TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Douglas J. Hewett, City Manager, ICMA_CM
FROM: Kelly Strickland, Assistant City Manager
DATE: April 28, 2025
RE:
Title
Site Plan Review Process Improvement Study
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
All
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal 3: The City will be a city invested in today and tomorrow.
Objective 3.3: To sustain a favorable development and business climate through timely and accurate construction review and building inspection services.
Executive Summary:
Council is asked to receive information from McKinsey & Company and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) regarding options for a site plan review process improvement study.
Background:
During the February 3, 2025 City Council Work Session, Mayor Colvin brought forward a City Council Agenda Item Request to direct staff to provide Council with information about a third-party review of processes related to permitting and inspections. The Mayor shared information with Council from the U.S. Conference of Mayors related to studies performed by consulting firms and the AIA to identify improvements to site plan review processes in Austin, Texas and San Diego, California.
Council Consensus was to request staff to obtain information from the AIA and consultants, and provide such to the Council for consideration.
Attached is a proposal from McKinsey & Company indicating the scope of work and cost for a study of the City of Fayetteville’s site plan review process. This is similar to the study they performed for Autin, TX.
Also attached is a report from the District of Columbia chapter of the AIA, outlining the results of a study the chapter did of the permitting process for Washington, DC. The study was performed free of charge, and addressed the most common mistakes in the permitting process.
Issues/Analysis:
The proposal from McKinsey & Company is for a review of our site plan review process, which is the first stage of our permitting and inspection process. The service offered by McKinsey is not free of charge.
Local chapters of the AIA perform studies free of charge, if there is interest and availability from the members. The Eastern Chapter of the AIA would need to be contacted to determine their interest and availability.
Budget Impact:
There are no funds included in the FY25 budget for this project.
Options:
1. Receive the information and provide guidance to staff.
2. Receive the information and do not provide guidance to staff.
3. Do not receive the information presented or provide guidance to staff.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends that Council receive the information and provide guidance to staff.
Attachments:
Proposal from McKinsey & Company
AIA - Redesigning DC Permits Report