Chick-Fil-A Building Permit Expediting
Restaurants
Permit Expediting
The Project
QPM was engaged to obtain public approvals and entitlements as well as manage the building permit process for a new location in a large open-air center. The project included participation in multiple public hearings for use and design review, as well as obtaining the actual building permit.
QPM has expedited permits for over 500 locations. This particular project was especially challenging because construction start had to coincide closely with the pad delivery by the developer – thereby maximizing the construction time available before the client had to begin paying rent on the property.
The QPM Solution
Aware of the importance of scheduling the many elements required before permit approval, QPM developed a rapport with the local planning department at the project outset, communicating schedules and desired construction start dates. Schedules were then developed based on established hearing dates, allowing QPM to schedule architectural deliverables in time to catch the earliest possible hearing cycle.
In addition, QPM was able to engage the city for design element discussions prior to the public hearings. In addition to ensuring that the architect would not be wasting time on elevations and elements the city would oppose, these discussions also allowed QPM to preserve certain “core” image elements for the client that contribute significantly to a location’s success.
The Results
QPM’s proactive, cooperative approach with the city planning department allowed the project to require only three public hearings for approval, versus the typically required five hearings in that city. We successfully gained approval for key image elements desired by the client, and even negotiated out over $40,000 in city-requested elements.
Architectural fees were reduced due to fewer revisions, and construction started on schedule upon pad delivery by the developer.
