The City of Monroe is making significant improvements to its development review and permitting process to enhance efficiency, reduce wait times, and increase transparency for residents, businesses, and developers.
Following direction from City Council at its September 2024 retreat, Assistant City Manager Jeff Wells led a comprehensive evaluation of the City’s permitting operations, including review timelines, internal workflows, and public communication. Wells presented the findings and recommended improvements at the February 11, 2025, Regular City Council Meeting.
Key Improvements:
- Faster, More Predictable Review Timelines
- 5 business days for smaller permits (residential, one- and two-family dwellings)
- 10 business days for larger permits (commercial sites, renovations, erosion control, stormwater)
- Modernized Application Process
- Introduction of electronic fillable forms, replacing outdated paper-based applications
- Electronic signatures to speed up approvals and reduce delays
- Enhanced Transparency & Communication
- Updated website with clearer guidance, workflow charts, and instructional videos
- Monthly reports to City Council detailing permit activity and review timelines
“Sometimes it would take a week or two just to get those paper permits off the pile and entered into the system. Electronic fillable forms will get this process out of the Stone Age and significantly improve our review time,” said Wells.
To support these improvements, the upcoming budget includes funding for two engineering positions, one fire plan reviewer, and a review process manager. Two of these roles will be funded through the general fund, while the others will be covered by enterprise funds.
“I would like to commend Assistant City Manager Wells and all the department heads that have worked on this process. We expect that this is going to have a significant impact on our business processes,” said City Manager Mark Watson.
Staff will continue to implement the recommended changes, and provide another update to City Council in the near future.
For more information on permits, visit our Permit Center webpage.