Peachtree City announces permitting upgrades, new partner and digital tools to speed approvals

Shayla Reed, planning and development director for the City of Peachtree City, announced a package of changes to the city’s permitting operations designed to speed reviews and improve customer service. "We've just partnered with Charles Abbott and Associates to support the growing demand for building inspections and plan review," Reed said.

The changes are intended to add capacity and streamline routine steps for permit applicants. Reed said the partnership with Charles Abbott and Associates will bring "more capacity and expertise to our team" and that Brian Epstein has joined as the city's new building official from that firm. "Brian brings a strong background in building safety, code compliance, and excellent customer service," she said.

Reed also said the department added a permitting technician and a zoning technician to shorten response times and improve communication through the application process. To support digital workflows, the city launched a new cloud-based permitting system that "allows for you to submit applications, track processes, and upload documents online anytime, anywhere," Reed said. The department also rolled out ePlanSoft, a plan-review platform Reed said enables digital markups and real-time collaboration, which she said will mean "fewer delays, quicker feedback, and faster approvals."

The updates are administrative changes rather than policy decisions and require no council action as described in the announcement. For help with the new systems or questions about permitting, Reed provided the department phone number, (770) 487-5731, and the city website, peachtree-city.org.

Reed closed by thanking listeners and saying the department looks forward to helping build "an even better Peachtree City."