Posted on: Friday, October 15, 2004

EDITORIAL
New building permit system worth a look

For some time now, Honolulu has been struggling to speed up the often arduous process of getting building permits.

In some cases, streamlining the process has helped, but it has been seriously offset by a shortage of people needed to do the work.

Thus, the latest plan to speed up the process announced this week by Mayor Jeremy Harris makes a lot of sense. The city intends to certify or deputize licensed private architects and engineers to review building plans for those willing to pay.

The permit would continue to be issued by the city.

The details of this proposal are still being worked out, but at first glance it appears to be a smart idea. Other jurisdictions, such as Napa Valley in California, are using this process. And it appears to be working well there and in similar cities. But there are still several issues that must be worked through.

The first is liability. If a third party approves a building permit that turns out to be flawed or rejected, who is liable? It's likely the firms doing this work would have to pick up extra liability insurance, which suggests this private process will not come cheap.

The city should not face any more liability than it does today when it approves a permit, according to city officials. Ultimately, it is the permit holder's responsibility to get things right.

There is also the issue of equity and fairness. Should those with the money be able to get faster service than the regular guy who cannot afford it and must stand in line?

The city's answer here is that, to the degree people use private contractors to review building plans, there will be more city employees available to review plans for others. It should, they argue, speed up the process for the little guy.

If that's true, and if the everyday citizen can still get prompt and efficient review of his permit applications, then this new system is worth adopting.