The City of Jacksonville has introduced a new “Express Lane Permitting” program, offering applicants the option to receive expedited permit reviews 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.”
Previously, commercial permitting first reviews averaged about 30 days. By August, that average had dropped to 13 days. The city expects that with “Express Lane Permitting,” these times will decrease even further.
“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.
To further speed up approvals, Jacksonville plans to use AI-driven tools to enhance comment analysis and efficiency before human review. The city will work with Swiftgov.ai on this initiative; similar technology has led to shorter review times in other Florida counties.
In May, Jacksonville announced an eight-point action plan aimed at streamlining its civil plan review and permitting process. This process covers key elements of construction projects such as stormwater drainage, roadways, landscaping, and parking.
More details about “Express Lane Permitting” can be found at jaxepics.coj.net.
