Recent content by W3 Planning and Research

I can’t comment on this one at all, since I was involved in the original permitting for this. Go ask them directly and see what they say.

There absolutely are processes to do that. The bigger question comes in to time versus money for my clients. In this case, we walked away from the deal. If the jurisdiction can't do simple requests, it sends a very loud clear message to people investing money that this isn't the place for...

So I wanted to follow up on this with some experiences lately. I am seeing a trend, and I won't get too political here, but it is in the blue states. Refusal to deliver public records, delays in getting zoning verification letters turned around, and quite frankly obstinate staff believing we...

In my long career, it is usually unpermitted work. Decks, room additions, garage conversions and guest houses. People always think it is easier to do it without permits, until we would have them rip the drywall down for a structural inspection and require it to be signed off by an engineer...

For anyone involved with permitting compliance in mining in Arizona, this was a buig surprise! Governor Katie Hobbs Appoints Les Presmyk to Serve as State Mine Inspector News Release September 12, 2025 Phoenix, AZ – Today, Governor Katie Hobbs appointed Walter Lesley “Les” Presmyk to serve as...

I don't think anyone can in good faith issue a C of O on a 40 year old house. What codes were in place? Inspections? You are attesting that the buildign was built 40 years ago, and met all code requirements at the time of construction, with zero records to back those facts up. Better to...

Sorry, I missed that. I was thinking that this was Yuma County for some reason. It likely predates building codes. I view it this way, if the jurisdiction cannot provide records to verify one way or the other, then the win goes to the citizen and I would declare it legal non-conforming with...

When did your building code go into effect in Yuma County? Most rural counties in Arizona didn't even have building codes until 2000+-. You could use waht is called a "zonign clearance" which just said it met the requirements of the zoning code at that time as there were no other regulatios...

That is great! The fines should be steep for repeate offenders for work without permits. Especially commercial companies that know better. If it was a digital billboard in a key traffic area, they are likley making between 300K and 500K per month on the billboard. They are outrageous cash cows.

At my old agency (Large county in AZ) all of our fines were standard. They could be adjusted by the Hearing officer, but by state statute they were all 750 per violation per day for residential and 10,000 per day per violation for commercial violations. Everyone just affirmed with the State...

HOA's have ZERO authority over permitting departments. However they have tremendous power over the property owners. Since their covnenants are often more restrictive, it becomes an expensive court battle to win, and 90% of the time the courts rule in favor of the HOA's in those matters. That...

HOA's can be MORE restrictive than the jurisdictional codes but never less restrictive. They have the ability to compel additional standard. Now they are a private entity, and jurisdictions don't enforce private convenants, so you can have a permit issued by your local jurisdiction that does...

For me, compliance was our first goal. If we got to the fee part, the people deserved it. That means that they failed to act on numerous attempts and notices to come into compliance, followed by going before a lienent judge who would waive fees IF the came into compliance by a certain date...

I won't speak too ill of Smartgov, lets just say they were very marketing heavy and light on the development side. They got their feet in the door in certain regions and then branched out to everyone in the region, essentially lowering the bar for everyone. I had one in a jurisdiction I...

Finance should neve be involved in choosing software for other departments. Anything can and will connect with Tyler financials. But if you screw a permitting system up, you are hindered for years or decades.