Mayor Deegan has announced an 8-point action plan to streamline the civil plan review and permitting process, which covers the horizontal elements of construction projects, such as water and sewer lines, drainage, roadways and parking. 
 
“We know from our conversations with folks in the industry that this process was taking too long for many years,” said Mayor Donna Deegan. “Time is money in business, and delays mean lost revenue for businesses, whether it is home sales, rental units, or retail space. This exciting new plan brings more people, resources, and technology to the process to make it work more efficiently for the developer community, city staff, and all our citizens.”
 
The action plan started with the Mayor’s Transition Committee on Permitting and was expanded with input from city staff and industry experts, including members of the Northeast Florida Builders Association and the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.
 
It incorporates multiple changes in people, process, and technology, as follows:
 

1. Reorganization: The Development Services Division was successfully transferred to the Public Works Department in March. (Complete)
2. Planning: City staff conducted a three-day workshop diving into each step of the civil plan review process to identify and eliminate inefficiencies before proceeding with program and technology upgrades. (Complete)
3. Industry Forums: The city will hold three public industry forums in May to provide education and receive feedback from design professionals, contractors, and developers.
4. Overflow Support & AI Tools: The city is contracting with consultants to provide resources in critical areas, including traffic and drainage plan reviews. AI-driven tools are being explored to improve comment analysis and permitting efficiency before plans reach a human reviewer.
5. Digitize with JaxEPICS: Civil plan reviews will fully transition into JaxEPICS, the online permitting system launched in January 2024 that was developed in-house and which has already saved the city millions of dollars.
6. Eliminate Paper Processes: Additionally, legacy paper processes, such as revocable permits and in-lieu sidewalk applications, will also be moved online.
7. Express Lane: An “Express Lane” permitting option is being evaluated to allow for expedited reviews for an additional fee. This model has been successfully implemented in other cities.
8. Private Provider Program: The city is also studying the feasibility of a private provider program to allow certification of external professionals to be contracted by the applicants to conduct certain reviews.

 
“This plan aims to reduce bottlenecks, make smarter use of public and private resources, and accelerate the time to project approval while ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal regulations,” said City of Jacksonville Public Works Director Nina Sickler. “It’s about building a smarter, faster, and more collaborative permitting process.”
 
“Our goal was simple: make the process faster, more transparent, and easier to navigate for residents, businesses, and builders alike,” said City of Jacksonville Chief Information Officer Wanyonyi Kendrick. “With technology, we are handling higher volumes, while delivering dramatic improvements in speed and service.”
 
“I have been trying to get the city to fix permitting for my whole life. We have a mayor that has said we're going to fix it,” said Toney Sleiman, President and CEO of Sleiman Enterprises. “This plan is setting the example for cities across the state and the entire country. People in Jacksonville are going to be able to get their permits quickly because of it.”