By Helen Callier, Contributing Writer
More cities and counties in the U.S. are exploring Public-private partnerships (P3s) as an economically creative way to build infrastructure and buildings which allow them to meet the demands of their growing communities. Several years ago, public entities were hesitant to leverage P3s, especially when hearing about projects that did not go so well like one of Texas toll roads.
A lot has been learned since early project failures, and today is a new day where public officials are more open-minded to consider P3s. Public-private projects are focused on what it takes to quickly make accessible new buildings and infrastructure for public use. They are also more clearly designed and structured to provide the government (city, county, state, etc.) with several benefits such as the following:
- Able to bring on projects faster than traditional government capital improvement procurement processes
- Lowers liabilities and risks on capital projects
- Provides an alternate source of funding
When I recently attended an Infraday Conference in Houston, Texas, one of the panels talked about P3 projects that were primarily in located Texas and shared examples of projects in Indiana. Aside from mentioning the technical aspects of certain capital projects like in San Marcus and Travis County, Texas, they also stressed the importance of de-risking a P3 project to ensure its success.
One particular area noted to reduce risk i.e. minimize delays and associated costs to construction on P3 projects is with permitting. When P3 projects get caught in the snares of planning and zoning with variances and permitting for plan reviews, then Private Developers’ ability to deliver promised benefits to their public customers becomes strained.
To mitigate this above scenario, below are 4 proven pillars to de-risk permitting on a P3 project.
- Start early during the programming phase to identify any areas of concern, possible variances, permitting center workloads, etc.
- Collaborate with key stakeholders on project requirements
- Execute plans with a sense of urgency to minimize the impact of changes in market conditions such as an increase in material costs
- Hire permitting experts that have established relationships and experience with jurisdiction
P3s are a strong delivery method for public entities to consider and use. Many cities in Texas are fertile ground for P3 developers to assist local governments in achieving their vision and assisting with established strategic plans. Permitting is one of the key areas that must be de-risked for success, and PermitUsNow has experience permitting large and complex capital projects in Texas. Also, at PermitUsNow, we are committed to pulling permits for our architect, contractor, and project owner clients without delay, eliminating their frustrations with the permitting process. Plus, we make it easy for you to work with us. Simply: 1.) Email us your plans, 2.) Follow up on our feedback for any missing items, and 3.) Let us get your permitting done for you.
So, send us your plans today and we’ll free you up to focus on doing what you love – building your customers’ dreams.
Call the PermitUsNow team at 1.844.PERMIT.4 if you need assistance with permits. Visit us on the web at permitusnow.com. #BuildSafe
