The challenge
Farrowdale's permit reviewers checked every application against zoning, floodplain, and utility maps by hand — opening four systems, printing two of them, and routing questions to the one GIS analyst who could reconcile conflicts. Median review time was 24 days, and applicants often discovered a fatal constraint weeks after paying fees.
The approach
GeoGarmeux integrated the city's permitting software with a live parcel fabric in GeoGarmeux Atlas. Zoning, overlay districts, floodplain, and utility service checks now run automatically the moment an address is entered, and reviewers see one map with every constraint layered on the parcel. The public portal runs the same checks before an applicant pays a dollar.
The results
- 50% reduction in median permit review time, from 24 days to 12
- 4 disconnected map systems replaced by one live parcel view
- 30% fewer applications withdrawn after fees, thanks to pre-application checks
“Applicants see the same constraints our reviewers see, before they apply. Half the difficult conversations just stopped happening.”