“Express Lane Permitting” allows applicants to get an expedited review for an additional fee.

“Since we instituted express lane permitting, we are already seeing a reduction in the time it takes to get a permit in the city,” said Nina Sickler, Director of Public Works for the City of Jacksonville. “For example, we issued building and civil permits for a new fast-food restaurant in just 15 days for the civil plan review and 18 for the building permit.”

To put this into perspective, the average first review turn-around time for commercial permitting had been 30 days in the past. As of August, it was down to just 13 days. And with “Express Lane Permitting,” it will be even faster.

“As we all know, time is money, and a faster, more efficient permitting process means more money in the pockets of everyone along the chain,” said Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan.

Another way the city will accelerate permit approval will be with AI-driven tools, which can improve comment analysis and permitting efficiency before plans reach a human reviewer. The city will be implementing an AI program in partnership with Swiftgov.ai, which has been successful in significantly reducing review times in other Florida counties.

In May, the city announced an 8-point action plan to streamline its civil plan review and permitting process, which covers the horizontal elements of construction projects, such as stormwater drainage, roadways, landscaping, and parking.

For more information about “Express Lane Permitting,” visit: jaxepics.coj.net.