July 30 2013 Epermits Working Group Meeting Minutes

Draft Minutes ePermits Working Group Tuesday July 30, 2013 Government Center West Hearing Room – 2nd Floor 1 N. University Drive, Plantation, FL 33324

Attendees: See last page.

1. A formal introductory presentation was begun with Armando Linares introducing the ePermit concept, with the goal being a one stop, web based permit interface site for use throughout Broward County. He emphasized: a. The difference between the ePermits solutions internal to an organization (various permitting jurisdictions have made headway in this area) and an external ePermit solution to serve as a single, web based interface with the multiple internal ePermit solutions. b. The need for a holistic approach. c. A solution that includes signed and sealed plans. d. The vision of a single permit application. e. The need for a cultural change to accompany the technical change. f. ePermits as a solution to a fragmented permitting system. 2. Elissa Taylor reviewed Broward County’s efforts to date on building an internal ePermit application. 3. Jeffery Halsey emphasized traditional change management considerations for the significant cultural change associated with ePermits implementation. 4. Lenny Vialpando discussed methodologies Broward County has used in developing their initial ePermits system. 5. The formal presentation concluded with Mr. Linares emphasizing the need for the members of the ePermit Working Group to serve as advocates and communication points for the key stakeholders affected by ePermits. The floor was then opened for discussion. Key decision discussion points and decisions made by the working group include: a. The emphasis needs to be on the customer. b. Outreach and education will be critical to a successful implementation. c. Use social media to maintain an up-to-date status of ePermits. d. Conduct working group meetings every month initially to maintain momentum, tapering off the frequency as progress builds. e. At next meeting, may want to provide a demonstration of what work has been completed to date. f. Initial feedback on ePermits related concerns includes impacts to employment and costs for permitting jurisdictions to tie into the ePermits interface. g. Tennant improvements might be a good place to start implementing ePermits. h. Consider focusing on larger permit customers (for example, the airport). i. Some history of a promise of ePermits like-solutions, only to then be met by little or no implementation when the professional community seeks to employee the solution. j. Use Working Group members as points of contact for customer feedback. k. Ensure we include sign and seal functionality within the ePermits solution. l. Uploads that take twenty minutes with frequent disconnect are not acceptable. m. The key starting place is a universal application.

6. The initial focus of the Working Group would be the following areas: a. Web portal. b. A single application with GIS integration. c. Developing the eCloud interface, including:  Digital Signing and sealing of documents.  Real time permit status board. 7. Working Group members would chair technical subcommittees as those subcommittees are needed by the Working Group. The group agreed to move forward on creating the following subcommittees, with at least the invitees recommended below: a. Building Subcommittee – Led by BOAF (Sergio Ascunce).  Building officials from all Broward County municipalities.  BORA.  ePermit administrative support person. b. GIS Subcommittee – Led by Broward County (Vicki Morrow).  GIS managers from all Broward County municipalities.  ESIR representative.  Property Appraiser GIS Manager. c. IT Subcommittee – Led by Broward County (Carlos Alvarado).  IT Managers from all Broward County municipalities.  ePermit administrative support person. d. Construction Industry Subcommittee – Led by CASF (Thomas Miller).  Construction industry associations.  ePermit administrative support person. 8. Construction Industry Subcommittee would begin with identifying industry concerns relative to implementing the ePermits concept. 9. The meeting closed at approximately 4:45 p.m.

Action Items: 1. At next meeting, provide demonstration of work completed todate – ePermit staff 2. Create the following committees – ePermit Staff a. Building subcommittee b. GIS subcommittee c. IT Subcommittee d. Construction/Industry

Jeffery Halsey 954-519-1468 [email protected] Attendees Carlos Alvarado, Broward County Enterprise Technology Services Sergio Ascunce, Building Official Association of Florida (BOAF) Aaron C, Austin, FSMY Architects & Planners (Falkanger Architects) Steve Bassett, Broward County Chapter of Florida Engineering Society (FES) Jack Bennings, Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance Carol Bowen, Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. – Florida East Coast Chapter Bob Caine, Project CAINE Ben Chen, Chen – Moore & Associates Chris Cotler, City of Margate Building Department Tom Dobbs, Broward County Planning and Redevelopment Division Bill Dumbaugh, Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals (BORA) Trevor M.A. Fisher, Broward County Aviation Department Melanie Fowler, HDR Engineering, Inc. Jeffery Gross, Building Owners and Managers Association, Ft. Lauderdale and the Palm Beaches Jeffery Halsey, Pollution Prevention, Remediation and Air Quality Division Jorg Hruschka, City of Fort Lauderdale Armando Linares, Environmental Protection and Growth Management Department Tom Miller, Construction Association of South Florida (CASF) Steven Murray, City of Weston Marie Perez, ADT Security Services Jim Richmond, Florida Building Commission (FBC) Walter Sancho-Davila, CWSI Elissa Taylor, Environmental Licensing and Building Permitting Division Thuy Turner, Broward County Planning and Redevelopment Division Leonard Vialpando, Environmental Licensing and Building Permitting Division Brian Wilson, ADT Security Services Chris Zimmerman, American Institute of Architects Fort Lauderdale Chapter Don Zimmer, D. F. Zimmer AIA Architects & Planner