CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH
CITY COUNCIL MEETING – COUNCIL MEMBER ITEMS REPORT
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DAN KALMICK, CITY COUNCILMEMBER
NATALIE MOSER, CITY COUNCILMEMBER
RHONDA BOLTON, CITY COUNCILMEMBER
DATE: JANUARY 16, 2024
SUBJECT: EXPEDITED PLAN CHECK FOR DEVELOPMENT
As part of the “One Stop Shop” initiative brought forward in 2022, several streamlining processes have been contemplated. Councilmembers Moser, Kalmick and Bolton along with some City Staff toured facilities in Riverside. Riverside has led the Country in streamlining permitting and plan check for development.
One of the biggest complaints we have heard over the years from business owners is that it takes too long to get through the permitting process to open a business in Huntington Beach. We agree and recognize that this is due to staffing levels in the Development Services Departments. Yet, due to current resource constraints, it is unclear how long it will take to fully implement the One Stop Shop concept.
Implementing a voluntary, overtime-based pay-for-service “Expedited Plan Check” process will help address lengthy processing times and will very likely be part of the One Stop Shop solution.
This commonsense measure is something that can be done now to assist our current and future business owners, with no impact to the City’s budget.
However, this step probably requires collective bargaining units to agree to this voluntary overtime process along with pay and personnel classification changes. We know from experience that such collective bargaining processes can be lengthy. Therefore, w e believe that we should get a leg up on that now and start working on Expedited Plan Check in Huntington Beach now.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Direct the City Manager to work with Bargaining Units and the necessary City Departments (e.g.
Community Development, Public Works, Fire etc.) to create a voluntary , expedited plan check process with either City Employees (first priority) and/or contracted plan checkers to help expedite the process of getting plans approved. All costs would be borne by the Expedited Plan Check applicant, not the City.