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Written by Sharon Felton

Category: Development Services

Created: 06 October 2017

We are excited to announce the lite version of the Online Development Center. This mobile friendly version allows contractors to manage their inspections from their mobile device with ease. Users log in with their existing user name and password for the Online Development Center. Once logged in you can create, schedule, re-schedule, and cancel inspections. All inspection types; building, electrical, fire protection, flood plain, land disturbing, mechanical, plumbing, right-of-way, sign, stub and zoning can be managed from the ODCMobile application. The search function allows you to view inspection activity by searching permit number, trade or date range. You cannot pay for re-scheduled inspections or create multiple inspection of the same type through the ODCMobile application.

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Written by Sharon Felton

Category: Development Services

Created: 15 September 2017

With the new fiscal year came new development fees. A significant change to the development services fee structure is how right-of-way fees are calculated. Now the City of Raleigh collects both a review fee and a daily fee for right-of-way obstructions. The daily fee is applied for duration of the project's right-of-way obstruction.

In order to assist our clients we have developed a Right-of-way Obstruction Fee Estimator. The estimator approximates the amount it will cost for the review and the daily fees for obstructions. Please note this is an ESTIMATOR ONLY. The final amount will be calculated during plan review. The review fee is due at plan submittal, and can be paid at the Development Services Customer Service Center.

If you have any questions regarding right-of-way fees, please visit www.raleighnc.gov and search for “Right-of-Way Services”, you will find a link to the fee estimator under the Fee Schedule tab.

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Written by Sharon Felton

Category: Planning

Created: 01 August 2017

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A few months ago, I worked with Ken Bowers, Director of City Planning to create a video series about how city planning works with transit. All of this was in preparation of the transit improvements that are a result of the one-half cent sales tax that went into effect April. Well I am excited to share that just four months later some of the changes that Ken talked about are becoming a reality.

GoRaleigh buses will be running with greater frequencies on 25 routes beginning Sunday, Aug. 6. Now Sunday services will match Saturday services providing greater flexibility to people working schedules that don’t fit the traditional work-week. In addition, Route 7, South Saunders will see an increase in frequency Monday through Friday, operating every 15 minutes. Want to learn more about these changes, visit the Raleigh website. There are three other videos that demonstrate how transit and city planning work together.

• Growth Centers and Transit
• The Trip Not Taken
• Walking and Transit: Best Friends Forever

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Written by Sharon Felton

Category: Development Services

Created: 05 July 2017

In 2013, City of Raleigh Engineering Manager Paul Kallam led a team of City plan reviewers on a tour of the Citrix building under construction at 120 S. West Street. Normally, site tours are the responsibility of an inspector, but Paul wanted his review staff to understand the challenges that inspectors can face in the field.

Recognizing the value of the tour, Paul wanted to share the opportunity with a larger audience. Soon, the tours included other members of the development process.

“It was a chance to break down the walls of the ‘us vs. them’ mentality,” he said. “Everyone could understand that we work together as a team. That includes community outreach efforts as well.”

To date, some of the tours include the L-Building, Skyhouse, Stanhope, A-Loft Hotel, Walnut Terrace, Rex Heart and Vascular Hospital, North Hills East Tower II, 401 Oberlin, Galleria at Cameron Village, and just recently the Catholic Dioceses of Raleigh. Understanding the challenges the developer and contractor face when orchestrating large-scale projects like these provides staff lessons in collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and communication while building compassion throughout the entire development process.

Photo Gallery

• Skyhouse 
• Stanhope
  
• Catholic Dioceses
  
• L-Building
  
• Rex Heart & Vascular Hospital
  
• A-Loft Hotel
  

Learn more about these tours.

• Rex Heart and Vascular Hospital
• Aloft Hotel
• Stanhope

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Written by Sharon Felton

Category: Development Services

Created: 30 June 2017

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Kenneth Ritchie breaks down the revised Public Infrastructure Acceptance Process that goes into effect July 1, 2017 on all new development plans or projects proposing public infrastructure construction.

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Written by Sharon Felton

Category: Development Services

Created: 23 June 2017

Along with the roll out of the new development fees, comes a new tool to help you calculate building and trade permit fees. The awesome thing about this calculator (besides the fact that it provides a great way to estimate permit fees) is the fact it was developed using open source technology by our own Information Technology staff. This means that the technology is something people can modify and share because its design is publicly available. One of the changes outlined in the last blog post is the addition of a technology surcharge. This charge helps to support enhancement such as this and the future move to electronic plan review.

The Building and Trade calculator allows users to enter specific information about the construction project such as size, occupancy, construction type and in return it will provide a preliminary fee for building and trade projects. Please note that other fees may be applicable. The Fee Calculator is available from www.raleighnc.gov/dsguide.

Check out the 2017-2018 Development Fee Schedule that has an effective date of July 1, 2017. Another significant change is the new requirement that all plan review fees will be collected at the start of the Plan Review Process. For details on how these fees are to be implemented reference the Development Services Fee Implementation Guide.