Share to:

Permitting departments execute complex operations requiring the management of thousands of permit applications, direct coordination with applicants, reviews from multiple teams on the same application, cross-department pre-application and development meetings with applicants, post permit inspection and code enforcement, and more. This complexity requires a variety of tools to ensure effective and efficient operations, such as:

Permitting Software

This type of software is specifically designed to manage the permitting process, including receiving and reviewing permit applications, issuing permits, tracking inspections, and managing renewals. This software also can serve as a collaborative tool for document management, communications, and code enforcement.

The nature of receiving applications and conducting reviews means that applicants have already submitted their project paperwork through the permitting software, and it is already organized by project. This allows the software to serve a dual purpose and mitigates the need to purchase additional document management tools, at least where permitting departments are concerned.

An effective permitting software should have an intuitive customer interface that allows applicants and the municipality to communicate about a project directly in the project’s file. This ensures emails are not lost, project communications are organized, and someone on the applicant or municipality side can pick up the file and understand the history and status of the project.

Due to the design of the software, it is ideal to include any time of application, request, complaint, etc. that a constituent would need review for and a decision on from the permitting team in the permitting software. This could include requests for court or council approval, requests for inspections, code violation complaints, and more. The software is already set up for the department to review the applicant submission, review any supporting documentation, track the steps of the process, and provide some form of written decision or action.

Examples: MyGovernmentOnline, Brightly, and CivicPlus

GIS Software

Municipalities are complex. There might be multiple levels and overlapping layers of jurisdictions across a municipality, various areas of floodplains and endangered species, municipal capital improvement projects, and more. Geographic information system (GIS) software is used to create and manage maps and other spatial data, which can be useful for helping applicants understand how this complexity impacts their project. This understanding saves them time and money, because they can better plan their project. It also increases revenue for the municipality, because these better planned projects can get built more quickly. This results in taxable real estate and more tax paying residents.

Examples: ArcGIS, QGIS, & Hexagon Geomedia

Project Management Software

Permitting departments may use project management software to help manage and track the progress of projects and tasks not related to specific permit application reviews. This may include change management projects, training and development initiatives, community engagement activities, and more. This type of software helps to ensure everyone is aware of the project statuses and their tasks, and gives everyone involved a central place to communicate about the projects, similar to how the permitting software does for permit applications.

Examples: Trello, Microsoft Planner, and Jira

Effective management of permitting departments requires using the right tools for the job. Permitting software serves as a comprehensive solution for managing the entire permitting process and more, GIS software helps applicants understand the complexities of their projects, and project management software improves transparency and coordination for internal department projects. Integrating these tools streamlines operations, improves communication, and enhances overall efficiency, benefiting both applicants and municipalities.

At Front Line Advisory Group (FLAG), we are providing process improvement and change management services to help municipalities collect and analyze data, improve stakeholder communication, leverage technology, develop training plans, and more. We believe these are the most effective and affordable ways for municipalities to scale their capabilities. Contact us for more info at info@frontlineadvisorygroup.com.

FLAG provides program management consulting services in Central Texas for municipal and school capital improvement bonds. FLAG is revolutionizing the construction industry and transforming client expectations by obsessing over the basics of budget oversight, schedule enforcement, compliance, vendor management, and stakeholder communication.

Join our weekly newsletter and receive a free copy of our new book!

JOIN NEWSLETTER

Overcoming Optimism and the Uniqueness Trap in Infrastructure Projects
Articles

Overcoming Optimism and the Uniqueness Trap in Infrastructure Projects

Cities routinely invest in roads, libraries, water systems, drainage, and other infrastructure to improve communities. Too often, however, these capital...
Read More
Planned Unit Developments: Investing in Communities
Articles

Planned Unit Developments: Investing in Communities

Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) are popping up in cities and suburbs across the country, promising a mix of homes, shops,...
Read More
U.S. Department of Treasury. Best Practices for Financial Transparency in Public Sector Capital Projects. Retrieved from www.treasury.gov
Articles

U.S. Department of Treasury. Best Practices for Financial Transparency in Public Sector Capital Projects. Retrieved from www.treasury.gov

The Need for Standardized Accounting in Capital Improvement Bond Programs Capital improvement bond programs are the lifeblood of infrastructure development...
Read More
Building a Better Tomorrow: Insights into Galveston County’s $186 Million Bond Initiative
Articles

Building a Better Tomorrow: Insights into Galveston County’s $186 Million Bond Initiative

In February 2025, the Galveston County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a bond election totaling approximately $186 million, scheduled for May...
Read More
Future-Proofing Public Projects: Sugar Land’s Strategic Inflation Contingency in Bond Initiative
Articles

Future-Proofing Public Projects: Sugar Land’s Strategic Inflation Contingency in Bond Initiative

In November 2024, Sugar Land residents approved a comprehensive $350 million bond package aimed at enhancing public safety, infrastructure, municipal...
Read More
The Measurable Future of Construction: Data-Driven Success in the 21st Century
Articles

The Measurable Future of Construction: Data-Driven Success in the 21st Century

For decades, the construction industry has been the bedrock of economic development, shaping skylines and expanding infrastructure. Yet, while advancements...
Read More
Welcome to the 21st Century Construction Industry – If It Can’t Be Measured, It Can’t Be Managed
Articles

Welcome to the 21st Century Construction Industry – If It Can’t Be Measured, It Can’t Be Managed

The construction industry has long been synonymous with heavy equipment, hard hats, and on-site chaos. But as we stand in...
Read More
The Blueprint for Effective Program Management Controls
Articles

The Blueprint for Effective Program Management Controls

A well-structured Program Management Consultant (PMC) team focused on program controls should have the following key positions. Every position is...
Read More
“Finish Strong: Start Early” Why Early Documentation Handling is Critical
Articles

“Finish Strong: Start Early” Why Early Documentation Handling is Critical

The construction closeout phase marks the culmination of a project—a period where all remaining tasks are completed, and the project...
Read More
A Groundbreaking Vision: Inside New York’s Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB) Program
Articles

A Groundbreaking Vision: Inside New York’s Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB) Program

From the beginning, New York State’s Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB) program has been nothing short of groundbreaking. It was established...
Read More
1 2 3 22