When the Citizen Self Service Portal is implemented later this year, contractors and homeowners alike will be able to apply for construction or remodeling permits without having to go to the third floor of city hall. They will also be able to use their home computer or a smartphone to track the progress of the application as the various inspections are done.
If the project does not pass an inspection, the contractor or homeowner will receive an email spelling out what additional work has to be done.
“We hope to have a soft rollout by this summer,” said Development Services director Shane Hooper. “It is new technology so we do anticipate some technical difficulties, but we are taking steps to minimize them.”
By moving away from handwritten applications, which can be difficult to read, accuracy will improve. The new digital format will also make it easier to search for information. It will also be easier to share the project plans with other city departments (such as Tupelo Water & Light or Tupelo Fire Department) who need to conduct inspections.
“It will also offer more accountability, because each time an inspection is done, the file will be time and date stamped,” Hooper said. “Tupelo citizens will benefit from cutting-edge technology and services.”
Development Services has been working for about 18 months to get to this point in the process. The Tupelo City Council approved the purchase of $22,000 in software. There are still months of work to get the dozens of permit application forms ready to be accessed through the city’s website.
While some cities allow their residents to print applications from their websites, Hooper said Tupelo should be the first municipality in Mississippi to allow people to apply and track permits online.
This service will only apply to building and construction permits handled by the planning department on the third floor of city hall.
Anyone wanting a yard sale permit will still have to go to the first floor of city hall.
©2017 the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal (Tupelo, Miss.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
