Providence launches online permit application review system

PROVIDENCE LAUNCHED its new online permit-application system, ProvSmart, on Tuesday. The website is one of Mayor Angel Taveras' top five goals for his economic-development plan,
PROVIDENCE LAUNCHED its new online permit-application system, ProvSmart, on Tuesday. The website is one of Mayor Angel Taveras' top five goals for his economic-development plan, "Putting Providence Back to Work." / PBN FILE PHOTO/FRANK MULLIN

(Updated, Dec. 12, 8:57 a.m.)

PROVIDENCE – The city of Providence announced the launch Tuesday of ProvSmart, a new online plan-review and permit-application system expected to improve turnaround times for local builders and developers.

The online permitting system, a key component of Mayor Angel Taveras’ “Putting Providence Back to Work” economic-development plan, allows developers to track their online application submissions, view electronic status updates and receive response-time estimates while the city reviews each application.

“The launch of online permitting makes it easier to do business in Providence,” said Taveras in a release. “For many years, developers have called for a faster, more efficient permitting process in Providence. We have listened, and establishing a Web-based permitting process was one of the top five goals of my economic development action plan.”

- Advertisement -

The website located at provsmart.smartapp.com, can be accessed via a desktop, tablet or smartphone. For developers with multiple projects, the site offers a customized dashboard for viewing and tracking more than one project simultaneously.

In addition to the ProvSmart website, the city has also installed a permitting kiosk at the Providence Department of Inspections and Standards, located in the Joseph A. Doorley Municipal Building at 444 Westminster St., and plans to install at least one additional kiosk. City staff will be available to assist developers at the kiosks.

“We are working to support the location and growth of businesses in Rhode Island’s Capital City,” said Economic Development Director James S. Bennett. “This new technology expedites the entire permitting process and reduces regulatory burdens for businesses looking to start and grow in Providence.”

To streamline the permitting process internally, the city has created a new unit within the Department of Inspections and Standards that focuses exclusively on small-permit application review to ease backlogs in the permit review process and fast-track smaller permit applications.

Ann S. Gooding, director of communications for the Providence Economic Development office, said the website was designed by InQuest technologies Inc. of Providence. InQuest will also be responsible for maintaining the website, she said.

No posts to display