As of Feb. 29, Planning and Land Services (PALS) will no longer require paper submittals at time of application or throughout the application review process. PALS will only require electronic copies of required drawings and documents at the time of initial application.

The benefits of electronic submittal and review include:

• Improved Application Submittals, either through the PALS website or at the Development Center
• Immediate access to review comments and application documents
• Increased public visibility and access via the PALS dashboard options
• Faster processing
• Reduced trips to the Annex

PALS will continue the practice of scanning paper documents for as long as practical. The goal is to eliminate roadblocks to application submittal. PALS will also continue to accept resubmittals electronically and in paper.

There may still be the rare instance when PALS requests paper copies of documents or plans.  Most likely the “exceptions” will be limited to large building plan submittal projects or Environmental Impact Studies.

Going to a paperless submittal does not remove or eliminate the need to comply with the application checklist requirements. As always, a complete submittal not only includes all the needed documents, but also fully completed forms with comprehensive responses.