Beverly Hills : Permit Process Shortened

In an effort to streamline the review process governing building projects in some areas north of Sunset Boulevard, the City Council on Tuesday adopted a resolution permitting environmental impact studies to proceed simultaneously with the review process and that limits the number of public appeals opposing such projects.

The resolution modified an ordinance approved by the council in December that requires developers to acquire a “development permit” from the city’s Planning and Community Development Division before being eligible for a building permit.

Previously, the ordinance required several public notices and allowed subsequent opportunities for public appeals. But the new process would require just one notice informing residents neighbors of the two dates when public hearings on a project will be scheduled.

By speeding up the review process, the Department of Environmental Sciences, which submitted the resolution, hopes to quiet the complaints of developers whose projects have been delayed by multiple appeals.

The resolution’s supporters also predict it will help alleviate both the backlog of projects awaiting review and the workload of city staff members who handle the review process.