Digital Tools Make Possible An E-Permitting�Utopia
The year was 1982. The place was New Orleans. The meeting was convened by the National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards Inc. The problem—the need for regulatory reform—was legendary. The solution—harness the computer to streamline code enforcement—was radical, the tools to reach it were nonexistent and the resistance was palpable. “I don’t want to find a faster way to do a lousy job,” said one building official at the meeting.
But the obstacles didn’t stop Robert C. Wible, then communications director for NCSBCS, from moving forward. At the meeting, he announced the formation of the NCSBCS computer committee. It was a largely symbolic gesture but gave code enforcement its first nudge toward the digital age.