NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Chairman of the Town Planning Committee acknowledged yesterday that a lack of resources and communication challenges are often to blame for delays in the approval process, which can extend in some instances up to six to eight months.
He also emphasized the need for better communication with applicants regarding queries and greater interagency collaboration.
Johnson, who has been the chairman of the Town Planning Committee since 2021, noted that the committee primarily assesses whether the location an applicant or developer is applying for is suitable for their intended use, focusing on issues like zoning, parking, and density. He noted that approval is supposed to be granted in 48 hours, but that’s not always the case. According to Johnson, the Department of Physical Planning has about 3-5 inspectors.
“I can assure you that the Department of Physical Planning is very much understaffed for what they are supposed to be doing,” said Johnson.
He acknowledged communication challenges with applications, noting that he, on many occasions, has received calls regarding approvals and has had to look into delays. “If an architect applies for a building permit and there is a query, unless that architect is following up, it is highly unlikely they will know there has been a query.”
“The question is, who is it being quieried by? A process that should take no more than a month can literally take six to eight months easily because we lack resources,” said Johnson, who also recognized the need for greater interagency collaboration.
He also acknowledged that with limited resources, there is no way to monitor if people are adhering to the licenses they have been granted and has more often had to rely on individuals making complaints.
Johnson also clarified that Town Planning approval is not a blanket approval. “You can get town planning approval and be denied for your project because it doesn’t pass another phase,” said Johnson.
He also noted that the committee has seen a number of rezoning applications, although he emphasized that applicants must prove justification for why areas should be rezoned.
“Restrictive covenants cannot be extinguished for economic benefits according to the law,” Johnson stated.
