Operational review urges faster permitting, published metrics and a deputy for CDRA

A consultant presentation to the City of South Fulton on July 28 outlined what it called fundamental obstacles in the Community Development and Regulatory Affairs (CDRA) department and offered a roadmap to speed permitting and improve accountability.

Byron Marshall of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, who led the operational assessment, told the council the review identified "inconsistent staff communication" and "an absence of performance metrics and accountability" across interviews with council members, staff and developers. "The permitting process is cumbersome," Marshall said, adding it "could take up to 8 months to get a permit." He and staff recommended standardized response protocols, mandatory pre-application meetings and a 10-day target for first reviews where feasible.

Managing Director Reggie McClendon said the department has begun some of the work and that the city has already purchased the Tyler ERP system to centralize permitting and finance functions. McClendon said staff will pilot planning-first reviews and an express-permit desk for homeowners and small businesses. "We are working on the work plan," he said, and indicated some recommendations will be short-term (a few months) while others may take 18–24 months to implement.

Marshall emphasized oversight and monitoring: publish cycle-time metrics, define service-level agreements so applicants know expected turnaround times, and create a public-facing GIS performance dashboard required by law in 2028. He also urged that CDRA add a deputy director focused on operations so the general manager can concentrate on policy and long-term planning.

Council members pressed for clarity on interviews used for the assessment and the timeline for the implementation plan. Marshall said the final findings and recommendations could be delivered to the city on Monday and that development of an implementation plan could take about 30 days. McClendon said staff will include staffing and budget implications in the upcoming budget cycle.

What happens next: council members asked staff to return with a work plan and milestones; the consultants indicated they will hand over findings immediately and continue to assist with implementation planning.