Need A Permit in Worcester? Apply Online
This fall, the city of Worcester plans to launch an online permit application and tracking feature to streamline how various city departments issue permits to residents and businesses.
The new digital permitting system will allow applicants to track the status of their permits, apply for the permits online and get customized guidance on which permits are needed for a project.
From the city’s perspective, the new system will allow for more collaboration among city inspectors and permitting officials, said Paul Vigneau, assistant commissioner of inspectional services in Worcester.
Permit Planning
The process of installing the permit-tracking software began more than a year ago, according to Vigneau.
After selecting a vendor named ViewPoint Government Solutions of Belmont, city officials installed the system and worked to integrate it with various city databases.
The program has been launched in-house — meaning that members of the city’s inspectional services team are using the program. It’s expected to be available for public permit applications and tracking before the fall, Vigneau said.
The effort came at the behest of business leaders in the city.
“I think this really gets back to our goal of attracting and retaining businesses,” said Beth Proko of Worcester Citizens for Business, an informal advocacy group for business issues in the city.
Last year, the group conducted a survey of business owners in Worcester and one of the top issues raised were challenges related to applying for and receiving permits, according to Proko.
It can be a complicated and confusing process for any business, large or small, she said.
The new online system will allow small business owners to track their permits, limiting trips to city hall. For larger, corporate applicants, the system will allow firms to apply for the permits online and download charts, plans and other materials.
The move to online permitting software is an idea that is catching on in Massachusetts, according to Victoria Maguire, director of the state Permit Regulatory Office.
“From our perspective, allowing applicants to apply online helps streamline operations on all fronts,” she said. “It’s an extremely efficient way to handle a sometimes complicated process.”
The regulatory office has even worked with some individual communities to help install the software. As part of a state program that provides incentive money to municipalities that encourage smart-growth zoning ordinances, the state gave the town of Grafton a technical assistance grant to help install an online permit tracking feature. The system is used by the local building department to track the status of various permits, but it is not used by the general public, according to Ann Morgan, Grafton’s assistant town planner.
The Grafton system has even been used as a template for other communities to install their own online permitting systems, Maguire said.
Meanwhile, the state has its own online permitting software that is used across a variety of departments. Residents can get a driver’s license or vehicle registration renewed online, for example. Some permits from the state Department of Environmental Protection are issued online.
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