Building Permitting Process Streamlining

Attorney Steven Polisar praised the city's positive attitude but warned that slow permitting drives investors to other municipalities and causes commercial vacancies. He recommended separating commercial and residential permitting, expanding the walk-through program, and fostering public-private collaboration.

Property owner and former Planning Board Chairman Mel Schlesser noted that restaurant deals take months due to permitting hurdles, creating a negative reputation for Miami Beach. He urged the city to create a specialized restaurant permitting program with dedicated staff and architect outreach.

Property owner Josh Robbins emphasized that ambiguous comments and the requirement to restart formal submittal cycles cause severe delays. He supported allowing reviewers to accept corrected plans without forcing a brand-new review cycle.

Resident Sam Latone commended the commission for taking the issue seriously and urged the city to evaluate the entire process holistically, covering permits, third-party reviews, and inspections.

Susanna Santoro spoke via Zoom, praising improvements but reminding the commission not to overlook condominiums, which suffer financially and operationally from permit delays. She recommended mandatory property manager notifications and key performance indicators.