The Township of Georgian Bluffs has launched a new online platform for submitting planning applications to help streamline the planning and building process for residents and developers.
Principal Planner Michael Benner said the online platform, Cloudpermit, is a system that the Township’s Building Department is already using.
"The Cloudpermit company has been working with local municipalities for a number of years now," he continued. "And very recently, they have been developing a planning side of Cloudpermit for planning applications similar to the building permit applications that are already under that platform.
Benner said the Cloudpermit platform has been working well in the Georgian Bluffs building department.
"It's been demonstrated already through the building permit side that it will speed up the process and simplify the process and allow us at the municipal side of things to better track applications," added Benner.
Benner pointed out that traditionally a person who wanted to build something like a garage would need to visit the office several times.
"You would probably come up to the front counter, you'd meet with a planner who says show me some drawings, and sometimes might say, okay, you need a variance and then they hand you pay for application form and you go wait and try filling the form," he explained. "And there's a lot of questions back and forth, coming in and out of the office. So what the Cloudpermit process does is it takes all of that and turns it into more of a project management so you're working with township staff and other agencies in the county, all at the same time."
Cloudpermit allows applicants to submit applications, track the status of submissions, and review past projects in one convenient location.
"It really simplifies the approval process," proclaimed Benner. "'It makes it faster and more cooperative because it kind of gives you a whole team on the municipal side that almost become your own planning consultants."
Benner also noted that people who cannot get into the office can still work on their applications. They can book pre-consultation meetings with staff online, to make sure they have everything they need to navigate the process. Users will also be able to view past projects and applications