By Coral Gables Gazette staff
An independent assessment commissioned by the Coral Gables City Commission has confirmed that the city’s permitting system is performing efficiently but identified structural weaknesses in staffing, leadership capacity, and system governance—prompting reforms already underway to strengthen oversight, expand staffing, and modernize operations.
The study, conducted by JRD & Associates, a South Miami-based industrial engineering and management consulting firm, examined staffing, workflow, customer experience and software systems within the city’s Building Division over a 10-month period. At their February 10 meeting, Jorge Duyos, president and CEO of the firm, told commissioners the assessment was designed to evaluate operations comprehensively and identify opportunities for structural strengthening.
“Our firm was hired…to conduct an assessment of permitting operations looking at staffing, process, technology for the building division within the development services department,” Duyos told the commission.
The findings, officials said, validate the city’s decision to invest in internal capacity while accelerating reforms already underway.
Study finds strong permitting timelines despite public perception
A central conclusion of the assessment is that Coral Gables’ permitting timelines compare favorably to industry benchmarks, even as public perception has sometimes suggested otherwise.
Duyos said the consulting team analyzed nearly 9,900 plan review cycles over a one-year period and found that the average first review cycle was completed in just under six days. Eighty-one percent of plans were reviewed within two cycles, and nearly 70 percent of permits were issued within four weeks.
“The data shows that at six days that’s a very good turnaround time,” Duyos said, noting that additional staffing and operational improvements could reduce that timeline further.
City Manager Peter Iglesias reinforced that the study confirms the city’s overall performance remains strong.
“To say that we are…in a bad way, it’s just not there,” Iglesias said. “The effects bring that out.”
The study also found that most permits involve smaller projects, which tend to move through the system quickly.
“Ninety-four percent of permitting activity occurred for projects that were under $100,000,” Duyos said, while only 6 percent of permits accounted for the vast majority of construction value.
Those larger, more complex projects often involve additional review cycles and coordination with state and county agencies, contributing to longer timelines in individual cases.
Staffing shortages and leadership gaps prompted structural reforms
While overall performance metrics were strong, the study identified staffing capacity and organizational structure as key areas requiring improvement.
Consultants found that turnover, retirements, and increased workload had strained staffing levels, particularly among plan reviewers, inspectors, and permit counter personnel. The division also lacked certain supervisory roles needed to support operations and maintain continuity.
In response, the city has already begun expanding staffing and leadership capacity.
Acting Development Services Director Douglas Ramirez told commissioners the city has hired nine additional reviewers and inspectors and added permit counter personnel to improve customer service.
“To date we’ve hired a total of nine reviewers and inspectors,” Ramirez said, adding that additional positions remain in recruitment.
The city has also created new leadership roles to strengthen administrative and technical oversight.
Ramirez introduced two assistant directors—Lissette Lopez, overseeing building administration, and Jean Dolmuz, overseeing information systems—both of whom bring experience from other jurisdictions.
“They both come from other jurisdictions and they bring us a lot of experience that we needed,” Ramirez said.
The city is also recruiting a permanent development services director, deputy building official, structural engineer, and additional technical staff.
To support field operations, Ramirez said the city has approved the addition of eight new vehicles and replacement of 13 aging vehicles used by inspectors.
Software implementation challenges created operational inefficiencies
The assessment identified gaps in the implementation and management of the city’s EnerGov permitting system, which was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic and leadership transition.
Duyos said incomplete configuration and inconsistent procedures required staff to rely on manual workarounds and increased the workload associated with managing permit applications.
“There are gaps in standard operating procedures in the building division,” he said, noting that staff frequently submitted help desk tickets to resolve system issues.
The system also required significant staff time to assist applicants navigating digital processes.
“This is a lot of time spent…helping the public navigate the system, how to pull a permit, what they need to do, how to navigate the website, how to create an account on EnerGov,” he said.
To address those issues, the city has established a technology task force and begun developing standardized operating procedures and process checklists. Officials said they are also exploring automation and artificial intelligence tools to improve customer service and streamline operations.
“We’re going to begin working on the creation of SOPs, (standard operating procedures)” Ramirez said.
Iglesias said staffing expansion and automation will work together to improve efficiency.
“We will automate as much as possible and…the additional staffing will help that along,” he said.
City tightens permit system access controls
The study also highlighted system governance issues related to permit contact management and record access.
Ramirez said the city identified situations in which permit contacts, including contractors and property owners, were removed or modified in the system without adequate internal oversight.
“There were owners that were being removed…There were contractors that would be removed as a contact,” Ramirez said, explaining that contractor changes now require building official approval.
Mayor Vince Lago described patterns he said he observed involving permit expediters removing and re-adding contractors during the permit process.
“A permit expediter would submit a permit…and…remove the general contractor…and then…the same one was reinstalled right before the permit was pulled,” Lago said.
He said the city has since restricted access to prevent those actions.
“The back door of the program has been closed,” Lago said. “There’s no more access through the back door of the program.”
Officials said the changes were implemented to ensure permit records remain fully transparent and that all modifications occur under direct city supervision.
Officials said the changes ensure permit records remain accurate and fully transparent throughout the review process.
City investing in internal capacity
Commissioners said the assessment confirms the city’s strategy of strengthening internal permitting capacity rather than outsourcing permitting services.
Commissioner Richard Lara asked whether the city was on the right path by investing in staffing and internal reforms rather than pursuing outsourcing options.
Duyos responded that performance data supports that approach.
“The data shows that…with the addition of staff that six days will come down,” he said.
Mayor Lago said the city remains committed to improving performance through investment in staffing, training, and technology.
“We have the consensus to invest a significant amount of money not only in manpower but also in training and in software as required to make sure that we provide world-class service,” Lago said.
Assessment outlines roadmap for continued modernization
Duyos said the assessment identified 25 operational improvement areas and will provide a detailed implementation roadmap.
The recommendations include staffing expansion, standardized procedures, improved software governance, enhanced performance monitoring, and improved customer communication.
