Posted on: Friday, October 15, 2004

Permitting office needs a real fix

By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Columnist

The city Department of Planning and Permitting is almost legendary in its dysfunction. Stories abound of little Joe Homeowner having to stand in line for hours to try to get the OK to build an addition for the new baby. By the time the permit is finally approved, the kid is almost in college. There's no question that something needs to be done.

But this?

Mayor Jeremy Harris has announced a plan that would allow private firms to approve building permits — for a price, and for those who can afford that price.

This cure could do more damage than the chronic condition.

Will little Joe Homeowner be able to pay a private engineer's fee to get his building permit stamped? Only if that engineer is his cousin Bobby giving him a break. More likely, Joe will still be in the city office, waiting in that same frustrating line.

Here again is another shortcut tailor-made for high-dollar developers to build more stuff on this already over-built island. Not only more stuff, but stuff out of the purview of the city, which should take responsibility for catching tricky things that don't comply.

And these private third-parties? Architects and engineers to be licensed and certified by the city. As we have seen over the last two years, Harris knows a number of architects and engineers.

So a developer pays a company — maybe even an "independent" branch of the same development company — to approve their building plans. And what if they're trying to get away with something? Something too tall, too dense, too obtrusive, too wobbly?

As the folks on the unhappy side of the Great Wall of 'Ewa will tell you, once something goes up, it's nearly impossible to get it taken down — especially if the developer has the money to fend off legal challenges.

Yes, something needs to be done to fix the Department of Permitting and Planning. So fix it. Increase the budget. Increase the staff. Facilitate functionality. Don't farm out permitting and oversight work that should be the responsibility of local government.

Otherwise, where do you stop?

Next thing you know, those who can afford it will be able to purchase $300 driver's licenses out of kiosks at the shopping center.

Next thing you know, the duties of the notoriously overburdened Family Court will be farmed out to private vendors who will adjudicate domestic violence and child custody cases on behalf of the party who can afford such convenience.

Next thing you know, big developers will be hiring their own private archaeologists to look over (or overlook) Hawaiian bones as they build Wal-Marts in the center of town.

Oh wait. That already happened.

Speed up the process. Don't water down the process. And make it fair for the little guys.

Reach Lee Cataluna at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.