Need a Permit? The City of Dallas Says Some Builders Can Jump The Line And Get One in a Day

September 16, 2022 | Joanna England | | Building Trends

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Chris Sandlin’s firm builds high-end homes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. (courtesy rendering)

Chris Sandlin has been waiting for some time as his two projects make their way through the building permit queue at the City of Dallas’ Development Services office. When he submitted his paperwork, the projected wait time was about four weeks.

“From what I hear, and from my own experience, the average wait time for a permit is about three months,” Sandlin said.

It’s a different verse in the same song we’ve heard since the start of the global pandemic. At that time, the City of Dallas’ building permit office ground to a complete halt. Since then, things have improved, albeit too slowly to undo the damage wrought in the meantime.

To help alleviate the backlog in the building permit queue, the Development Services department launched the Rapid Single-Family VIP Program (RSVP). The program, which is described by the city as a “quality, personalized, and expeditious plan review,” is intended to create same-day permit opportunities for qualifying applicants. Registered builders can request an appointment and have their permit issued and fees paid on the same day.

Launched on Sept. 2, the program already has nine appointments scheduled, said Chief Building Official Andrew Espinoza.

“Within our working queue, we have permits that are coming through our office that are easy projects that end up at the back of the line,” Espinoza said. “The program will provide a personal touch to the review process.”

The program is open to any registered developer, homeowner, architect, engineer, or contractor. The fee for the expedited plan review is $200 per hour with a minimum of two hours booked with city staff.

“It’s an opportunity for us to get face-to-face time with builders who are working through our office and absolutely need a permit same day,” Espinoza said.

Jumping The Line

Now, prior to the pandemic, the City of Dallas had a system in which a builder could meet face to face with city staff at the Oak Cliff Municipal Service Center and secure a permit that very day should they meet all the qualifications. This program would do much the same, albeit with the expedited fee attached. While this is a welcome effort, Sandlin says it falls short of helping to clear the painfully long wait for a permit.

“It does seem like they’re working to improve the process,” Sandlin said of the progress Espinoza has made in Development Services, “but it’s not enough to help my business or other builders like me.”

At issue are the parameters to qualify for the RSVP service. Projects must be new single-family homes no larger than 3,000 square feet with no more than three stories and no basements. Additionally, properties cannot be in a special overlay district (Historic, Floodplain, Conservation, Complex
PUD, or Shared Access), they must be platted or have early release approvals, and the complete permit package must be submitted.

Unfortunately, the two projects of Sandlin’s award-winning, high-end custom home business that still languish in the queue don’t qualify for the program due to size. However, should the initial run of the RSVP program prove to be successful, Espinoza says that his department is open to broadening the parameters.

“We have the potential to expand this program to 5,000-square-foot homes and larger,” he said. Additionally, a program modeled after this one could be forthcoming for smaller commercial properties, Espinoza added.

While any progress is welcome, the drawn-out permit queue in Dallas has complicated the building process and made construction more expensive for clients and buyers, Sandlin said. Plus, it feels like the city is picking and choosing what projects get to move to the front of the line while others remain stuck.

“Every project has turned into a multi-year project, whereas before, we could complete a project within a 12-month calendar year,” he said. Comparatively, Sandlin’s recent project in Frisco was a completely different experience.

“The permit process took about three weeks compared to about three months with the City of Dallas,” Sandlin said.

Interested in the RSVP program? To schedule an appointment, email [email protected] or [email protected]. You can also call 214-948-5391.

Pop-Up Permit Saturday

For those who are looking to secure permits for other projects, the Oak Cliff Municipal Service Center will be open Saturday, Sept. 17, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help customers with the following permit applications: