 OR TOLL FREE (888) 475-4499. THE WEBINAR ID IS (813) 928-5767 1 POUND (813) 928-5767 1 POUND. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK VIRTUALLY ON AN ITEM DURING THE MEETING, PLEASE CLICK THE RAISE HAND ICON IF USING THE ZOOM APP, OR PRESS STAR NINE ON YOUR PHONE.
THE ZOOM LINK, WEBINAR ID AND PHONE NUMBERS STAY THE SAME FOR EVERY COMMISSION MEETING.
ALL LOBBYISTS MUST REGISTER WITH THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK, LOCATED ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF CITY HALL. YOU DO NOT NEED TO REGISTER IF YOU'RE AN EXPERT WITNESS, GIVING ONLY TECHNICAL OR SPECIALIZED TESTIMONY, A REPRESENTATIVE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OR NONPROFIT, SPEAKING WITHOUT PAY, OR A PRIVATE CITIZEN SPEAKING ON YOUR BEHALF WITHOUT COMPENSATION.
HOWEVER, IF YOU IF YOU ARE AN EXPERT WITNESS OR A NONPROFIT OR NEIGHBORHOOD REPRESENTATIVE, YOU DO NEED TO SUBMIT A WRITTEN DISCLOSURE FORM AT THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK BEFORE SPEAKING.
ALL LOBBYISTS IF A LOBBYIST GIVES OR AGREES TO GIVE $1,000 OR MORE TO A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OR ITS REPRESENTATIVE REGARDING A CITY MATTER, THAT MUST BE DISCLOSED IN WRITING TO THE CITY CLERK, THANK YOU.
MAYOR. SORRY. THANK YOU. WE'LL START OFF, AS WE USUALLY DO, WITH A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I THINK IT'S APROPOS. WE'LL ASK VINCE CEJAS, OUR BUILDING DIRECTOR TO LEAD US.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
EXCUSE ME. MAYOR. JUST FOR THE RECORD, COMMISSIONER SUAREZ IS ONLINE.
AND, PJ, IF YOU CAN PROMOTE HIM, PLEASE. SURE.
YOU WANT TO DO THAT? OKAY. HEY, I HEAR COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, YOU HAD A BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY, SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HE'S STILL NOT A PANELIST, SO.
WELL, I SAID IT. WE HAVE OUR OUR. IF ANYONE WANTS TO COME UP AND SAY SOMETHING.
[R9 A DR. STANLEY SUTNICK CITIZENS’ FORUM. (3:30 P.M.)]
SO IF ANYONE WISHES TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER, PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM.SEEING NONE. IS THERE ANYONE ON ZOOM? SEEING NONE.
WE ARE SPEAKING WITH REALLY A UNIFORM VOICE IN OUR COMMISSION.
SO THIS I'LL LEAD IT OFF HERE. BUT I THINK WE'VE ALL ARE LOUD AND CLEAR.
SO THANK YOU, ERIC. THANK YOU, MARIA AND VINCE, FOR MAKING THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
WE THE GOAL AND THE REASON WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING IS TO MAKE MIAMI BEACH THE PREEMINENT CITY IN AMERICA TO DO BUSINESS. AND PART OF THAT IS GETTING BUSINESSES OPEN QUICKLY.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS ALSO IMPACTS RESIDENTS AND DOING WORK THERE AS WELL.
BUT CERTAINLY WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING THE BUSINESSES. CAPITAL IS COMING TO MIAMI BEACH IN A BIG WAY.
WE I USE THE TERM THE BEACHES BACK, BUT IT'S HAPPENING.
WE'RE SEEING THE INFLOW OF CABO. WE'RE SEEING BUSINESSES MOVING HERE.
WE'RE SEEING COMPANIES PRIVATE, PRIVATE AND PUBLIC COMPANIES MOVING THEIR HEADQUARTERS.
HERE. WE SEE FAMILY OFFICES, HEDGE FUNDS. YOU JUST LOOK AT THE HEADLINES LITERALLY ALMOST EVERY DAY AND YOU SEE THAT IT'S COMING DOWN TO SOUTH FLORIDA, IT'S COMING TO FLORIDA, AND CERTAINLY WITH WITH CERTAIN STATES CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK CITY, OBVIOUSLY IN THE NEWS RECENTLY, RAISING TAXES.
IT'S JUST GOING TO KEEP CONTINUING TO FLOW HERE.
AND THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT COLLECTIVELY HERE WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO, TO BE THAT WORLD CLASS CITY TO, TO DO BUSINESS WHEN WE ISSUE PERMITS. IT'S AN ECONOMIC IMPACT.
IT CREATES JOBS, IT'S INVESTMENT, IT'S HOUSING, IT'S A TAX BASE.
AND IT'S A CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY FOR FOR OUR CITY.
TWO THINGS JUST TODAY THAT THAT HAPPENED, I VISITED EARLY THIS MORNING, OUR BUILDING DEPARTMENT, TWO THINGS WERE GOING ON SIMULTANEOUSLY. ONE IS THE THE WALKTHROUGHS, WHICH WE DO THREE TIMES A WEEK.
AND IT'S IT'S GREAT TO SEE IN PERSON, TO SEE IT WORKING WELL, TO SEE OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TELLING, GIVING ME FEEDBACK, HOW THEY'RE APPRECIATIVE THAT WE'RE DOING THE WALKTHROUGHS AGAIN, WHICH HAD BEEN ON HIATUS FOR A LONG TIME, BUT ALSO THE THE BUSINESS READY.
[00:05:08]
WHICH WE WERE DOING QUARTERLY AND NOW WE'RE DOING WE'RE GOING TO BE TRANSITIONING TO DO THAT MONTHLY.AND WHAT THAT DOES IS ALLOWS BUSINESSES TO GET THEIR TOURS IF THEY'RE SMALL GRANTS OR BUSINESS LOANS, REALLY TO HELP OUR BUSINESSES OUT. AND YOU HAVE ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THERE IN ONE SHOT.
AFTER THAT, I ACTUALLY WENT TO FIU FOR AN EVENT, AND MAYOR HIGGINS WAS THERE AND I WAS TALKING WITH HER AND SHE TOLD ME HER NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS FIXING THE PERMITTING SYSTEM IN MIAMI.
I'M LIKE, WOW, SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING I'VE HEARD BEFORE.
SO CERTAINLY THAT'S THAT'S TOP OF MIND ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO I JUST WANTED TO START THAT UP. I KNOW A LOT OF US HAVE HAD LEGISLATION.
I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE SHOWING SOME SLIDES. THAT SHOWS. I THINK IT'S KIND OF ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUSH.
BUT I THINK THERE'S THERE'S I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY PINPOINT SEVERAL ISSUES IN OUR CITY THAT ARE NUMBER ONE PRIORITIES TO ME, OBVIOUSLY. AND I THINK TO MOST OF US, PUBLIC SAFETY IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE PARAMOUNT.
BUT THIS IS LITERALLY ON THAT SHORT LIST OF ISSUES THAT IT'S WE REALLY HAVE TO GET IT RIGHT.
WE HAVE TO DO IT WELL, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SYNTHESIZE THE PROCESS AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR BUSINESSES AND OUR RESIDENTS TO, TO MOVE FORWARD. BECAUSE WE'RE ON AN INTERNATIONAL STAGE NOW.
AND WHEN WHEN YOU HEAR PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE, WHEN THEY HEAR ABOUT MIAMI BEACH, SOUTH FLORIDA, IT'S NO LONGER A SECRET. THIS IS THE PLACE. THIS IS.
THIS IS LITERALLY THE PLACE PEOPLE WANT TO BE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
AND WE HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CAPITALIZE ON IT. AND WE JUST WE JUST CANNOT MISS THIS WINDOW.
IT'S TOO GREAT. AND WE'RE SHIFTING FLORIDA AND MIAMI BEACH TO BE THE NUMBER ONE DESTINATION FOR FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE TO VISIT, BUT ALSO TO DO BUSINESS. SO THANK YOU, ERIC. FOR I KNOW YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION AND OBVIOUSLY I WANT TO HEAR FROM FROM ALL MY COLLEAGUES.
TAKE IT AWAY, ERIC. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MAYOR.
[R9 C DISCUSS THE BUILDING PERMITTING PROCESS INCLUDING RECENT IMPROVEMENTS, OPERATIONAL OUTCOMES, AND UPCOMING INITIATIVES.]
I WANTED TO SAY, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE'VE HEARD ALL OF YOU LOUD AND CLEAR THAT WE NEED TO DO BETTER AS A CITY ON THE PERMITTING FRONT.I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT WE'VE BEEN ON A JOURNEY OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
SO WE'RE NOT STARTING THIS FROM GROUND ZERO. WE'RE STARTING THIS FROM A PLACE WHERE WE'VE ALREADY DONE A LOT OF THE BACKGROUND WORK, A LOT OF THE LEGWORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO EFFECTUATE POSITIVE CHANGE.
AND I AM PLEASED TO SAY THAT I THINK WE'VE GOT THE TEAM IN PLACE NOW TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
AND I AM EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THE EFFORTS FROM ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEY'RE ALL HERE TODAY THAT TOUCH THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
BUT AT THE TIP OF THAT HAS BEEN MARIA HERNANDEZ, WHO FROM DAY ONE, I'VE TASKED WITH TAKING OVER SOME RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND THEN EXPANDED THAT TO THE LARGER PERMITTING PROCESS.
OKAY. THANK YOU. MARIA. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
AND THE DEPARTMENT DEP IF YOU HAVE A HOUSE ON THE WATERFRONT.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO PUT THINGS INTO CONTEXT WITH VOLUME DATA.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF SUBMITTALS, ABOUT 2300 A MONTH.
WE ALSO HAVE ABOUT 5600 INSPECTIONS THAT WE CONDUCT.
AND OUR CALL CENTER TAKES CALLS FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES, AND IT'S ABOUT 4200 CALLS A MONTH.
ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS IN ANY GIVEN WEEK WHAT THE VOLUME IS FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
THE CERTIFICATES OF USE ARE A BIG PART OF THAT.
[00:10:06]
I THINK THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT REALLY MOVED THE NEEDLE WHEN WE BEGAN IS THE FOURTH BULLET ON THE LEFT, WHICH WAS WHEN WE RECONFIGURED OR OVERHAULED ALL OF THE PREVIOUS PERMITTING TYPES THAT WE HAD, AND WE REDUCED THEM BY ABOUT 100. SO WE HAD 250 PERMIT TYPES WHEN WE STARTED, AND WE REDUCED IT TO 150.OF COURSE, LAUNCHING OUR PHASE TWO WALKTHROUGH, WHICH INCLUDED RESIDENTIAL, AND THEN PHASE THREE, WHICH NOW INCLUDES BUSINESS, HAS ALSO BEEN SOMETHING THAT YOU'LL SEE.
ANOTHER SLIDES HAS REALLY CHANGED THINGS GOING FORWARD.
AND THAT TOOK THE EFFORTS OF ABOUT 200 EMPLOYEES.
AND THIS WAS DURING THE TIME THAT WE HAD OUR CONSULTANT, BOB MORAN, WHO IS HERE TODAY DOING THOSE MEETINGS WITH US AND HELPING US GET THROUGH THAT WHOLE INITIATIVE. WE'VE ALSO DONE A LOT OF BROCHURES AND WE ALSO HAVE MARKETING CAMPAIGNS.
WE SEND THESE OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. WE ALSO HAVE THEM AS HANDOUTS.
BASICALLY TRYING TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT EVERYTHING IN THIS CASE, PERMITS, VIOLATIONS, RECERTIFICATIONS BUSINESS TIPS. WE HAVE DONE A BUNCH OF THESE AND YOU KNOW, OF COURSE THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE TO COME.
SO THEN YOU ALL COME INTO THE PICTURE IN 2025 AND A LITTLE BIT INTO LATE 2024.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF LEGISLATION THAT YOU ALL HAVE PUT FORTH.
I'M, I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE IF I HAVE MISSED ANYTHING.
BECAUSE I'VE GATHERED IT FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES.
BUT THIS IS EVERYTHING FROM COMMISSION ITEMS TO REFERRALS.
EVERYTHING FROM THE PERMIT PROCESS IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE WHICH MET FOR A YEAR.
AND THEN WE SUNSETTED FROM THE GET GO, WHICH WAS COMMISSIONER MINERS INITIATIVE.
THE PILOT WALKED THROUGH, WHICH WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ.
HERE'S EVEN MORE LEGISLATION, SOME OF IT WHICH IS MORE CURRENT.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE'LL HAVE A CHANCE AT THE END TO TALK ABOUT AI.
SO YOU ALSO HAVE PROPOSED LEGISLATION IN 2026 THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN TO YET.
BUT THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE EITHER READY TO BE APPROVED OR THEY'RE PART OF DISCUSSION ITEMS, OR THEY'RE REFERRALS TO TO LAND USE AND SUSTAINABILITY HAVING TO DO WITH AND CHANGES TO ELDERS.
AND OUR PLANNING DIRECTOR WILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT IF YOU ALL WANT TO.
AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION. SO THIS IS THE RESULT OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID LAST YEAR, CALENDAR YEAR BETWEEN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY. I KNOW THAT PERMIT INTAKE WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS A STICKING POINT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING THAT THAT PROCESS WAS VERY PAINFUL AND TOOK TOO LONG. AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT THROUGH TRAINING AND RETRAINING WITH OUR PERMIT CLERKS WE HAVE GONE FROM TWO AND A HALF DAYS THAT IT HAS IT USED TO TAKE TO GET PERMITS INPUTTED INTO OUR SYSTEM TO LESS THAN A DAY.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT'S WHEN YOU BRING IN YOUR PERMITS ELECTRONICALLY AND YOU SUBMIT THEM.
YOU SHOULD TAKE A COUPLE OF DAYS TO GET THAT DONE.
AND NOW IT'S LESS THAN A DAY. SO THAT'S JUST A LITTLE.
THIS GOES BACK TO 2018. 2022. AND THEN TODAY, 2018 OF COURSE, WAS PRE-COVID.
THE WORST THING, OF COURSE, BEING THE PURPLE.
BACK IN THE DAY IN 2018. APPARENTLY THERE, BECAUSE THIS IS ALL DATA THAT WE HAVE.
THERE WERE THERE WERE A LOT OF CHALLENGES WITH BIG, MAYBE BIG PROJECTS THAT BECAUSE WE HAD JUST WE WERE INTRODUCING ELECTRONIC REVIEWS AT THAT TIME, THEY WEREN'T REALLY GOING VERY WELL.
[00:15:02]
TRAINING PERIOD ON THE ELECTRONIC METHOD, IT SORT OF STARTED CATCHING ON AND THE FIRST AND SECOND REVIEWS WENT UP AND THE THIRD AND FOURTH REVIEWS WENT DOWN TODAY, THANKS TO THE WALK THROUGH PROCESS, THE FACT THAT WE ALSO HAVE OVER-THE-COUNTER PERMITS, WHICH DON'T EVEN REQUIRE A REVIEW THAT FIRST REVIEW CYCLE HAS GONE WAY UP, AND TODAY IT IS THE MOST AMOUNT OF CYCLES REVIEW CYCLES THAT WE HAVE. SO THESE ARE THE NUMBERS.68% OF ALL OF OUR REVIEWS ARE DONE IN TWO CYCLES OR LESS.
WHEN YOU ADD TO THAT, A THIRD REVIEW CYCLE, WHICH IS NOT NOT IDEAL, BUT IT IS SORT OF NORMAL.
THAT BRINGS IT UP TO 84%. NOW THIS TOTALS ABOUT 10,000 PERMITS THAT WE DID LAST YEAR.
WHERE WE DON'T WANT TO BE IS IN THE PURPLE. AND THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
AND THAT IS FOR PLUS REVIEW CYCLES. I TOOK A DEEPER DIVE INTO THOSE NUMBERS.
THAT'S ABOUT 1900 REVIEWS, AND OUT OF THOSE HALF OF THEM, ABOUT 52% ARE FOR CYCLES.
THE REST, WHICH IS LIKE 900, ARE IN CYCLES THAT GO ALL THE WAY TO 20 OR 23, WHICH IS JUST UNACCEPTABLE HOW THAT EVEN HAPPENS, I DON'T KNOW, BUT WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
IN THE IDEAL WORLD, WE WOULD ONLY HAVE ONE, TWO AND THREE AT THE MOST, AND FOURS WOULD BE GONE.
HOW LONG IS EACH REVIEW CYCLE? I HAVE A SLIDE FOR THAT, AND I'LL EXPLAIN THAT TO YOU IN MORE DETAIL.
THIS ALSO HAS BEEN HELPED BY THE FACT THAT WE HAVE WALKTHROUGHS.
ALL THESE DEPARTMENTS ARE INVOLVED IN OUR WALKTHROUGHS.
SO THIS IS AN AVERAGE. IT ISN'T FOR EVERY PROJECT, BUT IT'S IT'S YOU KNOW, WE'RE TARGETING A TEN DAY TURNAROUND FOR ALL PERMIT TYPES. AND EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE LESS THAN SIX DAYS.
COMMISSIONER. AND WE HAVE ANOTHER SLIDE AFTERWARDS.
THIS SHOWS HOW MUCH THE PERMITS ARE WITH US AND HOW MUCH THEY ARE WITH THE CUSTOMER.
ON AVERAGE, FOR ALL PERMIT TYPES, WE HAVE THEM FOR FIVE BUSINESS DAYS.
THE CUSTOMERS HAVE THEM FOR TEN BUSINESS DAYS.
SO IT'S A 15 DAY CYCLE FOR A REVIEW. SO 67% ON THEIR SIDE, 33% ON OUR SIDE.
BUT WERE THIS TO YOUR QUESTION, STARTS GETTING YOU START FIGURING OUT THE TIME.
IN 2025, WE HAD 66 NEW CONSTRUCTION RESIDENTIAL PERMITS.
THE AVERAGE TIME WITH THE CITY WAS 11 DAYS, AND THE AVERAGE TIME WITH THE CUSTOMER WAS 27 DAYS.
SO THAT'S ONE CYCLE FOR A TOTAL OF 38 DAYS, LET'S SAY.
AND THESE ARE BUSINESS DAYS. SO LET'S SAY THAT THREE CYCLES IS OKAY.
IT'S I IT'S NOT IDEAL, BUT IT'S ACCEPTABLE. IF EACH OF THOSE HAPPENED IN THREE CYCLES, WE WOULD STILL HAVE A TOTAL OF 114 BUSINESS DAYS WHERE THESE THINGS ARE BEING REVIEWED.
AND WHEN YOU BREAK THAT DOWN INTO, YOU KNOW, DAYS AND MONTHS, IT'S ABOUT FIVE MONTHS, FIVE AND THREE QUARTER MONTHS TO GET A PERMIT FOR A HOME LIKE A SINGLE FAMILY HOME. IT'S NOT AS BAD FOR BUILDING COMMERCIAL ALTERATION PERMITS.
IT'S THE SAME FORMULA. AND THAT'S IF THEY WERE IN THREE CYCLES.
BUT IF IT'S IF IT'S A SIMPLE PROJECT AND IT'S NOT VERY COMPLEX AND WE HAVE THAT KIND OF TIME, IT STILL TAKES A WHILE. WE DID 3300 OVER THE COUNTER PERMITS.
THOSE ARE VERY FAST. SO THAT HAS HELPED US MOVE THE NEEDLE.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL CONTINUE MOMENTUM. AND WE BE, I DON'T KNOW, AT A THOUSAND HOPEFULLY IN 2026.
CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE PRIOR SLIDE PLEASE? SURE. SO WE CAN CONTROL THE AVERAGE TIME OF CITY.
CORRECT. DO YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT INTO WHY IT'S TAKING THE CUSTOMERS 3 TO 4 WEEKS TO GET BACK TO US? I CAN TELL YOU ONE OF THE. AND I'M GLAD WE CAME BACK TO THIS SLIDE BECAUSE I FORGOT THE FIRST BULLET.
[00:20:02]
THE FIRST BULLET, WHICH IS A MAJOR ISSUE. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WE GET A LOT OF INCOMPLETE AND INCORRECT SUBMITTALS, AND THAT AUTOMATICALLY CAUSES A REVIEW. SO WE'RE GOING THROUGH AN EXERCISE OR WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH AN EXERCISE.IT'S IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS WHERE WE REALLY TRY TO FIGURE THAT OUT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IT TAKES TO REALLY GET A COMPLETE AND CORRECT SUBMITTAL. BECAUSE IF WE'RE ACTING AS WHAT WE CALL IN THE INDUSTRY, A QA, QC, A CONSULTANT, YOU KNOW, QUALITY CONTROL AND QUALITY ASSURANCE CONSULTANT FOR A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BRINGING THESE TO US, THOSE ARE REVIEWS THAT WE ARE DOING THAT AREN'T EVEN REVIEWS.
WE'RE JUST TELLING THEM, LISTEN, YOU'RE MISSING THIS, YOU'RE MISSING THIS, YOU'RE MISSING THIS. IT'S A WASTE OF TIME. IT'S VERY CUMBERSOME ON OUR DEPARTMENTS. AND, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN A LOT.
WE DON'T HAVE A CHECK MARK THAT SAYS INCOMPLETE IN OUR DATABASE.
I WANT TO CREATE IT SO WE KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE WE HAVE.
AND THEN WE MAY COME UP WITH A WITH SOMETHING THAT'S SORT OF LIKE A CARROT OR A STICK SCENARIO WHERE WE CAN INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE THAT DO IT CORRECTLY AND 1 OR 2 SUBMITTALS. AND, YOU KNOW, I HATE TO USE THE WORD PENALIZED, BUT IF WE'RE IF WE HAVE TEN REVIEWS THAT ARE PEOPLE COMING BACK WITH THE SAME INFORMATION AND NOT GIVING US WHAT WE NEED, WHY ARE WE ACCEPTING THAT AI MIGHT HELP WITH THIS TOO? SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT. SO THAT'S SO YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S CURIOUS TO ME BECAUSE I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE ARE HELPFUL AND CAN HELP STEER PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT IT ALSO TAKES AWAY FROM THE EFFICACY AND EFFICIENCY OF GETTING THINGS PROCESSED FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY.
AND WHEN RESIDENTS REACH OUT TO ME AND SAYING, I'M STUCK WITH A BUILDING PERMIT, CAN YOU PLEASE HELP? NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN, I JUST CONNECT THEM TO THE RIGHT PERSON.
AND IT'S A SUPER SIMPLE THING. EITHER SOMETHING WASN'T APPLIED FOR WITH THE CORRECT NUMBER OR HADN'T BEEN APPLIED FOR YET, AND THEY THOUGHT IT HAD BEEN LIKE THAT. SO I'D BE VERY CURIOUS TO SEE WHEN YOU START EVALUATING WHAT IS GENERATING THE INCOMPLETE AND INCORRECT SUBMITTALS. AND YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE THOSE PAIN POINTS? BECAUSE I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO CREATE A WEBSITE THAT IS FUNCTIONAL FOR SOMETHING AS COMPLEX AS THIS, AND IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE PERFECT. AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE HUMAN ERROR FACTORED INTO THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT IS GOING TO BE A REALLY IMPORTANT THING FOR US TO DIVE INTO.
I AGREE 100%, BECAUSE WHAT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN WE SPEND TIME DOING THAT IS THAT WE'RE NOT SPENDING TIME WITH REAL REVIEWS, AND THEN THAT BACKS UP EVERYTHING. IT'S LIKE A VICIOUS CYCLE, YOU KNOW? SO THIS IS A SIMULATION. COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
OH. I'M SORRY. NO, NO, NO. IT'S FINE. JUST JUST A QUESTION.
SO WE DON'T KNOW THE NATURE OF THOSE INCOMPLETE OR INCORRECT SUBMITTALS.
THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE. I CAN THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
WHEN WE GET THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, I JUST HAVE A FEW SLIDES LEFT.
WE COULD BUT WE DON'T HAVE DATA. DO WE ACTUALLY HAVE.
WE DON'T HAVE DATA, BUT ANECDOTALLY THEY DEAL WITH IT EVERY DAY.
SO THEY CAN SPEAK TO THAT, ESPECIALLY IN PLANNING.
BECAUSE WHAT I, WHAT I'VE HEARD A LOT FROM PEOPLE IS THAT EVEN MINISTERIAL THINGS, THINGS HAVING TO DO WITH A STAMP AND WE AND WE DISCUSS WHAT STAMPS, WHAT STAMPS, DRY STAMPS.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, PEOPLE PEOPLE LOSE A WEEK TO WEEK, THREE WEEKS ON SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY NOT DIRECTLY IMPACTING THE STRUCTURE. THE SAFETY OR ANYTHING IS PURE BUREAUCRACY.
THAT IS, THAT IS GETTING IN THE WAY OF THAT. AND IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE DATA.
YOU'VE DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB IN COLLECTING THIS INFORMATION.
IT'D BE GREAT TO SEE NEXT LEVEL. OKAY. WHAT DOES THE DATA TELL US AS TO THE NATURE OF THESE INCORRECT AND INCOMPLETE SUBMITTALS? ARE THERE ERRORS BY THE ENGINEERS BY THE BY THE PEOPLE CREATING THE PLANS OR OR IS IT JUST LIKE TECHNICAL STUFF THEY SIGNED IN THE WRONG PLACE? IS IS IS WET INSTEAD OF DRY. THEY HAVE TWO STAMPS.
YOU'RE RIGHT. AND WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THAT.
WE LOVE DATA. THERE'S NOTHING BETTER THAN DATA.
IT'D BE GREAT TO GET THAT. YEAH. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO THIS IS A SIMULATION.
AS A RESULT OF THE FROM THE GET GO CAMPAIGN WE DEVELOPED THE CITY SERVICES CONCIERGE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE DECISION ENGINE. DECISION ENGINE IS THE PLATFORM.
IT'S THE. WELL, IT'S THE SOFTWARE. AND THIS JUST SHOWS YOU, FOR THOSE OF YOU, THAT.
YEAH. I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY. BECAUSE YOU'RE COMMISSIONER.
[00:25:01]
CAN WE GO BACK A COUPLE SLIDES AGAIN TO THAT? BECAUSE I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. THANK YOU. OKAY.ONE MORE. YEAH. SO WHEN SOMEONE SUBMITS AND IF IT'S AN INCOMPLETE OR INCORRECT SUBMITTAL, THEY ARE.
ARE THEY CONTACTED VIA PHONE TO SAY THIS IS INCORRECT OR INCOMPLETE, OR DID THEY GET AN AUTOMATIC EMAIL? I WILL LET THE BUILDING OFFICIAL ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
THAT NOTIFICATION GOES TO ALL THE CONTACTS ON THAT PERMIT RECORD.
SO THE CONTRACTOR, THE DESIGN PROFESSIONAL, WHOEVER REGISTERED AND DID THE ACTUAL SUBMISSION, ALL THOSE PEOPLE GET CONTACTED. SOMETIMES THAT WAS AN ISSUE IN THE PAST THAT WE HAD TO GO THROUGH AN EXERCISE IN CLEANING UP SOME OF THOSE CONTACTS.
SO THE NOTIFICATIONS WERE GOING IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, AND THEN ONCE THAT IS COMMUNICATED, THEY HAVE TO COMPLETE THEIR INFORMATION AND THEN THEY GO KIND OF BACK TO POINT ZERO STARTING POINT VERSUS BEING IN THE SAME LINE IN THE QUEUE, OR THEY DON'T EVEN GET INTO THE QUEUE BECAUSE IT'S INCOMPLETE. ONCE IT'S STOPPED, IT'S STOPPED UNTIL IT'S CORRECTED.
SO ONCE WE OPEN UP THAT PROCESS NUMBER FOR THEM AND THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT A NEW APPLICATION OR UPLOAD A NEW DOCUMENT THAT'S JUST FROZEN THERE WAITING FOR THEM TO TAKE THE ACTION RE-UPLOAD. AND THEN THEY CONTINUE FORWARD. OKAY.
SO THEY DON'T LIKE GO BACK TO THE BACK OF THE LINE OR ANYTHING. IT'S JUST WHERE THEY'RE AT.
AND THAT'S SOME OF WHAT WHAT MARIA WAS DEMONSTRATING WITH THAT TIME WITH THE CUSTOMER.
SO ONCE WE GIVE YOU THE NOTIFICATION THE BALL'S OUT OF OUR COURT.
WE'RE WAITING ON THEM TO TO TAKE SOME ACTION TO UPDATE, UPDATE THOSE DOCUMENTS OR UPLOAD THE NEW DOCUMENTS, ETC. HOW LONG THAT TAKES US OUT OF OUR CONTROL.
OKAY. AND THAT IS SENT VIA EMAIL. BUT THEN A PHONE CALL CAN RECTIFY THE SITUATION.
BUT USUALLY THAT'S FURTHER ON DOWN THE TROUGH.
WHEN IT'S LIKE A THREE TIME REVIEW. YOU'VE COME UP THAT FIRST TIME AT BHATT, WE GAVE YOU YOUR FIRST ROUND, YOUR SECOND ROUND. WHEN WE'RE GOING TO THAT THIRD ROUND, WE LIKE TO PUT A VOICE BEHIND THE GIG, SO TO SPEAK, AND SAY, HEY, WE GOT EVERYTHING SQUARED AWAY NOW, DO YOU HAVE ALL YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW SO WE CAN FINISH GETTING THIS PERMIT OUT? OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. OKAY, SO CONTINUING ON THIS IS A SIMULATION.
THE DECISION ENGINE SOFTWARE IS BASICALLY WHAT CREATED THIS.
IT'S ON OUR THE FRONT PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE. AND THIS JUST IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE ONE THING THAT YOU CAN DO ON IT. REALLY, IT'S IT'S A TOOL TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION.
AND IT'LL JUST TAKE YOU TO WHERE YOU NEED TO GET EVERYTHING.
SO, YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT YOU NEED TO DO. SO OUR CITY BUSINESS CONCIERGE IS BEING SPEARHEADED BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE THERE'S BENEFITS THAT THEY HAVE SUCH AS GUIDANCE AND ASSISTING WITH NAVIGATING.
THEY ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO TO GRANTS AND INCENTIVES.
SHOULD BUSINESSES NEED THAT? SOME OF THEIR ACTIVITY IS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE FROM LAST YEAR.
THEY'RE DOING A LOT MORE ALREADY IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.
WE HAVE ALSO JUST LAUNCHED. WELL, YESTERDAY IS WHEN WE FINISHED THE VIDEOS FOR THREE VIDEOS FOR MIAMI BEACH MEANS BUSINESS. THAT'S OUR NEW CAMPAIGN. AND PJ, IF YOU COULD ROLL THE TAPE, THIS IS THE ONE FOR MIKA.
HI, I'M NATALIA MORALES. WELCOME TO MIKA. HI.
WE ARE MIKA, THE ORIGINAL GREEK FROZEN YOGURT.
WE FOCUS ON HIGH QUALITY INGREDIENTS AND VERY CAREFULLY CURATED.
MENU. AND MIKA IS NOT JUST ABOUT AN ICE CREAM, MIKA.
IT'S ABOUT THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE. MIAMI BEACH FELT LIKE A NATURAL FIT FOR OUR BRAND.
[00:30:02]
THE PROCESS WAS REALLY INTENSE, BUT IT WAS INCREDIBLY REWARDING.OPENING A BUSINESS IN A CITY LIKE MIAMI IS ALWAYS VERY CHALLENGING, BUT HERE IN MIAMI BEACH, THEY HELPED US ALONG THE PROCESS AND IT WAS REALLY EASY FOR US TO TO KEEP ON GOING.
IF I HAD TO GIVE ANY ADVICE TO A NEW BUSINESS, I THINK IT WOULD BE LIKE, BE PATIENT, STAY CONSISTENT AND DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF THE ORIGINAL VISION. ONE THING I TRULY LOVE ABOUT BEING PART OF THE MIAMI BEACH COMMUNITY IS ITS ENERGY AND DIVERSITY.
IT'S A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE COME ALL OVER AROUND THE WORLD AND THEY GET TOGETHER.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO MICA AND WE WELCOME NEW BUSINESSES TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE SHORT. WE HAVE CALL THEM SHORTS.
WE HAVE TWO OTHERS ONE FOR A BUSINESS ON 41ST STREET, ANOTHER FOR A BUSINESS IN NORTH BEACH, AND WE WOULD LOVE TO ROLL SOME OF THOSE OUT. ALSO TALKING TO CEOS THAT HAVE DECIDED TO RELOCATE THEIR BUSINESSES HERE, AND WE CAN DO A LITTLE SHORT FOR THEM HAVING THEM TELL US WHY THEY LOVE BEING HERE AND WHY THEY BROUGHT THEIR BUSINESS HERE.
SO THAT'S A WHOLE CAMPAIGN THAT WE HAVE LAUNCHED OR WANT TO LAUNCH, LIKE AS OF TODAY.
SO CERTIFICATES OF USE AND BTRS ARE A VERY HOT TOPIC.
BEFORE, WHEN A BUSINESS ALREADY HAD THEIR CEO AND THEY WERE READY TO OPEN, THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEY NEEDED A CUE, THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEY NEEDED A BTR. AND THAT BECAME VERY PROBLEMATIC.
WE'RE GOING TO END THAT BY STARTING THAT PROCESS MUCH SOONER, BECAUSE IT IS A PROCESS THAT DEPENDING ON THE BUILDING THAT THE BUSINESS IS IN AND DUE TO RECORDS IT OR THE LACK OF RECORDS COULD TAKE A WHILE.
SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN AT THE VERY END ANYMORE TO THESE BUSINESSES.
SO THESE ARE NEXT STEPS. THESE ARE THE THINGS WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
THE VERY FIRST BULLET, WHICH IS ADDITIONAL WORK CLASS ANALYZES.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO HERE IS FIND MORE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE CAN START REALLY HONING THE AMOUNT OF REVIEWS THAT DIFFERENT PERMIT TYPES REQUIRE AND TRY TO WEED OUT THE ONES THAT ARE NOT APPLICABLE.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO FIX THE WHOLE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO SPECIFICALLY ATTACK THIS, BECAUSE WHAT THIS WILL DO IF WE CAN ACCOMPLISH IT IS IT'S GOING TO FREE UP A LOT OF EMPLOYEE TIMES TO BE ABLE TO JUST FOCUS ON WHAT THEY REALLY NEED TO REVIEW.
I WILL LET THE BUILDING. I'M SORRY. THE THE PLANNING DIRECTOR, TOM, DISCUSS LOT SPLITS AND WHAT THEY ARE RECOMMENDING FOR LAND AND LOT SPLITS, AS WELL AS THE CHANGES TO ELDERS AND TO THE CITY CODE.
AND BUT IT'S GOING TO ENTAIL CUSTOMERS BRINGING IN CORRECT AND COMPLETE PACKAGES.
SO WE'RE STILL FIGURING OUT EXACTLY HOW TO DO THAT.
WE ARE ALSO TRYING TO LAUNCH A BUILDING ASSISTANCE AND BUSINESS CONCIERGE ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF CITY HALL, WHICH IS LIKE A ONE STOP SHOP FOR ANYBODY. IT'S EITHER A BUSINESS OR A RESIDENT OR A CONDOMINIUM THAT CAN COME AND BE GUIDED TO THE RIGHT LOCATION AND TO GET INFORMATION SO THEY CAN DO THINGS RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR AI SOFTWARE THAT YOU ALL HAD APPROVED FOR US BEFORE THAT RFQ CLOSES ON MARCH 6TH AND IT WILL HELP US. I THINK IT WILL HELP US WITH THIS INCORRECT AND INCOMPLETE DOCUMENTATION.
THE BUILDING OFFICIAL ALSO WANTS TO START WHAT HE CALLS 24 HOUR PERMITS.
IT'S LIKE A DIGITAL WALKTHROUGH. SO IT'S A QUICK WAY FOR ELECTRONIC, LIKE IF YOU WERE COMING IN PERSON, BUT IT'S DONE ELECTRONICALLY WHERE A REVIEW CAN HAPPEN IN 24 HOURS.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE WANT TO BRING BACK DESIGN PROFESSIONALS DAY, WHICH IS WHERE PEOPLE COME IN ONE ON ONE WITH THEIR DESIGN PROFESSIONALS TO GET QUESTIONS ANSWERED THAT THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH.
AND THAT'S IT. THAT'S THE PRESENTATION. SO I'LL TAKE ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. AND ONE QUESTION IF I COULD, MR. MAYOR.
[00:35:01]
SOMEBODY COMES IN. WHAT TYPE OF HANDS ON TREATMENT DO THEY HAVE? AND AS WE'RE SITTING UP HERE, SOMEBODY TEXTED ME.I'M SURE WE COULD ALL SAY ANECDOTAL STORIES. AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT THAT'S THE RULE, NOT THE EXCEPTION. SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE THIS FALLS, BUT SOMEBODY SENT THIS TO ME LOOKING FOR AN OFFICE, RIGHT. TO GET A NEW OFFICE IN SOUTH BEACH. IT'S ALREADY AN EXISTING BUILDING, ALREADY AN EXISTING STRUCTURE.
THEY GO, WE NEED A LETTER OF INTENT TO INDICATE MORE DETAILS OF THE OFFICE USE.
WHY WOULD WE NEED THAT? I HAVE NO IDEA. RIGHT.
AND THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF MY POINTS, RIGHT? ARE WE BEING JUST TOO ONEROUS AND AMBIGUOUS ON WHY WE'RE FAILING SOME OF THESE THINGS? AND THEN TOO, IT'S OKAY. NOW HE HAS THIS NEXT APPOINTMENT IN 21 MORE DAYS, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW WE'RE SITTING THERE TWO MONTHS.
AND TIME IS MONEY. TIME IS IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE.
WE NEED TO RESPECT PEOPLE'S TIMES. WHY CAN'T THAT PERSON THAT FAILED IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL THE APPLICANT AND SAY, I'M REVIEWING YOUR APPLICATION. YOU HAVE THIS.
HERE'S THE DETAILS I NEED. CAN YOU TELL ME THAT? OR LIKE, HAVE A 24 HOUR PERIOD WHEN YOU CAN COME IN AND PROVIDE WHATEVER IS MISSING? LIKE IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION, RATHER THAN FAILING AND PUTTING THE PERSON NOW THROUGH A NEW REVIEW, REACH OUT AND BE LIKE, HEY, LISTEN, REVIEWING THIS, YOU'RE MISSING THIS GIVING.
DO YOU HAVE 24 HOURS TO SUBMIT THIS? OTHERWISE, I HAVE TO FAIL YOU.
BUT AT LEAST GIVING PEOPLE A WINDOW. THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
IT'S A CURE. LIKE, WHY DO WE HAVE NO HANDS ON PERSONALIZATION? INSTEAD OF THIS PERSON SAYING, OH, FAILED. WHY DO THEY NOT PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL THE APPLICANT AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS WILL TAKE ONE MINUTE. I NEED A QUICK DESCRIPTION ON THE INTENT OF YOUR OFFICE.
BUT NOW THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN CROSSES INTO TWO MONTHS, I GUESS I'M ASKING, DO WE PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL AN APPLICANT? WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT TO BEGIN WITH, I THINK THAT'S WHAT OUR BUSINESS CONCIERGE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO DO.
IF IT'S A BUSINESS AND THEY REACH OUT TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THAT IS THEIR ROLE IS TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE THROUGH THAT, GET THAT. BUT JUST BUT JUST THE NORMAL PROCESS, RIGHT? JUST THE NORMAL PROCESS. I'M A NORMAL GUY. NOBODY WANTS TO COORDINATE WITH 40 DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY.
I SUBMIT MY PLANS. I'M WAITING FOR SOME REASON, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S WRONG WITH THE APPLICATION.
WHY IS THIS LADY THAT'S SITTING IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT JUST GOING FAIL? WHY DOES SHE NOT PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL THE APPLICANT AND SAY, SIR, MA'AM, I NEED ONE MINUTE OF YOUR TIME.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THE DETAILS OF THE OFFICE USE ARE? WE'VE TURNED A THREE WEEK PROCESS. OR WHAT COULD TAKE ONE MINUTE INTO A PROLONGED, NOW THREE WEEK EXTENSION. RIGHT. TOM, DO PEOPLE PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL? DO THEY NOT? SHOULD WE SHOULD WE NOT? I THINK TO YOUR POINT, YES.
I MEAN, PEOPLE SHOULD THEY SHOULD DO THEY WHEN THEY DO THAT.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE IS ASKING. COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE. IT'S NOT. WILL THEY CALL WHEN? WHEN THE PUBLIC REACHES OUT TO US? WELL, YEAH.
IF THE PUBLIC IS REACHING OUT TO THE CITY, ONE WOULD HOPE THAT WE'RE RETURNING THE CALL. BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE REVIEW PROCESS AND THERE IS PLANNING DEPARTMENT REVIEW REVIEWERS IDENTIFYING SOMETHING MISSING, DO WE PROACTIVELY REACH OUT TO THAT APPLICANT RATHER THAN FAILING TO TELL THEM, HEY, LISTEN, WE'RE HERE TO SERVE YOU, AND WE'RE REVIEWING THIS TO SERVE YOU BETTER.
WE'RE GIVING YOU 24 HOURS TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIX THIS RATHER THAN TO GOTCHA FAILED YOU.
NOW YOU HAVE TO WAIT 20 TO 21 DAYS AS A MATTER OF COURSE.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE DO WITH EVERY SINGLE APPLICATION.
BUT AS A TYPICAL COURSE OF THE REVIEW, WE PROVIDE THE INITIAL COMMENTS.
SO WOULD THAT NOT MAKE SENSE? IS THERE SOMETHING THAT I'M MISSING? WHY? THAT'S OUR STANDARD PROTOCOL. BECAUSE WE'RE ESSENTIALLY JUST PROLONGING FOR WEEKS WHAT COULD BE SOLVED BY PICKING UP A PHONE.
IS THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT STAFF AND ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED HERE.
ARE WE ALL WORKING IN PERSON FROM CITY HALL? YEAH.
YEAH. SO PEOPLE WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO COME IN TO CURE THIS?
[00:40:06]
SO THE THREE WALK THROUGH DAYS, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN.WE ALSO WILL SET UP APPOINTMENTS OR IF PEOPLE REACH OUT.
I MEAN, WE FREQUENTLY WILL RESPOND VIA EMAIL OR CALL PEOPLE BACK SAME DAY.
RIGHT? IF MY INTENT WAS JUST TO DO THE PROCESS, I'D TAKE A LOOK AND GO, WELL, THEY'RE MISSING DATA FAIL, RIGHT? IF MY ONLY INTENT WAS TO CLEAR MY NUMBERS AND, YOU KNOW, HIT THAT.
BUT IF MY INTENT WAS TO BE A PUBLIC SERVANT AND SERVE OUR CITY AND SERVE OUR RESIDENTS AND FIND A SOLUTION, I WOULDN'T SIT THERE AND GO ON THE LAST DAY OF THE APPLICATION FAIL.
I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN IN ANOTHER MONTH. I WOULD SAY, MIKE.
HARRY, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M LOOKING AT YOUR APPLICATION RIGHT NOW, AND YOU'RE A BIT AMBIGUOUS ABOUT WHAT OUR USE, WHAT THE USAGE OF THAT OFFICE IS. WHY DON'T I WALK YOU THROUGH THIS FOR THE NEXT MINUTE? AND NOW WE'VE SAVED SO MUCH TIME THAT IS EXERTED GOING FORWARD.
BECAUSE MY GUESS IS, ONCE THAT'S FAILED, I'M SURE THAT HAS TO GO BACK TO ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND GET THEIR SIGN RIGHT, GET THEIR SIGN OFF AGAIN. AND ALSO ONE OF THE BIGGER, BIGGER ISSUES IS ONCE YOU FAIL THEM AND THEY HAVE TO GO BACK AND NOW COME IN FOR ANOTHER REVIEW. WHAT I HEAR A LOT IS THAT THEN THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT REVIEWER.
AND NOW THAT REVIEWER MIGHT PICK UP ON OTHER THINGS THAT WERE NOT IDENTIFIED THE FIRST TIME AROUND.
WHEREAS IF YOU START FROM THAT FIRST REVIEW AND TO COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE, PERHAPS IT MOST INCREDIBLE AND ENLIGHTENING POINT IS COMMUNICATION. COMMUNICATION. WE ARE HERE TO SERVE THESE INDIVIDUALS.
IT'S NOT A TEST WHERE YOU PASS OR YOU OR YOU FAIL.
BUT AVOIDING THAT EVEN ALTOGETHER BY GIVING PEOPLE A SIMPLE GRACE PERIOD TO CORRECT WHATEVER IT IS WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER REVIEW PROCESS. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO JUST TO REITERATE, WE SHOULDN'T BE JUST TRYING TO CLEAR A QUEUE.
AND I GET THE SENSE THAT THAT I DON'T WANT TO PAINT WITH TOO BROAD A BRUSH.
BUT THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING. OUR GOAL SHOULD BE WE'RE ALL CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENTS, RIGHT? IF I CALL ANY DEPARTMENT IN CITY HALL, I WANT THE PHONES PICKED UP.
HOW CAN I HELP YOU? HOW CAN I MAKE YOUR EXPERIENCE HERE BETTER? RIGHT. SO IT'S NOT JUST CLEARING THESE OUT OF A QUEUE.
WE SHOULD BE LOOKING TO PROVIDE SOLUTIONS TO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS.
IT IS HAVING A MORE PERSONALIZED TOUCH AND WHAT COULD SEEM LIKE IT'LL TAKE TWO MORE MINUTES NOW.
SAVES A WHOLE HOST OF A LOT OF PEOPLE'S TIME.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, OUR RESIDENTS TIME GOING FORWARD, RIGHT.
SO WE CAN'T HAVE THIS PROCESS ORIENTED MENTALITY.
IT HAS TO BE TRULY ABOUT SERVING OUR RESIDENTS.
SO HOW CAN WE AFFECT THAT TYPE OF CHANGE? I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK AT IMPLEMENTING ON A ON A MORE PROACTIVE BASIS. I THINK WE PROBABLY WOULD WANT TO IDENTIFY CERTAIN TYPES THAT WE WOULD DO THAT FOR IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT.
BECAUSE BECAUSE OF THE VOLUME OF PERMITS, I DON'T THINK THAT WE COULD DO IT ON EVERY SINGLE ONE, BUT ON ONES THAT SEEM TO BE MORE OF A SIMPLE QUESTION OR A SIMPLE COMMENT THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE AS MUCH FEEDBACK OR AS MUCH IN TERMS OF CHANGES LIKE, SAY, STRUCTURAL CALCULATIONS OR NEEDING A SURVEY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OF COURSE. BUT I THINK AND I THINK TO COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE'S POINT, IF YOU'RE GIVING PEOPLE A GRACE PERIOD OF, LET'S SAY, 24 HOURS, THAT BY ITSELF WILL FILTER OUT THE TYPE OF STUFF THAT CAN BE FIXED IN THAT 24 HOUR PERIOD. IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WEIGHT LOADS AND AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED PROBABLY MORE THAN 24 HOURS TO FIX SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT SO BUT YOU STILL LET THE PERSON KNOW, HEY, LISTEN, YOU KNOW, I'M REVIEWING THIS JUST,
[00:45:04]
YOU KNOW, BRINGING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION. THIS IS GOING ON. CLEARLY, THAT PERSON'S NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FIX IT IN 24 HOURS.IT SHOULD BE THE STANDARD. IT SHOULD NOT BE. OKAY.
WE'RE GOING TO FIND AREAS IN WHICH THIS IS GOING TO BE THE EXCEPTION WHERE WE REACH OUT. NO, THE STANDARD SHOULD BE IN GENERAL THAT IF I'M FINDING SOMETHING THAT'S WRONG, GIVE YOU THAT OPPORTUNITY, THAT GRACE PERIOD TO TO TO FIX IT. AND BY NATURE OF DOING THAT, YOU PROBABLY WON'T HOLD EVERYTHING ELSE UP BECAUSE IT'LL BE THE MORE MINISTERIAL STUFF THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FIX VERY QUICKLY.
IT WON'T BE THE BIGGER MORE INTENSE TECHNICAL STUFF THAT USUALLY YOU CAN'T FIX WITH, WITH, WITH THAT SHORT OF A OF A TURNAROUND. COMMISSIONER MATEO- SALINAS I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS THAT I AGREE WITH WHAT COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE AND WHAT COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ IS SAYING, AND I THINK WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE HERE WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE COMMUNICATION OF STAFF BEING HELPFUL WHEN SOMEONE IS ABOUT TO FAIL.
IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN CALL THEM, LIKE THEY WERE SAYING A FEW DAYS BEFORE, SAYING, HEY, YOU'RE GOING TO FAIL YOUR PLANS BECAUSE YOU'RE MISSING X, Y, Z? CAN YOU GET THAT TO US IN 48 HOURS OR THREE DAYS OR WHATEVER THAT TIME WINDOW IS? AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT AN ACCEPTABLE TIME WINDOW IS, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WHEN WE GIVE PEOPLE THIS FEEDBACK ON THE FRONT END.
IT IT MIGHT IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE IT IT TAKES MORE TIME BUT THEN IT IT SHORTENS THE TIME THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND ON A CERTAIN CASE IN THE LONG TERM, BECAUSE THEN THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIX THEIR ISSUE.
AND INSTEAD OF BEING REJECTED AND THEN SENT BACK TO ZERO, NOW THEY CAN JUST GET GET PASSED ON THE FIRST ROUND INSTEAD OF HAVING TO DEAL WITH IT AGAIN IN ANOTHER 21 DAYS. SO HAVING SAID THAT, I WANT TO ECHO COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE AND COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ'S A SENTIMENT HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING? AND DO YOU NOT HAVE ENOUGH STAFF WHERE YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO CALL FOLKS MORE OFTEN, OR IS THAT THE ISSUE THAT WE COULDN'T DO THIS MORE OFTEN WITH? IN TERMS OF PLANNING, WE CERTAINLY ARE CHALLENGED IN TERMS OF OUR REVIEW STAFF.
AND WE'RE WE'RE DEALING WITH VACANCIES. WE'RE DEALING WITH TRAINING PEOPLE.
WE'RE DEALING WITH THINGS LIKE MATERNITY LEAVE.
AND THEN SO THEN HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT THIS. STARTS TO CHANGE TO TO WORK, TO GET IMPLEMENTED? THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I CAN WORK WITH MY STAFF ON IN TERMS OF GETTING THE MESSAGE DOWN TO OUR SENIOR PLANNERS.
OKAY. THANKS, TOM. AND ALSO THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS TOO, THAT INTERFACE WITH ANYONE THAT'S TRYING TO GET A PERMIT OR A QUEUE OR ANY, YOU KNOW, ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS. I DON'T HAVE THE CIRCULAR VENN DIAGRAM.
SURE. AND, AND AND ALSO I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FOR THE CITY MANAGER.
AND YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT THERE'S THREE DAY OF A WEEK WALK IN, OR DID YOU JUST SAY THAT RIGHT NOW THERE'S THREE DAYS A WEEK THAT WE DO THE WALK THROUGH PROCESS, BECAUSE WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS FROM EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE PERMITTING PROCESS SITTING ON THE SECOND FLOOR IN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN GO STATION TO STATION TO STATION.
AND IT'S PRETTY SUCCESSFUL, WOULD YOU SAY? I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
WE STARTED OFF WITH ONE DAY A WEEK AND WE'VE EXPANDED.
ULTIMATELY, IF WE SEE THAT THE VOLUMES THERE, WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH CONTINUING TO EXPAND.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE THEY'RE FULLY ENGAGED IN DOING THE WALKTHROUGHS AT THOSE TIMES.
AND TO YOUR OTHER QUESTIONS SLASH COMMENT I THINK THERE ARE WAYS TO TRY TO CONTINUE TO ALIGN THE INCENTIVES FOR BOTH THE APPLICANTS AS WELL AS THE REVIEWERS TO GET TO THAT 1 TO 2 REVIEW CYCLE.
BECAUSE IT ISN'T ABOUT CLEARING THE QUEUE. IT'S ABOUT GETTING PEOPLE THEIR PERMITS SO THAT THEY CAN MOVE ON WITH THEIR LIVES AND, AND GET THEIR WORK DONE. AND SO I THINK THERE'S WAYS THAT WE CAN TRY TO INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, GET FOLKS OUT THE DOOR. YOU CAN LOOK AT THE DATA AND SEE THAT WE'VE COME A LONG WAY IN THAT BUT WE NEED TO GET BETTER.
[00:50:05]
THEIR NEEDS. SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT WHEN THERE'S NO ONE THERE, THEY DON'T HAVE A MOMENT TO REVIEW PLANS AS WELL? SO THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST TRYING TO SAY THE TWO DAYS A WEEK THAT THEY'RE NOT DOING THAT, THEY'RE JUST REVIEWING PLANS. SO WE COULDN'T DO FIVE DAYS A WEEK, AND THEN THEY REVIEW PLANS WHEN THERE'S NO ONE IN FRONT OF THEM. SO I'D ASK DO YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING WITH THIS? LIKE, I'M JUST ASKING THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON THE VICE MAYOR'S QUESTION REGARDING THAT. THOSE THREE DAYS A WEEK, HOW MANY HOURS ARE THEY DOING? THESE ATTENDING THE PUBLIC DURING THESE THREE HOURS? SO THE WALK THROUGH IS CURRENTLY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WALK IN, YOU'RE THERE FROM 8 TO 12.THE LAST TICKET IS ISSUED AT 11 BECAUSE YOU GOT TO GO THROUGH ALL THE STATION.
IT'S A LITTLE LOUD AND DISTRACTING. OKAY. BUT EFFICIENT.
BUT YOU SUCCEED THAT FIRST ROUND. SO THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A SECOND ROUND.
SO THERE'S A BALANCE A DELICATE BALANCE THERE.
AND THAT'S WHY THE WALK THROUGH IS LIMITED WORK CLASSES.
IT'S NOT A HIGH RISE. IT'S NOT ANYTHING ENORMOUS OKAY.
THINGS. THINGS THAT YOU NEED DAY TO DAY. RIGHT? THAT'S PART OF THE CONCEPT BEHIND THE 24 HOUR PERMIT.
SO YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF WORK OR YOU DON'T HAVE A SITTER.
YOU COULD UPLOAD THESE DOCUMENTS NOW AND THEY HAVE A 24 HOUR TURNAROUND TIME.
OKAY. YOU'RE NOT YOU DON'T HAVE THE BENEFIT OF SITTING THERE AND TALKING TO THE PERSON, HEY, CAN YOU FIX THIS? CAN YOU CHANGE THIS? AND YOU'RE IDENTIFYING IT TO THE INDIVIDUAL, THE CONTRACTOR OR THE HOMEOWNER ON THE PAPER? WHAT NEEDS TO GET CHANGED OR WHAT NEEDS TO GET ADJUSTED? SO YOU DO HAVE SUCCESS ON THE NEXT GO AROUND.
BUT WITH THE 24 HOUR PERMIT, YOU'RE NOT WAITING 21 DAYS.
OKAY. YOU HAVE IT FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT. SO IF YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO A DESIGN PROFESSIONAL OR WHAT HAVE YOU TO FIX SOMETHING, YOU CAN AND IT SHORTENS THAT TIME PERIOD. SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THAT SWEET SPOT WHERE THERE'S A BALANCE BETWEEN INTERACTION AND EASY COMMUNICATION FACE TO FACE, OR A QUICK TURNAROUND WITH CLEAR COMMENTS SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE SUCCESS.
DECISION ENGINE IS PART OF THAT TO HELP WITH THE ENDS OF A COMPLETE SUBMISSION.
SO THAT GIVES YOU THAT CHECKLIST. HEY, I NEED A SURVEY, I NEED THIS, I NEED THIS, AND IF THEY SEE THAT THEY MISS ONE OF THOSE SPOTS, THEY SHOULDN'T EXPECT SUCCESS BECAUSE THEY'RE MISSING ONE OF THE CRITICAL COMPONENTS FOR THAT SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION.
SO JUST SO I UNDERSTAND. AND THEN I'LL SHUT UP THREE DAYS A WEEK FROM 8 TO 12.
THERE IS A WALK IN PROCESS AND EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT IS THERE TO CLEAR PERMITS.
AND SO IT'S REALISTICALLY THE QUICKEST IN PERSON.
PEOPLE WILL HELP YOU THREE DAYS A WEEK FROM 8 TO 12 ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
COMMISSIONER. IT'S NOT. NO. WALK IN. NO, WE HAVE THE.
IT HAS TO BE LIMITED. OKAY? IT'S NOT LIKE 100 SHEETS.
IT'S IT'S SMALL THINGS. BUT WE ALSO AND ALSO AND JUST AND IT'S ALSO RESIDENTIAL BUT ALSO COMMERCIAL.
SO IF SOMEONE WANTS TO OPEN A BUSINESS, THEY CAN DO THAT. OR IF SOMEONE WANTS TO REDO THEIR BATHROOM, THEY CAN DO THAT. CORRECT? OKAY. PRECISELY. AS A MATTER OF FACT, ONE OF THOSE THAT BEFORE THE LEGISLATION WAS PASSED, WE EVALUATED IT BECAUSE THEY HAD THE RECORDS.
THE FIRST TIME THEY CAME THROUGH, THERE WERE A FEW GIGS.
WE TOLD THEM WHAT HAD TO BE CORRECTED AND THAT WE NEEDED DERM.
OKAY, SO WHEN THEY CAME BACK THE SECOND TIME THEY WERE OUT 12.
THEY CAME BACK TWO DAYS LATER. 12 DAYS LATER. OKAY. AND I GUESS TO THE COMMISSIONERS POINT, IF THERE'S A CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT THAT'S MANNING THAT WALK IN DESK, WHILE THERE'S NO RESIDENTS OR PEOPLE COMING IN TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION, ARE THEY ABLE TO MULTITASK AND REVIEW THE ONLINE APPLICATIONS? SHE MUST BE ONE OF THOSE FANCY PEOPLE THAT CHEWS GUM WHILE SHE WALKS. YOU KNOW TWO THINGS AT ONCE, BUT ARE THEY ABLE TO ASSESS? THEY THEY ABSOLUTELY COMMISSIONER TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, THEY ABSOLUTELY.
THAT IS THE INTENT. BUT IT IS A LITTLE RUCKUS AND LOUD IN THERE.
SO IT'S VERY DISTRACTING. AND THEN THE WAY THE QUEUE WORKS IS THEY'RE GOING FROM STATION TO STATION.
AS THE PEOPLE MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE ASSEMBLY LINE, IF YOU WOULD AND GETTING THEIR, THEIR COMMENTS ADDRESSED AND CORRECTED RIGHT THEN ON THE SPOT. YEAH. AND I TAUGHT IT THIS MORNING AND IT WENT REALLY WELL.
AND LITERALLY I THINK BY, BY CHANCE, ONE OF THE PEOPLE I MET THIS MORNING NEVER MET HIM BEFORE.
HE SAYS, GREAT MEETING YOU THIS MORNING. THE BRIEF ENCOUNTER BROUGHT ME LUCK BECAUSE A FEW MINUTES LATER I WAS ABLE TO WALK OUT HAPPILY WITH ALL OF MY PERMITS SIGNED OFF. AND GENERALLY YOU SAW THAT FROM PEOPLE I WAS GOING AROUND TO PEOPLE ASKING THEM, HOW'S IT GOING? AND IT WORKS WELL.
[00:55:02]
AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE HAD THE BUSINESS READY FORM AS WELL, WHICH OUR COMMISSION, THIS WAS DONE QUARTERLY.AND THEN I BROUGHT UP IN OUR COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY AGREED THAT WE SHOULD TRY TO DO THIS MONTHLY.
SO WHICH I KNOW YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOING.
SO THAT'S HELPFUL AS WELL. I HAVE A QUESTION. SO HOW ARE THE SALARIES.
HOW'S THE COMPENSATION STRUCTURE FOR THE REVIEWERS. IS IT A SET SALARY.
AND IT'S COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT FROM, FROM FROM ANY FACTORS RELATING TO THE REVIEW.
HOW DOES IT WORK? WELL, WE PAY OUR INDIVIDUALS A SALARY BASED ON THEIR CREDENTIALS.
IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE AN INSPECTOR. THAT'S JUST ONE CREDENTIAL.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE A PLAN REVIEW OR AN INSPECTOR THAT TAKES TWO CREDENTIALS FROM THE STATE.
THAT'S A RESULT OF HAVING BEEN AT THIS SINCE 1957.
WE HAVE A BOARD OF RULES AND APPEALS THAT ALSO REQUIRES CERTIFICATION.
SO IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, ANYONE THAT YOU SEE IN MY STAFF THAT'S A BUILDING INSPECTOR OR A PLAN REVIEWER IS EITHER A CONTRACTOR AS WELL, AN ARCHITECT OR AN ENGINEER. OKAY. SO THEY HAVE THAT ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE INDUSTRY OVERALL.
WE HAVE OUR SALARIES, WE, HR AND THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY MANAGER, HAS BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE TO BRING A LOT OF SALARY PARITY, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THERE'S AN ENORMOUS MOVEMENT WITH PRIVATE INDUSTRY TO HOBBLE AND POACH ALL OF OUR QUALITY STAFF.
I SAW IT IN THE MILITARY AS WELL WITH PRIVATE SECURITY FIRMS. IS ANY PART OF THE COMPENSATION COMPENSATION STRUCTURE BASED ON HOW MANY? ABSOLUTELY NOT. YOU KNOW, THERE IS NO INCENTIVE TO DO 100 REVIEWS OR TEN.
THERE ARE WHAT WE CALL LIKE OVERTIME INSPECTIONS.
SO IF AN OFF HOURS JOB, SOMETHING AT MIDNIGHT, WHICH IS NOT, YOU KNOW, YOUR 9 TO 5 REGULAR ROUTE AND YOU NEED SOMEONE TO COME OUT BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY TIME IT'S AVAILABLE OR AN OVERNIGHT PROCESS REVIEW.
THERE ARE ADDITIONAL FEES THAT YOU COULD PAY FOR THAT. TO GET THAT KNOCKED OUT IMMEDIATELY.
SO YOU COULD GET WHATEVER COMMENTS. AND THAT'S USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH SOMETHING VERY LARGE.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. YES. AND BY THE WAY, HIGGINS SENT HER BUILDING OFFICIAL OVER TO COPY OUR WALKTHROUGH, SIR, LAST WEEK. AND I WILL SAY THAT HER PRIMARY GOAL FOR IMPROVING THE PROCESS IS TO HELP FACILITATE FURTHER HOUSING.
SO LET ME, LET ME LET ME ASK THIS, BECAUSE I DO I DO THINK THAT THE POINT THAT COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE TOUCHED ON, IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE'VE SEEN AN ISSUE IN GOVERNMENT WHETHER IT BE CAPITAL PROJECTS OR OR CONTRACT OR ANYTHING, IT BOILS DOWN TO COMMUNICATION AND AND COMMUNICATING IS THE, THE WAY WE CAN BEST SERVE THE PUBLIC.
AND SO AND SO. COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE OF MAKING SURE THAT IN THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING THIS, WE'RE REACHING OUT. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES THESE ARE TECHNICAL TERMS THAT A REVIEWER CALLING AN APPLICANT AND TELLING THEM, HEY, LISTEN, YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU'RE MISSING. YOU'RE MISSING SOMETHING.
IT MIGHT NOT BE SOMETHING THAT A PERSON MIGHT CLEARLY UNDERSTAND BY PHONE.
IT MIGHT BE BETTER IF IT'S DOCUMENTED BY EMAIL.
CAN IT BE AN EMAIL WHERE IT'S DOCUMENTED AND NOW AND NOW WE ALSO HAVE FOR TRACKING PURPOSES.
OKAY. WE HAVE THAT EMAIL. WE HAVE IT'S TIME STAMPED AND IT GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PERSON THEN TO RESPOND WITH WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE'RE ASKING THEM FOR TO THOSE ENDS. THAT IS ALREADY IN STATE STATUTE.
WHEN IT GOES THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS, YOU GET THAT LAUNDRY LIST OF ITEMS THAT PUNCH LIST THAT BUILDING NEEDS, THIS FIRE NEEDS THIS PLANNING AND ZONING NEEDS THIS, ETC.
UNDERSTOOD. AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT, BUT BUT BEFORE WE EVEN GET TO THAT POINT OF OF FAILING THEM, YOU KNOW, MID-PROCESS WHILE THEY'RE STILL GOING TO REVIEW DOING THAT EMAIL, DOING THAT EMAIL TO THE APPLICANT SAYING WE'RE ABOUT TO COMPLETE YOUR, YOUR, YOUR REVIEW, THIS IS THIS IS WHAT WE FOUND.
[01:00:02]
THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO CORRECT IN ORDER NOT TO FAIL THE APPLICATION.AND RATHER THAN MAKING IT A PHONE CALL, MAKING IT AN EMAIL.
THAT WAY, MR. MANAGER, THE APPLICANT HAS SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN REFERENCE OTHER THAN JUST A PHONE CALL WITH WITH SOMETHING TECHNICAL. SO THE ONLY THING THAT I CAN EQUATE IT TO IS WAY BACK IN THE STONE AGES, WHEN I WAS THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR IN ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY WHERE I HAD TO REVIEW THE PERMITS PERSONALLY THERE WERE OCCASIONALLY ISSUES WHERE IT WAS JUST A SCRIVENER'S ERROR, OR IT WAS JUST SOMETHING VERY SIMPLE ON THE PLANS THAT GOT MISSTATED.
AND I WOULD CALL THE ENGINEER OF RECORD AND I WOULD SAY, HEY, DID YOU MEAN TO SAY THIS ON THE PLANS? AND THEN I WOULD GET THEM TO COME IN AND DO A STRIKETHROUGH AND INITIAL THE CHANGE.
SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. I JUST THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL, BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE WILL WILL CLAIM THAT YOU CHANGED THEIR PLANS OR SOMETHING.
SO WE HAVE TO WORK WITH IT TO SEE HOW WE CAN UPLOAD ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS MID REVIEW CYCLE AND THAT.
YEAH BUT BUT BUT THAT WAY NOT ONLY. MY POINT IS RATHER THAN CALLING THE PERSON, WE HAVE A DOCUMENTED PROCESS WHERE WE REACHED OUT BY BY EMAIL. SO NOW WE HAVE THAT VERIFICATION THAT WE SENT SOMETHING TO THE APPLICANT.
WE'RE PUTTING IT IN WRITING FOR THEM, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE APPLICANT THEMSELVES MIGHT NOT KNOW THE TECHNICALITIES AND WHICH IN FACT CAN HELP THEM RESPOND MORE EFFICIENTLY AND MORE COMPLETELY TO THE CITY WITH WITH WHAT IT IS THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO PASS RATHER THAN TO FAIL.
100% AGREE WITH THE THE CONCEPT AND THE SPIRIT BEHIND IT.
I JUST HAVE TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE COULD EFFECTUATE THAT.
AND COMMISSIONER TO YOUR POINT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT A DESIGN PROFESSIONAL DAY.
YOU COULD SIT DOWN, YOU UPLOADED YOUR CORRECTIONS, AND YOU SIT DOWN WITH YOUR REVIEWER. HEY, LOOK ON THIS SHEET. THIS IS WHERE I CORRECTED THIS, THIS, THIS AND THIS.
YOU'RE DONE WITH THAT PERSON OR THAT DISCIPLINE.
YOU GO TO THE NEXT ONE AND YOU KNOCK IT OUT. OKAY.
THAT'S SOMETHING BACK OF THE STONE AGES THAT WE USED TO CALL LIKE A SUPER REVIEWER.
BUT IT WAS DONE IN PAPER AT THAT TIME. AND YOU GO LITERALLY STATION TO STATION.
AND THIS MODERN DIGITAL MEDIUM, THAT'S PROBABLY THE FASTEST WAY TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND IT'S GOING TO REALLY CHANGE THE NEEDLE OR PUSH THE NEEDLE IN A POSITIVE WAY FOR THOSE LARGER JOBS THAT HAVE SEVERAL COMMENTS AND DEDICATING THAT TIME WITH THOSE DESIGN PROFESSIONALS WHERE THEY'RE NOT DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC OR THEY'RE NOT DEALING WITH HOMEOWNERS, AND THEY CAN FOCUS ON THESE BIGGER JOBS, THAT WOULD BE THE DEDICATED TIME RIGHT NOW. IT'S LIKE, SO I'M JUST GOING TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AND I JUST JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT WHERE WE'VE DRIFTED HERE BECAUSE TOM WAS TOM STOOD HERE AND TOM FELT THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED.
AND AND I FEEL LIKE THE CONVERSATION NOW HAS SHIFTED AWAY FROM THAT, FROM BEING ABLE TO BE IMPLEMENTED, TO SEE WHETHER IT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED. AND AND SO AND SO, YOU KNOW, IS IT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT IT CANNOT BE IMPLEMENTED BECAUSE MAYBE, MAYBE IT'S DIFFERENT FROM FOR FOR BUILDING THAN WHAT IT IS FOR PLANNING.
BUT WHEN IT SEEMED WITH TOM WITH YOUR REVIEWS, OUTREACH BEFORE FAILING COULD BE POSSIBLE.
YEAH. A LOT WILL DEPEND UPON THE APPLICATION AND THE NATURE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE PROPOSED.
IF WHAT NEEDS TO BE PROVIDED ARE ADDITIONAL DRAWINGS OR SIGNIFICANT MODIFICATIONS TO THE DRAWINGS.
DOING THINGS MID-STREAM AT THIS POINT IS CHALLENGING BECAUSE OF OUR CURRENT PERMIT SYSTEM.
AND THEN WE CAN REVIEW THAT QUICKLY THEREAFTER.
AND THEY STILL MIGHT NEED TO UPDATE THE DRAWINGS, BUT RATHER THAN JUST PUTTING IN A COMMENT THAT THEY WILL GET ELECTRONICALLY PICKING UP THE PHONE AND SAYING, HEY, THIS SEEMS PRETTY MINOR.
IF YOU JUST CAN PROVIDE THIS, THIS SHOULD MOVE THIS ALONG.
OR I NEED TO CLARIFY, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU'RE DOING HERE? BUT, TOM, I GUESS I GUESS THE PROBLEM IS THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT BEING FAILED ON THE FIFTH DAY SO THAT THEN THEY CAN COME IN AND THE FOLLOWING DAY AND BRING IN WHATEVER CORRECTIONS THEY'RE BEING FAILED ON THE 21ST DAY.
WELL, THEN WE'RE NOT WASTING 21 DAYS FOR, FOR FOR THE PEOPLE, THE THE FRUSTRATION, THE FRUSTRATION,
[01:05:04]
FRUSTRATION THAT PEOPLE HAVE IS THAT BESIDES NOT BEING ABLE TO FIX IT MIDSTREAM IS THAT IS THAT IS TAKING US TILL THE VERY LAST DAY TO FAIL THEM AND, AND THEN AND THEN IT DELAYS THEIR ABILITY TO START THE CORRECTION PROCESS.AND SO IF WE'RE GOING TO FAIL THEM, HOW DO WE HOW DO WE NOT WAIT TILL THE VERY LAST DAY.
HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, LET THEM KNOW. HEY, LISTEN, YOU'RE NOT READY.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO WASTE, YOU KNOW, YOUR TIME FOR 21 DAYS.
YOU NEED TO GO BACK AND START FIXING THINGS UP BECAUSE THIS ISN'T READY.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT.
WHAT WE THINK AI CAN PROVIDE TO HELP TROUBLESHOOT SOME OF THOSE THINGS SO THAT MAYBE PEOPLE CAN'T GET THROUGH THE DOOR UNTIL THEY'VE GOT A COMPLETE PACKAGE, BECAUSE IF THEY SUBMIT AN INCOMPLETE PACKAGE AND WE'RE TAKING AND I THINK THERE'S VERY FEW INSTANCES WHERE WE'RE 21 DAYS, BUT WE'RE TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, 5 TO 10 BUSINESS DAYS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHERE WE COULD GET SOME BENEFIT FROM SOME OF THESE YOU KNOW, AI PROCESSING.
MR.. MAYOR COMMISSIONER MATEO- SALINAS. THANK YOU.
SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO I FEEL LIKE WE'RE TALKING IN CIRCLES AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HOLDUP IS.
OR THE DISCONNECT, RATHER. SO WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING, THOUGH, IS THAT IT'S IMPLEMENTED THAT BEFORE WAITING TO THE LAST 21ST DAY OF THE PROCESS TO CALL THE APPLICANT ON THE PHONE TO SAY HEY, YOU'RE PROVIDED.
IT'S SIMPLE ENOUGH TO DO THIS BECAUSE I GET IT SOMETIMES THEY'RE MISSING A NOTARY FROM A LAWYER IN ITALY, I DON'T KNOW, BUT SO WE CALL THEM AND WE SAY, YOU'RE MISSING X, Y, AND Z.
SO THAT WAY THEY DON'T GET THAT FIRST FAILURE.
SO THAT WAY IT DOESN'T TRIGGER TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.
IS THAT POSSIBLE? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH.
AGAIN YES THAT THAT WOULD BE IDEAL. AND AGAIN BUT THERE ARE LIMITED THINGS LIKE YOU SAID TECHNICAL DRAWINGS THAT'S GOING TO TAKE, YOU KNOW, CALCULATIONS REDRAWING, REDRAFTING.
THAT'S A HEAVIER LIFT. BUT HEY YOU FORGOT TO SUBMIT THIS AFFIDAVIT OR ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD DEFINITELY WORK ON AND IMPLEMENT INTO OUR SOPS.
OKAY, SO YOU GUYS ARE READY TO WORK ON AND IMPLEMENT WHERE THERE'S MORE OF A COMMUNICATION, WHERE THEY'RE CALLING PEOPLE TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE MISSING.
I NEED THIS BEFORE I FAIL YOU. CAN YOU GET THIS TO ME IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.
COMMISSIONER WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THE PROCESS AND HOW WE COULD TWEAK AND HELP PEOPLE OUT.
AND ABSOLUTELY, IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE COULD THAT THAT'S LOW LYING FRUIT, LIKE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE'RE HAPPY TO TO TO PICK THAT UP AND MAKE THAT PART OF OUR REGULAR OPERATING PROCEDURE.
BUT I DO HAVE THAT COMING DOWN FROM THE STATE.
SO I DO HAVE A NARROW WINDOW TO TURN. BUT WOULDN'T THIS HELP THAT NARROW WINDOW? I MEAN, IT'S IT'S IT WOULDN'T IT HELP THE NARROW WINDOW TO CALL.
IT'S OKAY. AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO MENTION THAT WE'VE KIND OF CIRCLED AROUND, WE MENTIONED BRIEFLY BUT DIDN'T TOUCH ON IT THAT MUCH IS INSPECTORS. IT'S IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE THE SAME INSPECTOR EVERY TIME, NOT TO GET A DIFFERENT INSPECTOR? WELL, AS LONG AS NO ONE GETS SICK. RIGHT? AND THE WORKFLOW IS KIND OF FUNNY THAT WAY.
SO SOME STUFF WILL BE MORE BUSY OR MORE INTENSE IN NORTH BEACH FOR A GIVEN PERIOD OF TIME, AND THEN SOUTH BEACH. SO WE HAVE TO KEEP EVERYBODY BUSY AND WE HAVE CERTAIN GUIDELINES THROUGH THE BUILDING CODE ENFORCEMENT SCHEDULE, A GRADING SCHEDULE, JUST FOR CLARITY. I'M SORRY.
YOU MEAN IN THE PERMIT REVIEW PROCESS? YOU MEAN THE REVIEWER? YEAH. THE REVIEWER. THE PERSON THAT BEFORE YOU GET THE PERMIT.
OKAY. THAT OUR SYSTEM IS PRETTY CONSISTENT AS FAR AS THAT.
SO IF COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ REVIEWED THE PLAN, IT'S LIKELY COMING BACK TO COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, UNLESS FOR SOME REASON HE'S OUT SO HE'S NOT AVAILABLE.
BUT DO WE GET THE OPTION TO THE PERSON? BECAUSE LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, ME LIKE I WOULD RATHER IF YOU IF IF THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT TELLS ME, HEY, LISTEN, YOU KNOW THE PERSON VINCE WAS REVIEWING YOUR PLANS.
VINCE IS OUT ON VACATION. YOU WANT TO WAIT A WEEK FOR VINCE TO GET BACK AND OR THE OR OR ARE YOU IN A HURRY? AND YOU RATHER HAVE TOM REVIEW YOUR PLAN AT THAT POINT? I TELL YOU, PLEASE DON'T SUBMIT BECAUSE THE CLOCK FROM THE STATE IS COUNTING AGAINST ME. BUT,
[01:10:01]
VINCE. SORRY, COMMISSIONER. I THOUGHT YOU WERE DONE.SO YOU BROUGHT UP EXCEPTIONS, RIGHT? OKAY. IF SOMEBODY GETS SICK, WE'LL NAVIGATE AROUND IT, RIGHT? THAT'S JUST LIFE. BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT THE 99% OF TIME, RIGHT.
CAN'T WE IMPLEMENT SOME SORT OF SYSTEM WHERE THE DEFAULT GOES TO THE SAME INSPECTOR? RIGHT. YES. WE COULD HAVE WORKAROUNDS FOR PEOPLE ARE SICK, BUT WE SHOULDN'T NOT IMPLEMENT THAT JUST BASED ON A ONE OFF POSSIBILITY.
HOW DO WE MAKE THAT THE DEFAULT THAT'S THAT'S COOKED INTO THE PROGRAM.
THAT'S HOW WE HAVE IT SET UP. THAT'S HOW OUR CONFIGURATION PLANNING AS WELL.
CAN I GET THAT VENN DIAGRAM. AND ALSO I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THIS DATA, BUT IS IT COMMON THAT WHEN SOMETHING IS RESUBMITTED THERE'S A CHANGE OF PLANS THAT IT WILL FAIL FROM A DEPARTMENT THAT PREVIOUSLY PASSED IT? GENERALLY SPEAKING, NO.
SO AS YOU PASSED DISCIPLINES, YOU WOULDN'T GO BACK TO THAT DISCIPLINE.
NOW IN, IN IN CORRECTING ONE FEATURE, PERHAPS THAT REVIEWER SEES, HEY, NOW THEY CHANGED YOUR EGRESS PATH, YOUR CAPABILITY. LET'S SAY FOR A BUILDING, THEN THEY MIGHT QUEUE IT BACK TO A PREVIOUSLY APPROVED SECTION, LIKE BUILDING OR FIRE IN THAT INSTANCE. BUT TO CONFIRM, THOUGH, WE'VE ALREADY TACKLED THAT ISSUE, TACKLED THAT. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HELPED MOVE THE NEEDLE TO LESS REVIEWS, BECAUSE NOW WE'RE NOT GOING BACK THROUGH THAT WASHING MACHINE AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
ONCE YOU'VE GOTTEN YOUR APPROVAL, YOU KEEP GOING AND THAT ONE'S IN THE BAG.
YOU JUST KEEP GOING TO THE OTHER DISCIPLINES.
AND WHILE WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE THIS EVEN MORE EFFICIENT, PLEASE DON'T ANYBODY TAKE THAT IS ANY INDICATION THAT WE'RE NOT INCREDIBLY APPRECIATIVE AND GRATEFUL AND RECOGNIZING THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE, WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO FINE TUNE THIS EVEN MORE.
ALWAYS. MAY I ALSO SAY SOMETHING? COMMISSIONER BHATT.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, HOW DO WE ELIMINATE THE COMMENTS THAT I RECEIVED? WHEN, YOU KNOW, YEARS AGO AT A DIFFERENT HOUSE A SECOND INSPECTOR WOULD COME IN TO CHECK ON THE WORK THAT WAS REQUESTED BY THE FIRST INSPECTOR.
IT WAS A DIFFERENT PERSON. AND INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT THE NOTES THAT WERE IN THE PLAN AND THE REQUIREMENT THAT HAD BEEN ADDRESSED, THE SECOND INSPECTOR SAID, WELL, THAT'S NOT HOW I DID IT IN WHERE I USED TO LIVE, AND THEREFORE IT'S NOT OKAY LIKE THAT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST ME. I'VE HEARD THAT STORY FROM SO MANY.
I KNOW ONE BUSINESS OWNER WHO LITERALLY GOT SO FRUSTRATED BY THE FOURTH INSPECTION, SHE BOUGHT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAD BEEN REQUESTED TO BE INSTALLED BECAUSE SHE HAD INSTALLED AND THEN TAKEN OUT AND INSTALLED A DIFFERENT ONE AND TAKEN OUT AND INSTALLED A THIRD ONE.
JUST TELL US WHICH ONE YOU WANT. SO IT'S NOT A ME THING.
THIS IS SOMETHING I HEAR CONSTANTLY. SO HOW DO WE MAKE THAT GO AWAY? WELL, THE ONLY THING THAT THE INSPECTOR SHOULD BE LOOKING AT IS IT'S NOT A SUBJECTIVE INSPECTION.
IT SHOULD BE OBJECTIVE. AND IT'S FOR CODE COMPLIANCE.
I'M OUT THERE TO VERIFY THAT THE THREE NAILS ARE WHERE THEY ARE.
THE SCREWS ARE AS THEY HAVE TO BE. THE TRUSSES ARE SETTING WHERE THEY HAVE TO BE, THE REBARS WHERE IT IS THE THICKNESS OF THE CONCRETE, THE FORM. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT STAFF SHOULD BE LOOKING AT.
AGAIN, OBJECTIVE. NOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIFIED IN THOSE DRAWINGS.
SPECIFICALLY, I COULD THINK OF, LIKE, FIRE RATING OR FIREPROOFING MATERIALS.
SOME OF THOSE DIFFERENT PRODUCTS DO HAVE A DIFFERENT TOLERANCE.
OKAY. THEY'LL HOLD OUT FOR AN EXTRA 20 MINUTES OR HALF AN HOUR OVER ANOTHER ONE.
THAT'S VERY SPECIFIC TO THE SAFETY OF THAT BUILDING.
IT WASN'T LIKE THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD BE A CONVERSATION I WOULD HAVE WITH THEM.
[01:15:03]
SO IS THAT PART OF THE TRAINING? I MEAN, IS THAT SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE BRING STUFF UP TO POLICE, FOR INSTANCE, AND WE SAY, HEY, MAYBE AT ROLL CALL, YOU GUYS CAN REMIND OR CODE, YOU CAN CAN REMIND YOUR, YOUR SHIFTS THAT X IS HAPPENING AND IT CAN'T SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING ANYMORE.AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ADDRESSED. DO YOU IS THERE A WAY FOR YOU TO REFRESH YOUR, YOUR INSPECTORS AND SAY, BY THE WAY, LET'S REMEMBER WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT.
IF YOU'RE TAKING OVER SOMEBODY ELSE'S INSPECTION ON A PROJECT IS WHAT THE THE PERSON'S PRIOR NOTES WERE AND NOTHING ELSE LIKE YOU'RE THERE TO LOOK AT X AND IF X IS COMPLETE, THEN GREAT. IF X ISN'T COMPLETE THEN THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT IT'S NOT LIKE OH, I WOULD HAVE DONE X DIFFERENTLY.
WE HAVE WE DO HAVE CONTINUING ED ANNUALLY. WE JUST REGISTERED FOR IT.
WE GET 16 HOURS EVERY YEAR, MINIMUM IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.
BUT AGAIN, YES, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE GO OVER DURING CONTINUING EDUCATION AND IN OUR PERIODIC MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE, WE BRING IN MANUFACTURERS FROM ALL OVER TO GO OVER NEW PRODUCTS.
THAT'S ONE THING. THE CODE CHANGES EVERY THREE YEARS, AND IT'S JUST TO STAY UP WITH TECHNOLOGY.
SO I WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE CONTINUING ED AND GETTING THE UPDATES FROM NEW PRODUCTS, WHICH IS ALL SUPER IMPORTANT, I'M NOT GOING TO HEAR ABOUT EVERY TIME THIS HAPPENS, I COULD COME UP WITH COME UP WITH TWO OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, ONE OF WHICH OBVIOUSLY HAPPENED TO ME. SO I KNOW ABOUT THAT ONE. BUT BUT I'M SURE THEY HAPPEN MORE THAN THAT AND SO CAN YOU JUST HAVE A CHAT WITH YOUR CREW AND REMIND THEM THAT, YOU KNOW, THE STANDARD IS THE NOTES THAT WERE MADE BY THE PRIOR INSPECTION? ABSOLUTELY. PLEASE AND THANK YOU. OKAY. MISS COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY I THINK THE MAYOR WAS MAYBE WE HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC AND SEE WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE HEARD HERE, WHERE SOME OF THE GAPS MAY STILL REMAIN.
CHIEF, IF YOU HAD SOMETHING TO KNOW, IT WAS JUST A FIRE.
THANK YOU CHIEF. AND ACTUALLY WE DID HAVE THE DREAM TEAM UP HERE. WE HAD SUSTAINABILITY, PARKING, PUBLIC WORKS. I SAW YOU GUYS ALL APPROACH BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT IF YOU WERE ABLE TO AND I JUST BEFORE WE HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC, DO YOU MIND COMING BACK UP AND AND CONFIRMING THAT YOU CAN HAVE THE SAME INSPECTOR OR DOES IT YOUR THOUGHTS ON AS YOU REVIEW? YES. VICE MAYOR. THANK YOU. AMY KNOWLES CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER.
SO WE HAVE REVIEWERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND AS WELL AS FOR URBAN FORESTRY.
AND IN GENERAL, THE SAME REVIEWER IS ABLE TO HANDLE ANY ISSUES.
WE ROUTINELY CALL IF THERE'S SOMETHING SIMPLE FOR PEOPLE TO JUST SUBMIT SO WE CAN PASS IT.
THAT IS PART OF OUR BEST PRACTICES, AND WE DO THAT WHEN WE CAN GET TO THE REVIEWS QUICKLY.
BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO MEET OUR TURNAROUND TIMES AS WELL. AND OUR INSPECTIONS IN THE FIELD, NORMALLY URBAN FORESTRY, AND IT'S A VERY SMALL TEAM, SO IT'S PRETTY CONSISTENT.
OKAY. THANK YOU AMY. JOHN NORRIS, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, KIND OF ECHO WHAT AMY JUST SAID.
WE HAVE A VERY SMALL TEAM, SO IT'S NOT LIKELY YOU'RE GOING TO GET ANOTHER REVIEWER ANYWAYS.
BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY MAKE THAT HAPPEN TO WHERE IT GOES BACK TO THE SAME REVIEWER.
IF THERE ARE COMMENTS, THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE. OKAY.
SO YOU YOU CAN BOTH DO THAT. OKAY. AND YOU DO THAT.
GREAT. AND THEN I'M ONLY MISSING PARKING I BELIEVE PARKING IS BUSY.
FOLKS. WILL MCDONALD DIRECTOR PARKING. WE HAVE ONE PARKING ENGINEER REVIEWER WITHIN OUR SYSTEM.
SO IT GOES THROUGH THAT SINGLE INDIVIDUAL FOR ALL OF THE PERMITS.
ANYONE. YES, SIR. IT'S NOT SUFFICIENT. I MEAN, IS THAT SUFFICIENT? WILL YOU NEVER ASK? WELL, NO, BUT BUT NO, BUT WE KNOW.
BUT WE KNOW WITH THE PLANNING 110. BE GOOD. I THE ONE THING WE NEVER WANT TO OVERSUPPLY, YOU KNOW.
AND YOU ALWAYS ASK GOVERNMENT AND THEY ALWAYS THINK.
BUT WITH WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT IF SOMEONE GETS SICK IS IF SOMEONE GOES ON VACATION.
WELL NOW YOU'RE HOLDING UP THE REVIEW FOR A PERSON.
THAT ONE REVIEWER IS OUT. I UNDERSTAND. I WOULD OFFER THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE AVERAGE TURNAROUND TIMES BY DEPARTMENT, PARKING IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. SO I DON'T THINK THAT THEY'RE LACKING OF SUFFICIENT REVIEWERS.
BUT IF WILL HAS A DIFFERENT OPINION, I CERTAINLY WOULD WELCOME THAT.
YEAH. WELL, DO YOU MIND IF I GO WITH COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE AND SAY I'LL TAKE 110, SIR? IS THAT AN OPTION? SO WE'RE RIGHT NOW THAT THAT THAT THAT POSITION IS BIFURCATED.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT WE COULD HAVE THAT POSITION FOCUSED A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THIS PERMITTING SYSTEM WHEN WE'VE BEEN WHEN YOU BROUGHT PARKING INTO THE CONVERSATION, PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, SINCE THE DAY I'VE GOT HERE.
SO UNDER THE NEW BUDGET, THERE HAS BEEN SOME ADDITIONS THAT WOULD HELP TAKE SOME EASE OFF THIS POSITION SO THAT POSITION COULD FOCUS SOLELY ON THESE REVIEWS AND CPM-PSE. SO I THINK DEPENDING ON HOW THAT PANS OUT, THE ONE WOULD BE ENOUGH.
[01:20:07]
AND THEN WE, WE WOULD HAVE A BACKUP WHEN THAT PERSON GOES OUT LIKE WE DO RIGHT NOW.MAKE A MOTION. SO, YES, LET'S HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC.
HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. COMMISSION STEVEN ESSER, ATTORNEY AND MIAMI BEACH, CURRENTLY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NIGHTLIFE TASK FORCE.
FIRSTLY, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I LOVE THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH. I GREW UP HERE.
I'VE HAD BUSINESSES HERE, AND I PRACTICE LAW HERE, AND THE CITY HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME.
HOWEVER, I HAVE THE CURSE OF HAVING BEEN AROUND HERE FOR A WHILE, AND UNFORTUNATELY, I'VE SEEN DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF THE CITY CHANGE OVER THE YEARS. I WAS HERE WHEN THE CITY TOOK OFF.
I OPENED UP ON OCEAN DRIVE. I WENT AND GOT PERMITS.
I'VE OPENED SEVERAL BUSINESSES ON MIAMI BEACH, AND PERMITS USED TO BE SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED WHERE THE CITY AND THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER. THE ATTITUDE OF THE CITY WAS REALLY GOOD AND I GOT TO SAY RIGHT NOW, THE ATTITUDE OF THE CITY IS REALLY GOOD AGAIN.
I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS. I APPRECIATE YOU HAVING TODAY'S MEETING.
THERE'S BEEN SPRING BREAK IN THE PANDEMIC AND THEN IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE THE FROG.
THEY SLOWLY CHANGE AND NOBODY REALLY REALIZES THAT.
OKAY, SO I GET PEOPLE IN MY OFFICE AND I'M RIGHT ON LINCOLN ROAD AND I DON'T DO A LOT OF BATHROOMS. I'LL ADMIT, MR. SAGE'S MAY DO THEM. I DON'T. I DO A LOT OF COMMERCIAL SPACES, I DO A LOT OF HOSPITALITY VENUES, AND I GET A LOT OF PEOPLE, GOOD INVESTORS COMING IN MY OFFICE ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND I SAY, WHY DON'T YOU OPEN UP ON MIAMI BEACH? THEY SAY, I DON'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE SO MANY VACANCIES. WE DIDN'T HAVE THEM FOR YEARS.
AND I'M NOT MAKING I'M MAKING AS MUCH MONEY NOW AS I DID IN THE OLD DAYS.
IT'S NOT PERSONAL TO ME. THEY'LL OPEN UP IN CORAL GABLES THAT ARE OPENED UP IN DORAL.
THEY'LL GO TO NORTH MIAMI. I'LL STILL REPRESENT THEM IN THOSE PLACES.
YOU CALL THEM UP AND THE COMMISSIONERS LIKE MAGAZINE AND FERNANDEZ SAID.
AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH MR. CARPENTER, THE CITY MANAGER.
I HAD A MEETING WHERE MR. CEJAS WAS THERE. I HAD MISS HERNANDEZ WAS THERE, CARMEN WAS THERE, MR. MOONEY WAS THERE. AND WE WERE ABLE TO ESTABLISH A LOT OF ISSUES THAT WERE BROUGHT UP TODAY BY THE CITY COMMISSION THAT MAKE A LOT OF SENSE.
LET ME JUST SAY TWO THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THOSE MEETINGS.
ONE, THE WALK THROUGH PROCESS, WHICH SHOULD BE MENTIONED TODAY IS LIMITED TO 2500FT², OKAY.
WHICH DOESN'T COVER A LOT OF GREAT PLACES. NUMBER TWO, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION.
I WON'T MENTION WHO BROUGHT IT UP OR WHAT THE VISION IT'S IN, BECAUSE IF I HAVE ANOTHER MEETING, I'D LIKE THEM TO SHOW UP. BUT THAT SAID, THEY SAID THEY NEED MORE MONEY FROM THIS CITY.
THEY HAVE 12,000 APPLICATIONS. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WITH ONE PERSON THAT'S REVIEWING THEM.
AND FERNANDEZ BROUGHT UP THE 21 DAYS. I HAVE LANDLORDS WHO CALL ME UP COMPLAINING THAT THEY CANNOT GET A TENANT BECAUSE IT'S TAKING THEM SO LONG TO GIVE FREE RENT. I HAD CLIENTS THAT CAME TO ME CRYING, SAYING I WAS PAYING RENT AND I NEVER GOT OPEN AND I HAD TO CLOSE DOWN BECAUSE IT COST ME SO MUCH MONEY AND I THINK IT WAS MR. MAGAZINE THAT SAID, TIME IS MONEY.
AND HE WAS RIGHT. AND THEN THE MAYOR SAID, WE'RE GROWING AGAIN.
BUT I WOULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
MEL SCHLESSER, WHO'S HERE WHO USED TO BE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PLANNING BOARD, IS GOING TO SPEAK AFTER I DO, AND HE'S GOING TO EXPLAIN TO YOU SOME OF THE PROBLEMS AS HE'S ENCOUNTERED AS A LANDLORD.
AND I HAVE JOSH ROBINS, WHO'S A BIG PROPERTY OWNER.
HE'S GOING TO EXPLAIN TO YOU SOME OF THE PROBLEMS HE'S ENCOUNTERED.
AND YOU GUYS ARE THE MOTHERS AND FATHERS OF THIS CITY.
I SUGGEST THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE PUBLIC SECTOR WORK TOGETHER.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR IS TRYING. I'M NOT SAYING THEY'RE NOT.
SO SOME OF THE GUYS THAT HAVE COME UP TODAY, THEY'RE AT THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN.
BUT PEOPLE LOWER DOWN HAVE A DIFFERENT ATTITUDE TOWARD HOW THINGS ARE RUN.
[01:25:04]
SO I WOULD SUGGEST LET'S HAVE A MEETING OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE PUBLIC SECTOR ON THE BUILDING PERMITS AND SEE IF WE CAN'T COME UP WITH A MORE STREAMLINED, FASTER PERMIT. AND THIS WILL HELP THE RESIDENTS.IT WILL HELP THE CITY COMMISSION. IT WILL HELP THE BUSINESSES AND HELP CITY MIAMI BEACH.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M. I'M SORRY FOR THE LATE HOUR.
JUST BRING SOMETHING INTO THE LIGHT. AND STEVE AND I JUST FINISHED A DEAL.
HE WAS REPRESENTING A RESTAURANT, AND OF COURSE, IT WAS AT MY BUILDING.
AND ONE OF THE LEADING ISSUES WAS THE REPUTATION THAT MIAMI BEACH HAS.
UNFORTUNATELY, WITH RESTAURANTS THAT WE CANNOT ACCOMMODATE THEM.
THAT'S WHAT WE DID. WE WORKED IT OUT. THE I THINK THE THE RESTAURANT OPERATORS ARE FIRST CLASS, AND THEY HAVE THE FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THE TIME PERIOD.
AND OF COURSE, I GUESS I HAVE THE THE ABILITY AND THE CARE TO GET THIS QUALITY RESTAURANT THERE.
SO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO SUFFER THE NINE MONTHS OR A YEAR TO MAKE THIS THING HAPPEN.
IT DEFINITELY AFFECTS US. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BROKERS THAT HAVE COME TO ME AND COMPLAINED THAT THEY CAN'T MAKE THE DEALS BECAUSE OF THE TIME THAT HAS TO BE GIVEN FOR FREE RENT IN ORDER TO MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN.
MY SUGGESTION, AND I SUGGESTED IT AT A MEETING LAST MONTH WITH THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, HERNANDEZ, IS THAT WE THINK ABOUT SETTING UP A SPECIAL PROGRAM WHERE RESTAURANTS CAN COME IN SEPARATELY.
RESTAURANT DEAL. ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A CHANGE OF USE, IT'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE, AND THERE ARE MANY ITEMS THAT COME UP THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO REVIEW AND GET DONE. AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM.
YOU HAVE SOME DESIGNATED FOLKS AT THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT WHO CAN GO THROUGH IT WITH THE PERMITTING, WITH THE EXCUSE ME, INFORM THE ARCHITECTS, TEACH THE ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS AND ENGINEERS WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO, AND IT WILL NOT ONLY MOVE THE PROCESS FORWARD FOR THE RESTAURANT.
EXCUSE ME. IT WILL GIVE US A REPUTATIONAL CHANGE.
AND FRANKLY, WE'RE MAKING A STATEMENT. WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU MAKE A STATEMENT TO THE BROKERAGE COMMUNITY AND TO THE RESTAURANT COMMUNITY THAT MIAMI BEACH CARES ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND IS TRYING TO SOLVE IT.
SO AGAIN, I THINK AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONSIDER WORKING OUT A PROGRAM WHERE THERE IS A SPECIAL, SPECIAL WAIT FOR THE RESTAURANTS TO NAVIGATE THAT SYSTEM AND, AND GET IT OUT THERE.
LET THEM KNOW. QUICK QUESTION. YES, COMMISSIONER.
WITH THE WITH THE RESTAURANTS THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH? YES. WHAT'S THE AVERAGE, WOULD YOU SAY, THE AVERAGE INTERIOR SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE ONE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? WELL, IT'S ABOUT 1700 ON THE GROUND FLOOR.
AND THE UNIQUENESS OF THIS RESTAURANT, IT WILL BE A SECOND FLOOR. SO THERE'S PROBABLY ANOTHER 600, 700FT² UP THERE, BUT THEY'RE NOT IT'S NOT HUGE.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 2300FT². ROUGHLY, YES.
OKAY. SO WE JUST HAVE WE WE LAUNCHED THE WALK THROUGH PROCESS FOR, FOR FOR COMMERCIAL SPACES LESS THAN 2500FT² FOR INTERIOR RENOVATIONS. WHY WOULDN'T THEY? THEY MAY. THEY MAY, BUT THIS IS THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION BECAUSE MOST RESTAURANTS ARE BIGGER.
SO MY SUGGESTION IS WHAT'S THE SIZE FOR WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE LAUNCHED A PROGRAM.
THEN WE NEED TO AMEND THE PROGRAM. SO. SO WHAT? WHAT'S THE AVERAGE SIZE OF THE RESTAURANTS THAT WE'RE BRINGING TO? I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION. ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT IN MOST CASES, THE SIZE OF THE RESTAURANT, THE KITCHENS MAY BE A LITTLE BIT SMALLER, A LITTLE BIT BIGGER. THEY REALLY DON'T DEFINE WHAT THE PROBLEM.
THEY DEFINE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THE RESTAURANT WHERE YOU'RE HAVING THE TABLES AND CHAIRS AND SERVICE AREAS REALLY DOES NOT, IN MY OPINION, HAVE MUCH OF AN EFFECT UPON THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
SO I'M NOT SURE THAT LIMITING IN A RESTAURANT, LIMITING THE SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO COME IN TO TO EXPEDITE YOUR PERMIT IS THE RIGHT WAY OF LOOKING AT IT, BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THE RESTAURANT REALLY DOESN'T AFFECT IT.
SO. SO LET ME ASK OUR OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WHEN IT COMES TO RESTAURANTS.
[01:30:02]
SO WE HAVE THE THE COMMERCIAL WALKTHROUGH FOR UP TO 2500FT².AND HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TO RESTAURANTS, CAN WE EXPAND THAT SQUARE FOOTAGE FOR RESTAURANTS? GIVEN GIVEN SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT MEL HAS RAISED, I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO THE COMMERCIAL PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE, WE ANALYZED HOW MANY COMMERCIAL SPACES WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN MIAMI BEACH BEFORE WE DETERMINED THE SQUARE FOOTAGE.
BUT THE ISSUE WITH THE COMMERCIAL PERMIT WALK THROUGH IS THAT YOU NEED TO COME TO THE CITY AND GET A PROCESS NUMBER AND GO TO DURHAM AND THEN COME BACK WITH YOUR DERM APPROVAL. SO THAT IS STEP ONE.
IF I MAY, YES, IT IS MANDATED. CHAPTER 24 OF THE CODE OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY IS WHERE DURHAM'S ENABLING LEGISLATION COMES FROM, AND THEY ARE A REQUIREMENT. WE CAN'T ISSUE THE PERMIT UNTIL THEIR APPROVALS ARE GIVEN, BUT DURHAM HAS TO REVIEW IT BEFORE WE'RE ABLE TO REVIEW THE PERMIT.
WE COULD WE COULD REVIEW CONCURRENTLY. WE COULD WORK.
SO THEY COME TOGETHER, THEY COME IN, THEY GET THE PROCESS NUMBER.
AND HOPEFULLY THEY END UP, YOU KNOW, AT THE SAME FINISHING POINT AND CONTINUE FROM THERE.
CORRECT. THAT THAT IS THE CONCEPT OF THE CONCURRENT REVIEW.
BUT YEAH, THEY COULD HAPPEN CONCURRENTLY. AND WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE DURHAM.
THERE ARE PERTINENT LAW RULES SPECIFICALLY FOR RESTAURANTS AND COINCIDENTALLY, THE FOG FATS, OILS AND GREASE PROGRAM, WHICH IS WHAT REALLY MAKES IT AN ARDUOUS PROCESS FOR A RESTAURANT.
BUT IF THEY CAN, IF THEY CAN WORK SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH YOU, IT WOULD SAVE A LOT OF TIME.
YES. AND AGAIN MY MY SUGGESTION WAS AND WE SPOKE ABOUT IT AT THAT MEETING, THAT THE YOU HAVE A SPECIAL PROGRAM FOR THE RESTAURANTS AND IT WILL DO ACCOMPLISH TWO THINGS.
IT'S REALLY DISAPPOINTING TO HEAR, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME.
I'VE DONE A LOT. ALSO, AS STEVE HAS SAID, WE WORK TOGETHER MANY YEARS.
I'LL GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO WE NEED TO MAKE A POSITIVE STATEMENT, AND I THINK SETTING UP A SPECIAL PROGRAM WILL MAKE THE STATEMENT AS WELL AS GET THE RESTAURANTS OPEN QUICKER. SO I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THAT.
PLEASE CONSIDER IT. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. HELLO. THANK YOU GUYS FOR LETTING ME SPEAK HERE TODAY.
IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO COMMUNICATION. SO A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND YOU GET A COMMENT THAT'S AMBIGUOUS, YOU LIKE, YOU HAVE THE REVIEWERS EMAILS AND YOU'RE ABLE TO EMAIL THEM AND THEY'RE PRETTY RESPONSIVE, AND THEY HELP YOU NAVIGATE THE AMBIGUITY AND CLEAR UP ANY CONFUSION.
BUT THEN THE MOMENT YOU HAVE YOUR PLANS AND YOU'RE READY TO GIVE IT BACK TO THEM, THEY GO, OH NO, NO, NO, YOU YOU CAN'T SUBMIT IT TO ME.
YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT IT. YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE FORMAL SUBMITTAL CYCLE.
YOU HAVE TO START A BRAND NEW CYCLE. YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH INTAKE AGAIN.
AND IT REALLY IT REALLY KILLS A LOT OF TIME. LIKE IF YOU COULD JUST IF YOU COULD JUST TALK TO THAT REVIEWER, YOU GIVE THEM THE PLANS. AFTER THEY'VE GIVEN YOU YOUR COMMENTS, THEY LOOK AT IT, THEY APPROVE IT.
A LOT OF TIMES IT'S SMALL STUFF. AT THAT POINT, IT'S THE SECOND OR THIRD CYCLE.
INSTEAD OF HAVING TO START A BRAND NEW CYCLE AND JUST THEM JUST SWITCHING OUT THE FILES AND PASSING YOU, YOU'D SAVE A LOT OF TIME THAT WAY. AND FROM WHAT YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, WOULD HAVING THAT 24 OR 48 HOUR GRACE PERIOD CURE PERIOD HELP THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF ISSUES WHERE IT'S LIKE YOU'RE STILL PART OF THAT CYCLE, AND IF YOU CAN CURE WITHIN 24 OR 48 HOURS, DOES THAT ENCOMPASS 90% OF ISSUES? WOULD YOU SAY, HONESTLY, IT WOULD HELP? BUT I THINK MORE IMPORTANTLY, LIKE IF I GET A FAIL, IT WOULDN'T BE THE BIGGEST DEAL.
IF I DIDN'T HAVE TO START THE FORMAL CYCLE ALL OVER AGAIN.
[01:35:06]
IT'S NOT AS IF YOU'RE GETTING KICKED BACK AND STARTING THINGS OVER, RIGHT? IT KIND OF KEEPS YOU RIGHT THERE AT THE FINISH LINE. SAME REVIEW. EXACTLY.AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'VE DONE. LIKE REVIEW.
I'LL BE EMAILING REVIEWERS AND ALL BEFORE THE CYCLE ENDS.
AND I'M LIKE, PLEASE DON'T FAIL ME. DON'T DON'T GIVE ME A FAIL.
I DON'T WANT THE CYCLE TO START OVER. PLEASE JUST LET ME RE LET ME GIVE THIS TO SOMEONE IN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT WHO COULD, LIKE, SECRETLY CHANGE OUT THE FILE FOR ME. AND IT'S.
THERE SHOULD BE A LESS. I DON'T THINK IT'D BE A HARD PROCESS TO TO CREATE.
BECAUSE THEN A LOT OF TIMES YOU'RE EMAILING THE REVIEWER, THEY TELL YOU WHAT THEY WANT, CORRECTED YOU, CORRECT IT, THEN YOU RESUBMIT THE CYCLE, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU HAVE A BRAND NEW REVIEWER AND THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE AND SUBMITTED.
WOULD YOU SAY THE THINGS THAT YOU KIND OF GET FAILED FOR? YOU'D BE ABLE TO SOLVE THE MAJORITY, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT A GOOD PORTION WITHIN 24 TO 48 HOURS? YEAH. AFTER CYCLE TWO. ABSOLUTELY. IT'S ALL IT'S ALL REALLY ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF AT THAT POINT.
THANK YOU. I'M SORRY I DIDN'T CATCH YOUR NAME. JOSH ROBINS.
JUST AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT. MR.. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HOW WOULD WE IMPART TO THE PERMITTING PROCESS THE IDEAS THAT WE'VE ESTABLISHED TODAY THAT MAY BE HELPFUL FOR THE CITY GOING FORWARD? IS IT GOING TO BE A PROCESS THAT WE SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND DIRECT THEM TO REDO THE PERMITTING PROCESS? I THINK THAT WE HAVE, I THINK, THE CITY MANAGER.
CITY MANAGER, I THINK I THINK THEY'RE GETTING ALL OF OUR FEEDBACK.
I THINK THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTING A LOT OF THIS STUFF.
YEAH, THIS IS CERTAINLY BEEN LISTENING. I'VE CERTAINLY BEEN HEARING A LOT OF FEEDBACK.
I'VE BEEN TAKING NOTES ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE TO WORK THROUGH WITH MY STAFF.
AND SO THE GOTCHA MOMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO COME AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE ARE GOING TO COME, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY MAKE IT EASIER. DID YOU SAY WE'RE REMOVING OBSTACLES OF RED TAPE? IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THERE YOU GO.
MR. MAYOR FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO'VE COME UP, STEVE AND MEL AND OTHERS WHO'VE COME UP JUST YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE, BUT WHEN WE WERE ELECTED, JOE AND THE MAYOR WAS ELECTED AS MAYOR, AND I WAS ELECTED, AND COMMISSIONER SUAREZ WHO'S NOT HERE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FELT VERY STRONGLY ABOUT, WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR COLLEAGUES WAS GETTING RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS IN, IN A ROOM TOGETHER WITH STAFF. YES, MA'AM. TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS.
AND SO THERE WAS A A COMMITTEE THAT WAS EMPANELED THAT RAN THROUGH A YEAR AT LEAST, MAYBE LONGER.
AND I THINK A LOT OF THE PROGRESS THAT YOU'VE SEEN TODAY WAS, AS A RESULT, COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE CONSULTANT WHO WAS HIRED, WHO'S HERE, AND VARIOUS STAFF MEMBERS WHO GOT REALLY INVOLVED.
SO IT IS AN ONGOING PROCESS. BUT PLEASE DON'T FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS ARE BEING HEARD BECAUSE WE HAD PEOPLE MEETING ON A MONTHLY BASIS. AND SO PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE. PROGRESS WILL CONTINUE TO BE MADE.
AND YOUR FEEDBACK COLLECTIVELY IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
THE CITY MANAGER, BY THE WAY, HAS DONE A GREAT JOB ON THIS.
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, THE ZONING DEPARTMENT, THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT. AND WE HAD A LOT OF THE I HAD A LOT MORE PEOPLE SHOW UP THAN WE EXPECTED FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR. CAN I SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER? IT SHOULDN'T TAKE MONTHS. IT SHOULDN'T TAKE A YEAR.
THAT'S JUST PUSHING THIS THING DOWN, KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
THERE'S A GUY THE MAYOR SAID WE GOT. THIS CITY IS GROWING.
NOW, LIKE I SAID, I'VE BEEN. I'VE HAD THE CURSE OF HAVING BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.
I KNOW THIS THING CAN WORK. HONESTLY. WE NEED CHECKS AND BALANCES ARE GREAT.
WE NEED HONEST APPLICATIONS. MAGAZINE COMMISSIONER.
MAGAZINE WAS RIGHT. HE SAID, LET'S GET ON THE PHONE AND CALL THEM UP.
IT TAKES FOREVER TO GET SOMETHING DONE THROUGH THE CITY RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S A MISTAKE.
YOU GUYS ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING BY INVESTIGATING THE ISSUE.
THE NEXT STEP IS TO HAVE SOMETHING DIRECTLY DONE.
I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS WILL COMMUNICATE FROM TODAY'S MEETING WITH THE CITY MANAGER.
AND THIS SHOULD SHOULD BE DONE IN 30 DAYS. WHAT DO YOU THINK, MR. MANAGER? MR. MAYOR, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SECOND COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE MOTION ABOUT GETTING SOMETHING LIKE THIS IMPLEMENTED IF HE'S SO WILLING
[01:40:10]
TO MAKE IT. COMMUNICATION. THERE YOU GO. BUT BUT, I MEAN, I DO THINK THAT THIS IS THIS IS JUST SEEING THE BODY LANGUAGE IN THE AUDIENCE OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WORKING DAY IN, DAY OUT IN THE INDUSTRY.AND JUST JUST FROM MY BASIC EXPERIENCE IN, IN GOVERNMENT, I'M JUST A SIMPLE PUBLIC SERVANT.
I'M NOT AN ENGINEER AND NOT A NOT A CONTRACTOR.
HERE'S YOUR GRACE PERIOD OF 24 HOURS. I THINK 24 HOURS WILL DICTATE.
THEN HOW LONG? I MEAN, HOW WHAT TYPE OF THINGS THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SOLVE IF YOU LET THEM KNOW.
HEY, LISTEN, YOU HAVE A I GOT A WAIT LOAD. YOU HAVE A WAIT LOAD ISSUE.
THAT'S INCORRECT. OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE FIXED IN 24 HOURS.
SO. BUT YOU STILL YOU LET THEM KNOW AND YOU GIVE THEM THAT GRACE PERIOD.
BY, BY CIRCUMSTANCE, THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO FIX IT IN THAT 24 HOUR PERIOD.
BUT YOU'RE LETTING THEM KNOW. AND SO THAT THEN THE SMALLER THINGS THAT THEY CAN FIX IN THAT 24 HOUR PERIOD, WELL, THEN THEY CAN COME IN AND FIX IT. SO. COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE I'D BE HAPPY TO SECOND YOUR YOUR MOTION, ASKING THE CITY ADMINISTRATION TO FIND A WAY TO IMPLEMENT THIS TYPE OF COMMUNICATION.
MID REVIEW WITHIN WITHIN 30 DAYS, AND MAYBE WE CAN GET SOME SORT OF OF QUARTERLY UPDATE ON THE AMOUNT OF, OF CASES THAT WERE AMOUNT OF PERMITS THAT WERE ABLE TO BE SOLVED AS A RESULT OF THAT TYPE OF COMMUNICATION.
THAT WAY WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY BEING IMPLEMENTED THE WAY THAT WE'RE BEING ASKED OF.
SO ACCLAMATION APPROVED. THANK YOU. AWESOME. COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ.
THANK YOU. SO THIS HAS BEEN QUITE THE WORK IN PROGRESS AND BEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING.
I KNOW THAT AS A RESIDENT, FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE I HAD WHAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED WHERE I HAD DIFFERENT RENOVATIONS HAPPENING IN MY CONDO, AND EVERY SINGLE TIME AN INSPECTOR CAME, IT WAS A DIFFERENT ONE.
EVERYTHING GOT GREAT. AND THEN THE LAST ONE CAME AND SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT RELATED HE FELT THAT THE ARCHITECT DIDN'T LIST SOMETHING THAT WAS UNRELATED TO ANY OF THE WORK BEING DONE. HE FAILED IT. AND THAT WAS AND THE ANSWER WAS LIKE, OH, YOU COULD JUST GO BACK TO THE ARCHITECT AND REOPEN THE PERMIT.
AND ALL OF THAT COSTS MONEY, THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
OR BUSINESSES THAT IT'S NOT JUST DURHAM, IT WAS CITY PROBLEMS IN GETTING PERMITTING.
SO WHEN WE HAD THE BOB MORAN, THE CONSULTANT, COME IN, I MET WITH HIM MULTIPLE TIMES AND GAVE HIM MANY, MANY DIFFERENT RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES, HOME PARK APARTMENTS, HOMEOWNERS.
AND I SEE A DIFFERENCE. AND WE'RE ALMOST THERE.
WE'RE ALMOST THERE WHERE WE NEED TO BE. I DO ALSO HAVE TO MENTION THAT LEONORE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT IS A SUPERSTAR, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO WITHOUT HER BECAUSE I TRY TO FIGURE THINGS OUT IN MY AIDES DO, TOO. IN GETTING THE JOB DONE AND SOMETIMES GETTING IT OVER THE FINISH LINE MEANS CALLING LEONORE BECAUSE SHE'S EXCEPTIONAL.
BUT THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT DISCUSSION, AND OUR CITY IS GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I'M GLAD THAT THE MAYOR CALLED THIS MEETING, AND I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM.
AND BY THE WAY, I WANT TO ECHO THE THE COMMENTS ABOUT LEONORE.
I DON'T KNOW OF ANYONE THAT UNDERSTANDS THE PROCESS IN THE CITY BETTER THAN LEONARDO HERNANDEZ AND THE AMOUNT OF RESIDENTS, THE AMOUNT OF RESIDENTS. ACTUALLY A LADY, A LADY REACHED OUT WITH AN ISSUE.
I THINK IT WAS A BATHROOM. SHE WAS STUCK IN A NURSING HOME, NOT BEING ABLE TO GO BACK TO HER APARTMENT OVER SOME SORT OF AN ISSUE WITH A BATHROOM PERMIT, AND THE ONLY PERSON THAT WAS REALLY ABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT, IT WAS LEONOR.
AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT FOR US, IT'S JUST BUREAUCRACY.
[01:45:03]
FOR US, IT'S A PERMIT FOR THIS PERSON. IT'S THIS PERSON'S QUALITY OF LIFE BEING STUCK IN A NURSING HOME, NOT BEING ABLE TO GO BACK HOME BECAUSE OF SOMETHING LIKE A BATHROOM REMODEL.REMODEL. SO MR. MANAGER, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY I THANK THE CITY AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THEIR HEARTS HEART'S IN THE RIGHT PLACE, AND I THINK WE CAN GET THIS CORRECTED. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. SAM LEIGHTON HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON.
THERE'S THREE COMPONENTS TO GETTING A PROJECT FROM START TO FINISH.
YOU HAVE THE PERMIT PROCESS. YOU HAVE THIRD PARTIES LIKE DURHAM WHICH HAVE BEEN MENTIONED.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE INSPECTION PROCESS, AND WE CAN FALL DOWN IN ALL THREE ELEMENTS.
GRANTED, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S PROBABLY NOT MUCH WE CAN DO WITH THIRD PARTIES, BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT WITH INTER-AGENCY COOPERATION THERE MIGHT BE SOME LEVEL OF AT LEAST INFLUENCE, IF NOT NECESSARILY CONTROL. BUT WOULD CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO LOOK AT THIS HOLISTICALLY FOR BOTH THE PERMIT PROCESS AND THE INSPECTION PROCESS, BECAUSE I'VE EXPERIENCED THE EXACT SAME THING THAT COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS YOU HAVE AN INSPECTOR THAT COMES AND ASKS YOU TO MAKE A CHANGE, AND ANOTHER INSPECTOR COMES BACK THE SECOND TIME AND DOESN'T LIKE WHAT THE INSPECTOR TOLD YOU TO CHANGE AND THEN FAILS YOU THE SECOND TIME.
AND THAT'S THAT'S A PROBLEM. SO PLEASE LOOK AT THIS HOLISTICALLY.
THANK YOU. MAYOR. WE HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL IN ZOOM.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I HEARD US TALKING ABOUT BUSINESSES AND FAST TRACKING FOR ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, BUT LET'S NOT FORGET CONDOMINIUMS. CONDOMINIUMS HAVE YOU KNOW, AT LEAST ON COLLINS AVENUE, AT LEAST 500 RESIDENTS LIVING IN THEM AT ANY ONE TIME.
AND DELAYS ARE IMPACT BUILDINGS, BOTH FINANCIALLY AND OPERATIONALLY.
THERE WAS A MENTION ABOUT THE IF THE EMAIL IS REGISTERED BY THE CONTRACTOR OR PERMIT RUNNER AT THE BEGINNING, THEN THEY GET ALERT. I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE MANDATORY THAT ALSO THE PROPERTY OR THE PROPERTY MANAGERS EMAIL.
IT'S INCLUDED THAT WAY. ANY ALERTS ON THAT PERMIT ARE ADVISED TO THE PROPERTY SO THAT THE PROPERTY IS IN THE KNOW AND ALSO THE CHANGE OR WHO'S WORKING ON THE PERMIT AT THAT POINT BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHERE THE CONTRACTOR FAILS TO RENEW THE PERMIT AND THAT PERMIT EXPIRES, AND THEN THE PROCESS HAS TO START OVER OR THE PERMIT GOES IN ABANDONED STATUS. AND I CAN GIVE YOU MANY, MANY EXAMPLES, BOTH THAT HAPPENED IN MY PROPERTY, BUT ALSO IN NEIGHBORING BUILDINGS WHERE BASICALLY THE ASSOCIATION WAS NOT EVEN AWARE THAT THERE WAS NO MOVEMENT WHETHER IT WAS ON THE CITY PART OR IT WAS ON THE CONTRACTOR PART OR THE ENGINEER.
SO I THINK THAT IT NEEDS TO BE CLEARLY INDICATED WHO'S WORKING ON WHAT AND WHERE THE DELAY IS.
AND THEN THERE WAS TALK ABOUT I HAVE GIVING A PHONE CALL OR SENDING AN EMAIL WHILE THE CITY IS LOOKING AT THE FILE, IN MY EXPERIENCE, I THINK WITH ANY TYPE OF WORK, IF YOU'RE WORKING ON A FILE AND YOU HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU, AND YOU MADE THAT PHONE CALL, OR YOU SENT THAT EMAIL IN THAT MOMENT AS A COMMISSIONER SAID THAT YOU COULD ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND RESOLVE IT RIGHT THERE AND THERE VERSUS PUTTING THAT FILE AWAY. AND THEN EVEN FOR THE CITY EMPLOYEES, WHEN YOU HAVE TO PICK UP.
HELLO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I NEED YOU TO WRAP IT UP, IF POSSIBLE, PLEASE.
MR.. MR.. OKAY. I MEAN, I'LL WRAP IT UP, BUT I MEAN, DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT ARE IN PERSON HAVE TALKED, YOU KNOW, CONTINUOUSLY, AND THEY WERE NOT INTERRUPTED.
BUT THAT'S OKAY. I'LL WRAP IT UP. SO DEFICIENCY AFFECTS SAFETY, LIVABILITY AND PROPERTY VALUES.
[01:50:04]
WE NEED TRANSPARENCY, MEASURABLE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE KPIS, BUT I THINK YOU SHOULD IF YOU DON'T.
AND A SYSTEM THAT PREVENTS PERMITS FROM SITTING IN A LIMBO.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO BUILD ON SOMETHING THAT MISS MENTIONED EVERY PERMIT, EVERY PROCESS SHOULD HAVE THE PROPERTY OWNER LISTED AND RECEIVING EMAIL UPDATES.
IT DOESN'T HAPPEN NOW. AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE GONE THROUGH IT.
AND SO THE CONTRACTOR THEN CALLS ME AND SAYS, CAN YOU FIGURE OUT OR THE HOMEOWNER CAN YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON? AND IT'S SOME THING, SOME SMALL THING TO BE CORRECTED, BUT BECAUSE IT WENT TO A DEFUNCT EMAIL OR SOMETHING THAT THE CONTRACTOR ISN'T CHECKING REGULARLY, IT DOESN'T REACH THE INTENDED RECIPIENT.
SO IF THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY IS COPIED ON IT, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE, IF THEY KNOW THAT SOMETHING'S GOING AMISS, THEY CAN INTERCEDE WITH IT BEFORE IT BECOMES A DEAD A DEAD PROJECT.
SO THAT SHOULD BE A SUPER EASY THING TO IMPLEMENT.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT IMPLEMENTED, YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS FRANK CAN FIX THE SYSTEM TO UPDATE THAT.
IF I CAN ASK A QUESTION TO ERIC ABOUT THAT, I THINK IT WAS BEFORE YOU WERE EVEN ELECTED.
I WAS LIKE A BABY. COMMISSIONER I BROUGHT AN ITEM ON THAT THAT THE OWNER'S EMAIL HAD YOU LIKE THAT YOU IT WAS MANDATORY THAT THE OWNER'S EMAIL BE INCLUDED ON THE ALERTS. CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT? THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. COMMISSIONER.
SO GOOD AFTERNOON. YES. THE OWNER'S INFORMATION IS ON THE PERMIT APPLICATION.
SO WHEN WE SEND THE COMMUNICATION TO ALL THE CONTACTS, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S LANDING.
BUT VINCE, WE DON'T CONTROL THAT PART OF IT. NO, SIR.
WHAT WE DO CONTROL IS THAT THAT FIELD HAS TO BE FILLED OUT.
WE DO REQUIRE THAT THAT FIELD BE FILLED. SO IS THERE A WAY TO PUT IN A CHECK SO THAT THERE'S AN AUTOMATIC EMAIL SENT? LIKE WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE TO SOMETHING, YOU GET A NOTIFICATION, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUBSCRIPTION.
AND IF WITHIN 24 HOURS OR WHATEVER THE RIGHT WINDOW IS, YOU'RE NOT GETTING A RESPONSE.
YES, I RECEIVED IT. THEN YOU CAN CONTACT NOT YOU, VINCE, BUT THE DEPARTMENT CAN CONTACT THE APPLICANT AND SAY THIS EMAIL YOU PROVIDED IS INCORRECT. CAN YOU CHECK THE SPELLING OR CAN YOU UPDATE THAT SO THAT THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM, BECAUSE IT'S MUCH EASIER TO CORRECT IN THE VERY BEGINNING THAN IT IS WHEN YOU'RE SIX MONTHS INTO THE PROCESS AND YOU CAN'T FIND THE PEOPLE YOU NEED.
AND YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S LIKE, I DON'T KNOW. AND THE SYSTEM IS FRIENDLY THAT WAY.
LIKE I SAID, THEY'LL BE CONTACTED EVERY TIME.
IT'S WHEN THEY FILL IN OR SOMEONE FILLS IN THAT FIELD.
BUT MY POINT IS MY POINT. I UNDERSTAND THAT MY POINT IS, WHEN IT IS INITIALLY FILLED OUT, COULD THERE BE AN AUTOMATED EMAIL THAT GOES OUT TO THE EMAIL WITH LIKE A VERIFICATION? A VERIFICATION EMAIL? I MEAN, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE ISSUE. WELL, THAT'S PART OF THE ISSUE BECAUSE IT IS IN SOME CASES, IT IS THE ISSUE THAT IT EITHER ISN'T PROVIDED OR IT'S MISSPELLED OR IT'S A DEAD EMAIL.
WHAT IS STATING IS THAT AN EMAIL IS BEING PROVIDED.
BUT SOMETIMES LET'S SAY IF I'M THE GC AND I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT THE PROPERTY OWNER KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON, I MIGHT BE PUTTING IN A WRONG EMAIL ADDRESS. AND NOW THE PROPERTY OWNER.
I KNOW I'M SIDING WITH YOU. I'M THAT. SO? SO TO AVOID SOMETHING LIKE THAT FROM HAPPENING.
YOU KNOW, THERE SHOULD BE, TO YOUR POINT, A VERIFICATION EMAIL SENT TO THE PROPERTY OWNER, TO THE PROPERTY OWNER THAT HAS A VERIFICATION CODE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT SO THAT WE CAN VERIFY, OKAY, THIS IS INDEED THE CORRECT EMAIL ADDRESS.
AND FRANKLY, IT SHOULD BE TO FOR ALL THE EMAILS THAT ARE PROVIDED BECAUSE I'VE HAD A, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD OF SITUATIONS WHERE THE CONTRACTOR PROVIDES AN EMAIL, BUT IT DOESN'T GO TO HIM, IT GOES TO HIS BOSS AND HIS BOSS DOESN'T LET HIM KNOW, SO OR WHATEVER, ALL KINDS OF NONSENSE.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE, LIKE IF THIS IS THE WAY THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE CONTACTING THESE FOLKS, THAT THESE FOLKS ARE GETTING THE NOTIFICATIONS SO THAT WE CAN ELIMINATE THESE THREE WEEK TURNAROUNDS AND GETTING SHUNTED BACK INTO ANOTHER CYCLE.
[01:55:04]
EVERYONE GETS VERIFICATION CODES EVERY, EVERY TIME THEY DO ANYTHING, IT SEEMS LIKE.I KNOW IN THE DAY, BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I HAD TO PULL PERMITS, IT WAS A PAPER FORM AND SO I COULD GET LIKE IF IT WAS HARD TO READ OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THERE BEING AN AN ISSUE. BUT THIS IS NOW ALL ONLINE.
CORRECT. AND TO THOSE ENDS, THEY ALSO HAVE A CSS PORTAL THAT THEY CREATE THEIR OWN ACCOUNT.
SO YOU WOULD CREATE YOUR OWN ACCOUNT WITH YOUR EMAIL AND YOU GET YOUR VERIFICATION AND PUT YOUR, YOUR, YOUR PASSWORD. SO WHAT COMMISSIONER BUD IS SAYING IF THEN IF THIS IS BEING DONE ONLINE AND THAT EMAIL ADDRESS IS BEING PUT THERE BEFORE BEING ABLE TO ACCEPT ON OUR END THAT APPLICATION, AN EMAIL IS SENT TO THAT EMAIL ADDRESS WITH SOME SORT OF CODE OR SOME SORT OF VERIFICATION, MAKING SURE, OKAY, YES, THIS IS A REAL EMAIL ADDRESS OF THE PERSON THAT THIS BELONGS TO.
IF I MAY. GOOD AFTERNOON. FRANK QUINTANA CIO.
AND THE VALIDATE THE VERIFICATION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT AS WELL. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S CURRENTLY SET UP. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A LIMITATION OF THE SYSTEM PER SE, OR IF IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONFIGURE THROUGH SOME ALTERNATE MEANS.
SO WE CAN CERTAINLY GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT. COMMISSIONER MATEO- SALINAS I AGREE WITH BOTH COMMISSIONER BHATT AND COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ ABOUT THE ISSUE, AND I THINK WE'RE ALL SAYING THE SAME THING, BUT WE JUST THE ISSUE IS MAKING SURE THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER, THE HOME OWNER, IS AWARE OF THE PERMIT PROCESS AND MAKING SURE THEY HAVE THE CORRECT INFORMATION IN THERE.
AND I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER OF HOW TO MAKE SURE.
THE OWNER AND THE QUALIFIER SIGNED AND NOTARIZED.
AND IT GOES FORWARD WITH THE DIGITAL SYSTEMS, YOU HAVE A CSS CONTACT, RIGHT? SO THAT CONTACT, THEY GET ALL ATTACHED AND EVERY TIME THERE'S AN UPDATE IN THE PROCESS, BOOM.
ALL THOSE THREE, FIVE, TEN, 20 PEOPLE GET NOTIFIED AS LONG AS THERE'S A VALID CONTACT.
THE ISSUE IS VERIFYING THAT THE CONTACT THAT'S ON THERE IS ACTUALLY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
BUT SOMEBODY THAT'S DOING THE SUBMISSION CAN CREATE ANOTHER CONTACT FOR AND SAY IT'S COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, WHEN IN FACT IT'S NOT. SO THAT'S KIND OF SOMETIMES THE BOUNCING AROUND WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH ASSOCIATIONS, PEOPLE CHANGE. SO THE MANAGEMENTS CHANGE. AND THEN SOMETIMES THOSE NOTIFICATIONS BOUNCE BACK.
AND NOW INSTEAD OF ONE MANAGEMENT FIRM, IT'S ANOTHER MANAGEMENT FIRM.
I GET IT, I'M JUST SAYING I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BEST SOLUTION IS FOR THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE NOTARIZED FORM. SO THAT WAY IT CAN'T BE FORGED.
BECAUSE I COULD ALSO SEE A HOMEOWNER SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, MR. CONTRACTOR, I HIRED YOU TO TAKE CARE OF ALL OF THIS, YOU KNOW, AND THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW OR CARE TO PUT THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS IN.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T I DON'T KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT HAPPENS MORE OFTEN THAN THAN WE CARE TO ADMIT.
COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ I HAVE A QUESTION. SO I REMEMBER A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I HAD VISITED WITH A BUSINESS AND THERE HAD BEEN WAITING FOR APPROVAL FOR THEIR SIGN, A PERMIT FOR THEIR SIGN UP IN NORTH BEACH. AND CONTRACTOR HAD HAD BEEN LIKE 6 OR 7 MONTHS.
THE CONTRACTOR HAD UPLOADED THE FORM TO THE WRONG AREA, AND IT TURNED OUT THAT THERE WASN'T A MECHANISM TO LET THE CONTRACTOR KNOW THIS IS NOT RIGHT. AND SO I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S BEEN UPDATED.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE TACKLED HEAD ON.
WE WENT FROM 250 APPLICATIONS, POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS, DOWN TO 150.
SO PEOPLE GOING DOWN THE WRONG PATH, IF YOU WOULD.
SO WE COULD AGAIN, KEEP STREAMLINING THE PROCESS IF THAT'S THE SITUATION.
[02:00:01]
BUT AGAIN, IT'S JUST CONSOLIDATING, CONSOLIDATING GETTING EVERYBODY ROLLING IN THE SAME ONE IN THE SAME DIRECTION ONCE THEY GET GIGGED AND IT COMES BACK TO THAT CONTRACTOR OR THAT HOMEOWNER, THEY KNOW, HEY, WE APPLIED INCORRECTLY OR WE WENT TO THE WRONG DEPARTMENT OR WE'RE MISSING A DOCUMENT.AND THAT'S THE POINT OF THE SYSTEM TO TO GET BACK TO THEM.
I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. OH, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK? SORRY. YEAH.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR WORKING HARD. TYLER CREUTZFELDT PRESIDENT SOUTH OF FIFTH.
THE QUESTION ON COMPENSATION WAS REALLY GOOD.
MAYOR MINOR. IS IT REASONABLE TO ASK FOR A A BEST EFFORTS PLAN THAT ALIGNS YOUR VERY WELL INTENDED SUCCESS CRITERIA WITH COMPENSATION? THAT IS A COLLECTIVE, INCLUSIVE PLAN THAT'S PRESENTED TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THAT ALIGNS QUANTITATIVE SUCCESS CRITERIA WITH COMPENSATION TARGETS, BONUSES, WHATEVER IS LEGAL WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE COLLECTIVES THAT ARE HERE, IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY REASONABLE APPROACH TO THE BEST SUCCESSES, AND OWNERSHIP OF THE OUTCOMES WOULD BE ALIGNMENT WITH THE COMPENSATION TARGETS OR NOT TARGETS THAT ANY BUSINESS WOULD LOOK AT FOR INCLUDING KPIS. SO MY QUESTION WAS ACTUALLY IT WAS REALLY TWOFOLD.
THAT IS NOT SO MUCH THE CASE ANYMORE. SINCE MARIA AND VINCE TOOK, TOOK CONTROL.
BUT YOUR POINT. AND THE SECOND PART WAS TO YOUR POINT AS WELL.
FITNESS REPORT. YOU GET AN EVALUATION ON HOW GOOD OR HOW BAD YOU DO YOUR JOB.
YOU GET YOUR 3% INCREASE 2%, 1%, ETC. AND PERFORMANCE IS A HUGE PART OF THAT EVALUATION PROCESS.
SO IF YOU'RE NOT HITTING YOUR NUMBERS, IF YOU'RE NOT COMMUNICATING CLEARLY, ETC., YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET, YOU KNOW, THE IDEAL 3% INCREASE, RIGHT? IF YOU'RE FALLING JUST A LITTLE BIT SHORT, IT MIGHT BE TWO.
IF YOU'RE FALLING WOEFULLY SHORT, YOU MAY GET NONE.
SO A MERIT INCREASE OR A MERIT RAISE IS NOT A GUARANTEE.
AND THAT'S WHY THE THE ANNUAL EVALUATION AND WE HAVE REGULAR SPOT CHECKS LIKE, HEY, WE'VE NOTICED YOUR NUMBERS DROPPING, THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT'S WHAT THE CHIEFS ARE REGULARLY DOING AND MANAGING THEIR RESPECTIVE DISCIPLINES.
THAT'S A LOT HARDER TO DO, AS YOU IDENTIFIED WHEN WE HAVE CONTRACT OR OUTSIDE VENDORS SUPPORTING US.
FORTUNATELY, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO RECRUIT A LOT OF STAFF NOT EXACTLY EVERYWHERE I WANT TO BE BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH AN ATTRITION RATE AND THERE'S A SERIOUS DEFICIENCY, I THINK, IN EVERY INDUSTRY, BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC WITH GETTING QUALIFIED STAFF AS FAR AS FOR ALL THE TRADES AND DISCIPLINES BUT WE'RE MAKING GREAT STRIDES. WE'RE GETTING A GENTLEMAN'S ONBOARDED ON MONDAY FOR MECHANICAL OR AIR CONDITIONING AS EVERYONE ELSE KNOWS IT.
SO WE'RE PUSHING THE NEEDLE IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND AGAIN, THE EVALUATION PROCESS AND THE SUPERVISOR SITTING DOWN, GOING OUT WITH THE INSPECTORS AND AT THE SAME TIME ALSO REVIEWING SOME PLANS, SPOT CHECKING THINGS WITH THE REVIEWERS KEEPS THAT QUALITY CONTROL IN PLACE.
THE RISK OF LOSING FOLKS HERE, I JUST WANT A COUPLE OF WRAP UP QUESTIONS.
WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOFTWARE THAT WE USE FOR THIS ONLINE WHEN PEOPLE SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATIONS ONLINE.
YES, SIR. IS IT A GOOD PROGRAM? IS IT THE BEST PRACTICE? WHAT'S YOUR ASSESSMENT, SIR? I'M A MARINE. YOU GIVE ME A TOOL, I'LL PUT IT TO USE.
THERE'S A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES THAT USE THE TYLER PLATFORM THAT WE HAVE.
IT'S ALL IN CONFIGURATION. AND HOW YOU YOU MOLD IT TO DO WHAT YOU YOU NEED IT TO DO.
YOU SEEM TO BE HEDGING. NO, I'M NOT HEDGING. IT'S JUST IT'S A VERY SIMPLE.
GIVE ME. THE MAYOR ASKED YOU IF IT WAS THE BEST.
IF IF IT'S THE BEST. IF YOU HAD YOUR PICK, WOULD YOU.
IS THERE ANOTHER SOFTWARE OUT THERE THAT YOU UTILIZE? I DON'T KNOW, LET ME GO.
I'D HAVE TO GO SHOPPING. YES. SO THE CREDIT CARD.
I HAVE TO ASSUME IT'S CREDIT CARD, THAT IT'S NOT THE BEST SOFTWARE OUT THERE.
[02:05:05]
SO I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHETHER IT'S THE BEST SOFTWARE, THAT'S A VERY RELATIVE TERM. THERE'S A SOFTWARE OPERATIONALLY DO THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO BE ABLE TO PROCESS PERMITS AND DO METERS AND DO INSPECTIONS AND ALL THAT.YES. THAT SAID, WHEN WE LOOK AT AND WE'VE HAD EXERCISES WHERE WE'VE GONE OUT AND LOOKED AT THINGS THAT ARE OUT IN THE MARKET, WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, WE'VE ASSESSED WHAT'S OUT THERE, WHAT WE CURRENTLY OWN.
I WOULD SAY THE PRODUCT IS IS VERY GOOD AT DOING WHAT IT DOES.
IT DOESN'T GIVE YOU A LOT OF LEEWAY, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO IF YOU CAN CONFIGURE IT TO DO SOMETHING, IT WILL DO THAT CONSISTENTLY.
BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE OTHER NICE TO HAVES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DISCUSSED AT SOME OF THE COMMITTEES AND THE COMMISSION MEETINGS. THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS MAY EXIST. BUT AS FAR AS ITS ABILITY TO PROCESS PERMITS, TO DO REVIEWS, TO DO THE INSPECTION PORTION, THERE ARE MANY DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM USE INTER GOV IN SOME CAPACITY FOR DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.
I THINK WHAT FRANK IS TRYING TO SAY IN A VERY NICE MANNER IS IT'S NOT A FERRARI, BUT IT IS A CHEVROLET, AND IT DOES SERVE THE PURPOSE, AND WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN UTILIZE IT TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE PROCESS.
ARE WE RULING OUT THE FACT THAT WE MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS IN THE FUTURE? NO, WE'RE NOT RULING THAT OUT AT THIS POINT. OKAY.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S EXPENSE INVOLVED IN THAT, BUT SO WE CAN REVISIT THAT CONSCIOUS OF TIME.
I'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE. I KNOW LAST YEAR THIS ISSUE CAME UP WHEN WHEN THERE WERE SOME BUSINESSES THAT WERE LATE IN PAYING THEIR BUSINESS TAX RECEIPT, BTR AND THAT CAUSED A CERTIFICATE OF USE REVIEW, WHICH THEN TURNED INTO A GREASE TRAP DERM REVIEW, WHICH WOULD NOT HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN REQUIRED.
WHERE WE ARE, WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT AT THIS POINT? SO TOM CAN SPEAK TO THAT, BUT WE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED THAT PROCESS TO MAKE IT MUCH EASIER AND MUCH MORE BUSINESS FRIENDLY.
TOM, DO YOU WANT TO TALK? YEAH. AS THE MANAGER INDICATED, MR. MAYOR LAST YEAR, THIS WAS BACK IN 2024. WE CAME UP WITH A PROCESS WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO BASICALLY RE ACTIVATE BTRS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPIRED IF THE USE HAD NOT CHANGED.
SO LET'S SAY IT WAS A RESTAURANT OR A RETAIL STORE, AND THEY WERE RELYING ON SOMEBODY TO YEARLY RENEW THEIR BTR, AND THAT PERSON DIDN'T DO IT. AND IT'S THE SAME EXACT USE.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY THEIR BACK BTR RENEWAL FEES, BUT THEY COULD DO THAT.
AND I THINK THAT HAS PROVEN TO BE VERY SUCCESSFUL.
OKAY. SO YOU DON'T REJECT IT OUTRIGHT ANYMORE? NO. OKAY. ALSO WHAT HAPPENS, LIKE IF A RESTAURANT DOESN'T PAY THEIR THEIR BUSINESS TAX? MY UNDERSTANDING IS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE COUNTY DOES NOT SHUT THEM DOWN WITHOUT A COURT ORDER.
WHAT WHAT DOES THE CITY DO IN TERMS OF IF A IF A RESTAURANT OR ANY OTHER USE DOES NOT RENEW THEIR BTR TIMELY, THEY ARE SENT NOTICES AND AS LONG AS THEY COME HOME AND PAY THAT IT WON'T BE AN ISSUE.
BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF THE CITY SHUTTING DOWN A BUSINESS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PAY THEIR FEE.
OKAY. OR MANNY, IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THAT. MANNY.
HI THERE. MANNY MARCUS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FINANCE.
IF A BUSINESS DOESN'T PAY THEIR BUSINESS TAX RECEIPT, WE FORWARD A LIST TO CODE COMPLIANCE, AND WE FORWARD THE HIGH LIABILITY BUSINESSES FIRST NIGHTCLUBS, BARS, TATTOO PLACES, MASSAGE PARLORS.
SO THEY TACKLE I BELIEVE THEY TACKLE THOSE HIGH LIABILITY PLACES FIRST.
RIGHT? OKAY. BUT THEY GET MULTIPLE THEY GET MULTIPLE NOTICES.
ACTUALLY I HAVE DATA FROM FROM OUR TEACHERS. FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, WE'VE AVERAGED BUSINESSES PAYING THEIR TR OVER 90% OF BUSINESSES PAY THE TR BY THE DUE DATE, SEPTEMBER 30TH. SO WE'VE COME A LONG WAY.
CITY MANAGER HAS HELPED US WITH THAT. HE'S GIVEN US THE RESOURCES. WE SEND OUT EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS, SNAIL MAIL NOTIFICATIONS, OUTBOUND PHONE CALLS.
SO NINE OUT OF TEN BUSINESSES PAY THEIR TEACHERS BY THE DUE DATE.
OKAY, MR. MAYOR, WE HAVE ONE MORE. MISS SANTORO REQUESTING TO BRIEFLY SPEAK AGAIN.
JUST A QUESTION, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ. YEAH, BECAUSE I KNOW, MR. MAYOR, WE MIGHT LOSE QUORUM SOON. SOON? AND BEFORE WE DO THAT YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE A GREAT
[02:10:01]
TAKEAWAY FROM, FROM TODAY IS THAT REALLY 68% OF OUR PERMITS ARE.I ONLY HAVE 1 OR 2 REVIEWS. THAT'S SIGNIFICANT 38.
THE BIGGEST CATEGORY IS IN ONE REVIEW. 30. THE SECOND BIGGEST CATEGORY IS TWO REVIEWS.
NOW, NOT OPTIMUM THREE. THREE REVIEWS. IS 16%.
BUT THEN WE HAVE FOUR PLUS REVIEWS THAT ARE 16%.
AND. AND SO AND SO I THINK WE SHOULD SET A GOAL.
I THINK WE SHOULD WALK OUT OF THIS ROOM WITH A GOAL OVER THE NEXT QUARTER, OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
CAN WE REDUCE THAT BY HALF THE AMOUNT OF OF PERMITS THAT ARE IN FOR FOUR PLUS REVIEW CYCLES? CAN WE SAY, YOU KNOW, WITHIN WITHIN, YOU KNOW, A QUARTER FROM NOW WE WANT TO SEE THAT COME DOWN TO 8% ESPECIALLY.
WE'RE GOING TO BE ENGAGING IN COMMUNICATING AND COMMUNICATING WITH APPLICANTS AND GIVING THEM GRACE PERIODS TO CORRECT INCOMPLETE INCOMPLETE AND INCORRECT STUFF. WOULD IT BE REASONABLE MARIA, TO SET A GOAL OF CUTTING THIS NUMBER IN HALF? OVER OVER THE NEXT QUARTER ONCE WE START THESE COMMUNICATIONS.
I BELIEVE THAT WE COULD CUT IT IN HALF, BUT WE'LL WE'LL NEED MORE TIME.
I DON'T THINK WE CAN DO IT IN A QUARTER. SIX MONTHS.
EVERYTHING TAKES A YEAR. WE COULD TRY AND HOLD THE LINE.
COMMISSIONER. FERNANDEZ. HOLD THE LINE. IT WAS ABOUT 900 PERMITS THAT WERE IN THAT GROUP.
SO LET'S LET'S DO SIX MONTHS, BUT GIVE US AN UPDATE IN A QUARTER.
OKAY. GIVE US AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE'RE AT IN A QUARTER.
YOU KNOW, AND BECAUSE THIS GOES TOGETHER WITH SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT THAT WE REALLY HAVEN'T SET AS THE STANDARD, WHICH IS MID REVIEW COMMUNICATION, ESTABLISHING A 24 HOUR GRACE PERIOD.
AND BY IMPLEMENTING THAT, HOPEFULLY WE CAN SEE AN IMPROVEMENT IN THAT FOUR PLUS REVIEW CATEGORY.
WE'RE HOPEFULLY WE CAN WE CAN DROP THAT. BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IF I, IF I HAD TO GUESS MARIA, PROBABLY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THAT FOUR PLUS REVIEW CATEGORY, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE'RE HEARING FROM THE MOST.
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE REACHING OUT TO THE CITY MANAGER.
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE REACHING OUT TO TO OUR OFFICES.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE GOING THROUGH THROUGH THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES.
SO LET'S TRY TO SEE IF WE CAN SET A GOAL FOR OURSELVES WITHIN SIX MONTHS.
WE WANT TO SEE THIS NUMBER CUT IN HALF, BUT GIVE US AN UPDATE WITHIN A QUARTER TO SEE WHERE WE ARE.
WITH THAT SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT.
ALL RIGHT. AND. YEAH. ACCLAMATION BY. OKAY. AND THEN, AND THEN THE, THE, THE OTHER THING THAT I, THAT I ALSO WANT TO JUST ASK ABOUT IS AS IT RELATES TO INSPECTIONS YOU KNOW, IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE SAME INSPECTOR. BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS AND IT'S A VERY SUPERFICIAL THING, BUT WE LAST YEAR, ACTUALLY, ALMOST ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT A TEXT NOTIFICATION ON INSPECTIONS.
AND IT'S A VERY SIMPLE THING. IT'S IT'S NOT IT'S NOT GOING TO TRANSFORM THE SYSTEM.
WHERE ARE WE WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TEXT NOTIFICATION SO THAT IF YOU'RE WAITING ALL DAY FOR THE INSPECTOR TO GET TO YOUR HOUSE AND YOU DECIDE, OKAY, I'VE BEEN WAITING ALL DAY, I'M GOING TO RUN OUT AND GET A SANDWICH.
SO YOU DON'T HAPPEN TO RUN OUT AND GET YOUR RIGHT WHEN? RIGHT WHEN THE INSPECTOR IS ABOUT TO SHOW UP? GO AHEAD. OKAY, SO WE HAVE THE SYSTEM BUILT ALREADY.
WE'VE BEEN TESTING IT EXTENSIVELY FOR THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS.
INTERNALLY WE ARE COORDINATING WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
OUR INTENT IS TO MAKE THAT LIVE THE FIRST OR SECOND WEEK OF MARCH.
WE'RE WORKING ON SOME LAST MINUTE DETAILS WITH SOME VERBIAGE AS FAR AS THE MESSAGING IS CONCERNED.
BUT THE WAY THAT THE SYSTEM WOULD WORK, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO CHIME IN ON THIS PART.
ONCE THE INSPECTOR SET THE INSPECTION LIST FOR THE DAY EVERYONE WHO WAS ON THAT INSPECTION LIST FOR THE DAY WILL RECEIVE A TEXT MESSAGE TO THE NUMBER THAT WAS ENTERED AS PART OF THE PERMIT. SO WE KEEP COMING BACK TO TO THAT IMPORTANT DETAIL, AND IT WOULD GIVE THE RESIDENT BUSINESS OWNER, THE GC, THE ABILITY TO OPT IN. SO YOU'LL SAY, YES, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE MESSAGING.
IT'LL LET YOU KNOW YOU'RE SCHEDULED FOR AN INSPECTION TODAY. AND THEN AS IT IS CURRENTLY CONFIGURED,
[02:15:05]
IT WILL SEND YOU A MESSAGE WHEN YOU ARE NOT THE NEXT PERSON, BUT YOU ARE TWO AWAY TO GIVE YOU TIME.OKAY. GREAT. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU KNOW, WE WE STARTED WORKING ON THIS ON MAY OF LAST YEAR.
AND THE GREAT THING, THIS IS SUCH A GREAT CONVENIENCE ONCE WE LAUNCH IT.
AND I THINK IT'S I THINK THE FISCAL IMPACT OF THIS WAS LIKE $700.
IT'S LIKE LESS THAN $1,000. IT'S MOSTLY JUST A COST PER TEXT, BUT IT'S FRACTIONS OF A OF A PENNY.
AND THAT'S BASED OFF OUR EXPECTED PERMIT LOAD ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
SO SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I MEAN I THINK IT TOOK A YEAR TO GET IT TO THIS POINT, BUT I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE SUCH, SUCH A GREAT CONVENIENCE. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS OKAY, WELL, LET'S SAY YOU HAVE AN INSPECTION AND LET'S SAY YOU GOT TO DO OTHER, OTHER WORK AND, AND CALL FOR A RE INSPECTION THAT IT BE THE SAME PERSON WHO COMES OUT FOR THE INSPECTION.
AND I AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPLAINTS THAT I GET ONCE WE GOT INTO THE INSPECTION PART.
AND, MARIA, I LOVE TO SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT INSPECTIONS AND, YOU KNOW, SEE SOME SIMILAR DATA FOR, FOR, FOR ON THE, ON THE INSPECTION SIDE, BUT MAKING SURE THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE SAME PERSON THAT GOES OUT AND THAT THEY'RE NOT INSPECTING THE ENTIRE PROJECT, BUT THAT THE SCOPE OF THAT RE-INSPECTION NOW BE LIMITED TO SPECIFICALLY THE ISSUE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW. SO IF I HAD TO FIX SCREWS THAT YOU'RE NOT NOW INSPECTING, I DON'T KNOW THE DOORS, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU GO BACK AND THEN YOU JUST RE INSPECT THE, THE SCREWS.
SO THERE'S THE BUILDING THE ELECTRICAL, THE MECHANICAL AND THE PLUMBING.
AND SOMETIMES THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION. AND IF YOU'RE A COMMERCIAL JOB OR LOCATION, YOU ALSO HAVE A FIRE INSPECTOR. SO IMAGINE, IMAGINE, IMAGINE IF EVERY TIME YOU CAME BEFORE THIS COMMISSION, YOU HAD A DIFFERENT A DIFFERENT CITY COMMISSION HERE EVERY MONTH.
YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT MAYOR AND DIFFERENT AND DIFFERENT COMMISSIONERS AND THE DIFFERENT MAYOR AND DIFFERENT COMMISSIONERS EVERY MONTH, THEN START TELLING YOU WELL KNOW THIS IS YOUR FOCUS NOW INSTEAD OF INSTEAD OF.
YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET TO ADVANCE THE VISION OF THE BUILDING OF THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, RIGHT? NO, ABSOLUTELY. AND SO AND SO IT'S THE SAME THING ON ON ON ON THE REVERSE.
IT'S THE SAME THING WITH THE CONSUMER THAT WE'RE SERVING THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO GET CLARITY IF IF ONE INSPECTOR IS TELLING THEM TO DO SOMETHING AND THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE MISSING IN ORDER TO PASS THEIR INSPECTION, THEN THEY CANNOT DEAL A WEEK LATER WITH A SEPARATE INSPECTOR SHOWING UP AND TELLING YOU, HEY, KNOW, BUT YOU GOT TO FIX THESE TEN OTHER THINGS BECAUSE YOU MAY HAVE TOLD YOUR DOOR GUY, YOUR FLOOR GUY, YOUR WHATEVER, MAYBE, HEY, WELL, I'M DONE WITH YOU.
I ALREADY PASSED MY, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING WAS FINE.
I'M. MY ONLY PROBLEM IS WITH IS WITH THE SCREWS.
SO WE ONLY NEED THE GUY WHO IS FOCUSED ON THE SCREWS.
YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE HE WAS AGREEING WITH YOU.
OH, GOOD. YEAH, I WAS, IT'S JUST WE DO HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT INSPECTORS.
THAT'S ALL. I WAS TRYING TO COMMUNICATE, SIR. THAT'S IT.
I WILL SAY, THOUGH, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, THEY DO HAVE THAT.
IT'S NOT EVERY COMMISSION MEETING. IT'S EVERY TWO YEARS WHEN WE GET JUST TO RECOGNIZE THE REALITY.
YES. RIGHT. YES. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU. ERIC AND AND TEAM AND EVERYBODY. THIS WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE.
RIGHT? WE'RE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME. CALL US NOW A LAW AND ORDER CITY.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO EXPEDITE THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR FOR ALL YOUR HELP.
THANK YOU. IT'LL BE GREAT, ACTUALLY. AND SINCE SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NARRATIVE AND NOT TO EXTEND THE MEETING BUT COMMUNICATION AND I THINK AND I BROUGHT THIS UP AT A PRIOR COMMISSION MEETING, CRISIS MANAGEMENT, REPUTATIONAL DAMAGE CONTROL.
BECAUSE OVER THE DECADES WE HAVE HEARD OURSELVES.
[02:20:02]
BUT BUT OUR REPUTATION HAS BEEN DAMAGED. AND I DO THINK WE SHOULD BE SEEING, YOU KNOW, WOULD IT BE WORTH HIRING A PUBLIC RELATIONS COMPANY THAT SPECIFICALLY WORKS IN FIXING DAMAGED REPUTATIONS? BECAUSE ALL THE INITIATIVES ARE THERE, AND ALL THE RESOURCES ARE THERE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SHOW, HEY, LISTEN, WE'RE WE'RE FIXING THINGS. WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS.THE BEACH IS BACK. MR. MAYOR, I'M SORRY. MR. MOONEY WANTED TO BRIEFLY TOUCH ON R&B.
IF THAT WAY WE CAN CONCLUDE THE MEETING. SURE.
YEAH. R9 BE THE SUBSTANCE OF R9 B, WHICH IS A DISCUSSION ITEM.
THE SUBSTANCE OF THAT DISCUSSION WAS ACTUALLY ROLLED INTO R9, WHICH WAS PRESENTED BY MARIA.
SO IF YOU COULD CONCLUDE R9 B AS PART OF YOUR ACTION.
I'LL DO THAT. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE NEED A MOVE? I KNOW WE'LL WE'LL INCLUDE R9 B WITH THE AFTER ACTION OF R9.
GOT IT, GOT IT. OKAY. PERFECT. THANK YOU ALL.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, FOR THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING NEXT WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH.
WE'LL SEE YOU THEN. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.