Business Permit Processing Streamlining
City of Phoenix, Dept. of Planning and Development · Phoenix, AZ, United States · 2019
Summary
Phoenix's concurrent permit review pilot tested whether the sequential review process — in which zoning, building, and fire reviews happen one after another rather than simultaneously — was generating wait time without adding safety value. The pilot reduced processing from 45 to 12 days while first-submission approval rates improved (suggesting reviewers caught issues earlier) and post-issuance compliance was unchanged. The finding challenged the assumption that sequential review was a safety requirement rather than an administrative default. The city subsequently extended concurrent review and made the dedicated reviewer team permanent.
Research question
"Can consolidating permit review steps reduce processing time without reducing safety compliance?"
Methodology
Intervention
Three-step simultaneous review pilot (zoning, building code, fire) replacing sequential review for commercial permits under $500K; dedicated reviewer team
Assignment
Pilot with administrative comparison group (concurrent projects above threshold)
Sample size
1,200 permits in pilot; 800 comparison
Primary outcome
Processing days; first-submission approval rate; compliance violations post-issuance
Effect estimate
Processing time: 45 days → 12 days; first-submission approval: +18%; compliance violations unchanged
Decision
Program extended to all commercial permits under $2M; senior reviewer team made permanent
Result
Positive
Processing time: 45 days → 12 days; first-submission approval: +18%; compliance violations unchanged
Evidence strength
Limited
Observational or pre-post design; correlation not necessarily causal.
Replication status
Open for replication
Institution
City of Phoenix, Dept. of Planning and Development
Location
Phoenix, AZ, United States
Year
2019
Policy area
Administrative Process
Mechanism
Simplification