Staunton: New online permitting portal streamlines process for residents, developers

The City of Staunton has launched Civic Access, a new interactive online portal that the local government hopes will streamline the permitting process for residents and contractors.

“This upgrade represents a major step forward in how the city interacts with our business and development community,” said Zoning Administrator Linda Nesselrodt. “By moving these services online, we are eliminating traditional bottlenecks and providing our citizens with the digital convenience they expect. Even with a quiet rollout over the last month, the organic adoption and positive feedback we’ve received from early users prove that real-time transparency makes the process smoother for everyone.”

For more information, to view tutorials, or to start an application, visit the city’s website at staunton.va.us/onlineportal

Key features

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• Real-time status tracking:Applicants can monitor exactly where their permit stands in the review process and view staff feedback instantaneously.

• Digital signatures and submissions: The system allows for entirely digital application cycles, including the use of electronic signatures.
• Automated delivery: Once approved, permits are automatically emailed to the applicant as a PDF attachment.
• Mobile inspection integration: City inspectors now utilize a mobile app to complete reports in the field, ensuring data is updated instantly in the portal.
• Flexible inspection windows: The city is transitioning to an AM/PM inspection scheduling model to provide more predictable windows for on-site work.

Hybrid approach for residents

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Residents who prefer traditional paper-based methods are welcome to continue submitting applications in person. Staff will utilize the new system on the backend to process those requests, to ensure that all city records are centralized and efficient regardless of the submission method.

Residents and contractors are encouraged to explore the new system. The city has published a library of tutorials and “How-To” documentation to assist users in creating accounts and navigating the portal.