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Software to Help High Point, N.C., Residents Navigate Building Development Process

The $1.8 million Accela Automation Enterprise Software system will allow the public to apply for permits online.

(TNS) -- Technological upgrades aimed at addressing some of the main complaints against the city are expected to be rolled out next month.

A new system for handling building permit requests and other aspects of development projects is scheduled to launch Aug. 3, according to Planning and Development Director Lee Burnette.

The $1.8 million Accela Automation Enterprise Software system will allow the public to apply for permits online. The city will launch a new website — www.buildhighpoint.com — in conjunction with Accela that aims to help the public navigate the development process.

“We should be able to provide a much better product and easier process for our building community,” said City Manager Greg Demko. “We’re doing further testing and working with citizen groups and the building community to make sure it gets rolled out right.”

Councilman Jay Wagner, who chairs the council’s Planning and Development Committee, said he’s hopeful the Accela system will help shorten the time it takes the city to process permit applications from contractors and others undertaking building projects.

Wagner led a committee last year that raised several concerns about problems in the city’s approval process for construction plans.

“I know there are still problems with the perception of that department and the cultural issues that are in there. I think we still have some problems that need to be addressed, and I think it’s something council will stay on top of,” he said. “What I get from the builders is, the holdup always seems to be on the permitting side — getting your plans reviewed and approved and getting your permit so you can go ahead and start construction.”

The committee found the department is perceived by the public as adversarial and has a reputation for having a burdensome and time-consuming approval process.

“The private sector generally has little confidence that plan review staff is there to facilitate the approval of plans, but rather nitpicks by using the most restrictive interpretation of State Building Codes,” the committee’s report stated.

Wagner said the hope is for Accela and other changes underway to facilitate more of a “make-it-work” attitude that is a key part of customer service.

“I think the key is how our staff responds to those issues. Are our guys simply telling people they can’t do stuff based on State Building Code, or are they actively involved in trying to find a work-around solution?” Wagner said. “I think there are folks doing projects in High Point who are frustrated and feel like staff won’t help them.”

The goal of Accela is to link several city departments that play a role in approving development projects, such as engineering services, transportation, public services and fire.

“They’re now in multiple systems that don’t talk to each other,” Burnette said.

Once Accela goes live, it will take some time for it be fully operational, he added. The city will continue to operate on its current system during the transition.

Once it’s fully implemented, the goal is to provide a better communication tool for builders and others undertaking development projects from the time they apply for a permit to the point at which they obtain a certificate of occupancy.

©2015 The High Point Enterprise (High Point, N.C.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.