D
allas has significantly reduced commercial permitting times, with the median time to obtain a building permit now standing at 112 days in October. This is down from 300 days in 2021, according to Assistant City Manager Robin Bentley's memo. The improvement follows initiatives such as merging planning and permitting departments, which was suggested by Interim City Manager Kimberly Tolbert to address developer complaints.

    A public-facing dashboard tracking commercial permit activity has also been introduced. While October saw the city's fastest turnarounds of the year, there is still room for improvement, with turnaround times varying significantly throughout the year. The department has made progress in clearing inactive permits, eliminating over half of the 9,800 backlog.

    The reforms position Dallas to compete more effectively with its suburban counterparts, according to Downtown Dallas Inc. President Jennifer Scripps. To further reduce approval times, the Planning & Development Department plans to study key departments such as water engineering and zoning, which often have extended review periods.

    A Texas law passed last year aims to address long review times and permitting delays by requiring local development authorities to hand down decisions within two weeks of their review deadlines. However, its rollout has been slow due to a lack of awareness among developers and resistance from some cities, including Houston, citing concerns over accountability and local control.