Houston revamps permitting process website for easier navigation

Houston is developing a website portal that will streamline its permitting processes and enhance customer experience.

The city has contracted with Woolpert—an architecture, engineering and geospatial firm—to deploy the Oracle Policy Automation (OPA) content management system. The new Houston Permitting Center website will allow customers to answer a series of questions online to quickly navigate the permitting process.

Roy Interrante, Woolpert project manager, says, “We’re revamping the front end of the process for citizens who need to file permits. They will no longer have to weed through dozens of paper permits, as is the case in many cities, to try to figure out what they need. They can start online, filter through prompts and know what they need to submit and when they need to submit it. This way, nothing falls through the cracks.”

The OPA technology has been implemented for permitting systems at the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and Miami-Dade County, according to Interrante, to similarly address system needs and guide customers.

“We’re excited to move forward with this project and pleased to be able to support Houston,” Woolpert CEO Scott Cattran says. “We are looking forward to partnering with the city to bring this added value to the citizens of Houston.”

The project was approved recently by the Houston City Council and website development is underway.