Starting on July 3, the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) will begin to accept applications from professionals looking to become certified peer reviewers as a part of a Peer Review Program. The program will assist developers and property owners in examining their land development plans, according to a press release.
DPS Land Development Division Chief Linda Kobylski said the purpose of the program is to “accelerate turnaround times for plan review in the land development division.”
Certified peer reviewers include professional engineers, landscape architects, land surveyors, etc. who have experience with the DPS plan review process. They can be hired by applicants and developers to look for inconsistencies or missing information in plans before they are formally submitted to the DPS. There is also an optional advisory service where peer reviewers can provide their own comments on the designs.
Applicants and developers looking to hire a peer reviewer must do so through the List of Certified Peer Reviewers on the DPS website. The list will be updated as review candidates are certified. They are expected to contact the reviewer directly for information on fees, expected timeframes and other services. The DPS will have no role in recommending reviewers or negotiating fees, which will be paid directly to the reviewer.
“DPS is still responsible for reviewing and approving all plans, including those reviewed by a peer reviewer. DPS will issue final approvals prior to permit issuance. These projects will be identified at intake and tracked,” according to DPS Director Rabbiah Sabbakhan. “The desired outcome is that peer review will contribute favorably toward the overarching County objective of streamlining our permitting process.”
More information on how to apply for certification, as well as how to hire a peer reviewer, can be found here.
Feature photo courtesy of DPS.
