Pre-applications in Florida

[KayWard]

I had to pull some environmental permits this past month in Destin, Florida, and I wanted to share a couple of things that I believe helped the process go more smoothly. The first tip is that it's absolutely worth it to schedule a free pre-application meeting. It might seem like an unnecessary step, but believe me, it will save you time in the long run. During the meeting, you will go over your project with the District staff, who will then answer any questions you might have and will offer suggestions to help you stay in compliance. In my experience, the staff are interested and incredibly helpful. They might even offer you alternative ideas that you wouldn't have considered otherwise.

The second tip is to use their online portal to apply for the permits when one is available to you. It's much faster than printing out the forms and filling them out directly. Also, be sure to give yourself ample time for your permit applications to move through the system.

 

[Winny]

I have friends who live in Florida and would be quite happy to know this. I will keep this mind in Michigan as well, even though things may be a bit different here, they may still do some similar things to what you got going on in Destin, Florida. And every time I applied for permits, the staff were always kind and informative, often fast to help me when I needed help.

Thank you for the tips.

 

[Eric]

The first tip is that it's absolutely worth it to schedule a free pre-application meeting. It might seem like an unnecessary step, but believe me, it will save you time in the long run.

Well said, @KayWard. I think of pre-app meetings kind of like "office hours" back in college. If you want to do good in class, it's not a bad idea to spend time talking to the people writing and grading the exams, right? Also, at least at my agency, the staff member you meet with at the pre-app meeting will generally be the same person who ultimately gets assigned to process your application. If you're really serious about getting through the process as effortlessly as possible, you can't do much better than using a pre-app meeting to kick off a dialogue with permitting staff.

 

[Nomad]

Pre-application meeting! That's wonderful, I have never thought about this. I believe if you discussed beforehand it will be easier to understand the process and collect all necessary documents. However, as long as it is available, I always try to use the online system as it saves time, energy and money.