Could Miami-Dade finally be making it easier to get a permit? Don’t faint yet

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Anthony Rodriguez pitches making same-day permits permanent

Miami-Dade County government may actually be considering doing something that makes life easier for homeowners who now have to make three trips to the permitting office, take two blood-pressure medications and get a notarized affidavit from their great-grandmother when they want to put up a backyard fence.

County Commission Chairman Anthony Rodriguez is pushing legislation that would take the county’s existing same-day residential permitting program — currently an administrative policy — and write it into county law so it can’t quietly disappear with the next administration.

That’s the kind of government housekeeping that rarely makes headlines but can make a real difference for anyone who’s ever tried to build a fence, replace a gate or tackle a small home improvement project without growing old in the permitting process.

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The proposal, approved by a county commission committee and headed to the full board for a final vote Tuesday, would also expand the list of residential projects eligible for same-day review, which will now include:

• Fences (up to six feet)
• Gates
• Stairs and railings
• Driveways and pavers
• Trusses
• Swimming pools
• Windows, doors, shutters, skylights, and garage doors
• Roofing and reroofing
• Kitchen and bathroom remodels
• Interior or partial demolition
• Prefabricated sheds
• Minor non-structural repairs
• Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing repair permits

In other words, the county may finally acknowledge that putting up a backyard fence or installing a garage door shouldn’t require the patience of Job.

Before anybody starts accusing the county of throwing caution to the wind, there are still guardrails.

Read related: Beam me plans up, Scotty: Miami considers new virtual permitting dream

Projects requiring structural review, homes in historic districts, properties with open code enforcement cases and applications intended to legalize existing violations would still go through the traditional review process. Nobody is handing out same-day permits for complicated construction projects.

But perhaps the most interesting part of Rodriguez’s proposal isn’t the faster permitting. That’s an old promise.

It’s the accountability.

Under the legislation, county staff would have to report back to commissioners every six months with actual numbers: how many applications were submitted, how many received same-day approval, how many didn’t and — here’s the important part — why they didn’t.

Because if government is going to promise faster service, somebody ought to be keeping score.

Even more unusual is a provision that would hit the county where government tends to pay attention: the wallet. If permit reviews aren’t completed within the required 24-hour timeframe, applicants would receive a 10 percent discount on their permit fees for every day the county misses the deadline.

Think about that for a second. Residents already pay late fees when they miss deadlines. This proposal flips the script by saying government should face consequences when it misses one.

“If residents are expected to meet deadlines and pay penalties when they’re late, then government should be held to the same standard,” Rodriguez said in a statement announcing the legislation.

It’s a simple idea, but one that’s surprisingly uncommon in government. But what if it starts costing taxpayers.

First the chairman wanted to fix procurement with a task force he formed last summer to identify inefficiencies and overhaul the process. A report is due any day.

Now, A-Rod wants to fix permitting. Or perhaps just wants everyone to forget about that shady charity that worked on his rodeo days at Tropical Park and the 11 FIFA World Cup tickets, valued at $38,000, gifted to his political action committee by the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Of course, he’s not the only one who got tickets. He may be the only one who discloses them.

Read related: STRIP show: Miami-Dade’s Anthony Rodriguez wants to fix procurement

But back to what he wants us to focus on, whether the county can consistently deliver same-day permitting remains to be seen. Anyone who’s dealt with permits in Miami-Dade knows optimism should always come with a backup plan.

Still, making the program permanent, expanding eligibility and requiring regular performance reports would give homeowners something they’ve long wanted from county government: predictability.

And maybe — just maybe — a permit process that doesn’t take longer than the home improvement project itself.

Now there’s a concept.

The full Miami-Dade County Commission is scheduled to consider the ordinance on Tuesday. The meeting starts at 9 a.m. at County Hall, 111 First Ave., and can be seen online at the county’s website and also on its official YouTube channel.

If approved, the same-day permitting program would become part of county code, expanding expedited residential permitting while creating new reporting requirements and financial incentives for the administration to meet its own deadlines.

Only in Miami would “government promises to do paperwork on time” qualify as breaking news.

But if it works? We will happily take the win.

This kind of independent, government watchdog reporting is crucial to transparency and democracy. And more so every day. Help shine a light on the darker corners of our community with a contribution to Political Cortadito. Click here. Ladra thanks you for your support.