Emanuel Announces Plan To Make It Easier To Get Building Permit

CHICAGO (CBS) Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday announced new measures to make the process of getting a building permit more efficient.

The Mayor's Office says the new plan will save taxpayer money, as well as cut back on the time people now have to wait.

"We are taking much-needed steps to increase efficiency and decrease the time it takes developers to obtain a building permit in the City of Chicago," Mayor Emanuel said in the release.

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Among the changes is the new E-Plan, which will allow architects to submit plans electronically, rather than bring hard copies to City Hall for approval as they now must.

The E-Plan not only cuts down on paper use, but also allows other authorities such as plumbing and electrical reviewers to approve the drawings at the same time, and submit suggested changes more quickly, the mayor's office said.

Also, beginning on Sept. 1, more than 5,000 projects will have to go through the Certified Plan Corrections process, which will require only the submission of affidavits saying architectural plans have been revised rather than calling for multiple meetings with reviewers. The process has been available as an option for more than five years, but few projects have used it, according to the mayor's office.

In further addition, a 50 percent deposit on building fees will be required, as will a commitment that any corrections will b e submitted in fewer than 20 days.

The mayor's office also announced a Performance Metric to track the time it takes the Chicago Department of Buildings to issue permits.