The commercial permitting process in Harris County is meant to ensure public safety, but some Cy-Fair business owners say the existing system is inefficient and overly complicated.

Before opening a new business, individuals must work with the Harris County Engineering Department to ensure the building is up to code, fire safety regulations are in place and health inspections are passed.

Shawn Sturhan, assistant manager of the Harris County Permit Department, said his department works to ensure commercial development is not negatively affecting a neighborhood—from traffic flow and flood prevention outside the business to making sure fire extinguishers and emergency exits are properly marked inside.

“It’s important because if you’re opening a new business, the public is going to be entering there,” he said. “Whether it’s employees or customers, we check for building life safety so the people inside are going to be safe.”

Once a business owner submits site and safety plans, he or she goes through a two-week review process with the county. Officials then return with notes on what needs to be done to meet codes and receive final approval.

“We are pretty strict on our two-week reviews,” Sturhan said. “Something that could take reviews long[er] is if [applicants] don’t address comments or make a correction [but] it still doesn’t meet code. We can’t approve something that doesn’t meet code.”

Building and fire code staff receives about 20 submissions daily, some of which are entering the second or third round of review, Sturhan said. The department also permits about 200 lease spaces every month.

Business opening delays

Leslie Martone, president of the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce, said many of the Chamber’s members have experienced delays when opening a new business. When a business cannot open on schedule, it can lose significant revenue. 

“I know there are a lot of people involved when opening a business from contractors to business owners to various vendors depending on the business,” she said. “Communication seems to be the biggest reason for delay—either communication from contractors to businesses or miscommunication from Harris County.”

Brittany Bruner, co-owner of Yogurtland in Fairfield Town Center, said she has applied for at least seven different permits during the process of opening the business. During that time, she said she has been given false information and struggled to get in touch with those who will ultimately decide whether she can open her store.

“It’s a disaster,” she said. “I would say so far, it has delayed our opening by at least six weeks plus whatever additional time I have to wait [for approval].”

The first major hurdle came when applying for an electrical panel permit so Yogurtland could have a permanent electric meter installed, Bruner said. Once she filled out the online application, she received an automated email from Harris County that said she would have approval within 48 hours.

After not hearing back for several days, Bruner started resubmitting the paperwork daily. The automated email responses made her wonder if anyone was reading them, she said. She said she called the office about 40 times and never reached a representative.

“We’re not trying to stop development or make it hard to open a business. the sooner i can get you meeting code and open for business, the sooner you’re out of my hair.”

—Shawn Sturhan, Harris County Permit Department Assistant Manager

When she followed up with CenterPoint Energy, officials told her they could not move forward because they had not yet received the permit from Harris County. Bruner said she finally reached a county employee three weeks after filing initial paperwork.

“I was never able to contact a human, and once I finally did, they told me they had submitted the wrong address to CenterPoint,” she said. “I’m told that’s quite normal. They said this happens all the time.”

Other permits were easier to finalize. The fire marshal stopped by the day after Bruner called and finished his portion of the job, she said.

Now, Bruner is dealing with another obstacle. Before getting a health permit, there are prerequisites the business must meet, including municipal utility district approval.

“I was told I was in one district and called the county to confirm,” she said. “I filled out the paperwork during construction. When I applied with the health department, [I] found out I was in another MUD. It’s just delay after delay, and they don’t even tell you why.”

The new MUD charged $2,500 to review Yogurtland’s architecture plans, Bruner said. Once she paid, she said she did not hear from anyone for two weeks. When MUD officials contacted her, they told her there was another list of things to do before they could approve plans.

Bruner said the eye doctor next door, who did not have to deal with the health department, has been open for about a month. Subway and other neighboring business are still waiting, she said.

“We don’t have an official date because I can’t even apply for my health permit until I get water approval from the MUD,” Bruner said. “It doesn’t make a lot of sense because I already have running water.”

Several Cy-Fair businesses declined to comment on this issue.

Sturhan said the department staff works to make the process run as smoothly as possible. Business owners can submit reviews online, download copies of approved plans and pay for permits via credit card, he said.

The team strives for transparency, Sturhan said, and he encourages his colleagues to spend extra time on the front end to help business owners understand what needs to be done and why.

“Our main goal here is public safety,” Sturhan said. “We’re not trying to stop development or make it hard to open a business. The sooner I can get you meeting code and open for business, the sooner you’re out of my hair.”