Title
Amending Subcode A of Title 4 of The Philadelphia Code (The Philadelphia Administrative Code), to further provide for timelines and administrative fees in connection with various permit applications; and to establish a special surcharge in connection with accelerated permit reviews; all under terms and conditions.
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Licenses and Inspection endeavors to conduct review of all zoning, building, electrical, plumbing and other permit applications within a reasonable period of time;
WHEREAS, for the past five years, all such reviews generally have been completed well within state-mandated deadlines;
WHEREAS, for a variety of reasons, some permit applicants have consistently sought plan review within a shorter time frame than generally available ("accelerated review");
WHEREAS, the City and its Department of Licenses and Inspections have long considered it desirable, for the promotion of commerce and other reasons, to provide a mechanism to allow for, in limited circumstances, such accelerated review;
WHEREAS, if City charges for providing such accelerated review do not significantly exceed City charges for review within the ordinary timeframe, there is no disincentive to seeking accelerated review and the resources devoted to such accelerated review become overwhelmed, leading to longer wait times for accelerated review;
WHEREAS, accelerated review presents additional costs above the City's costs for ordinary review, for which the City can seek cost-based recovery in the form of additional fees; and
WHEREAS, higher fees based on cost recovery for accelerated review is not sufficient, on its own, to disincentivize overuse of the accelerated review system, such that pressure on the system is increasing the wait times for accelerated review, which reduces the value of accelerated review; NOW, THEREFORE,
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILAD...
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