Collier wins permitting award

A few years ago, no one doing business in Collier County would have given high marks to its building-permit department.

In fact, Collier County garnered a reputation for one of the most difficult places to do business on the Gulf Coast because of the tortuous permitting process. And no one seemed to care.

But the recession has a way of changing shaking things up in government, too. In recent years, Collier County government has worked hard to make its growth management division more receptive to businesses that want to expand and create jobs.

Among the innovations that Collier County instituted were time frames and a money back guarantee for developers if their permit applications aren't reviewed in time.

Recently, the National Association of Counties recognized Collier County's growth management division's department of operations and regulatory management with an award for its building-permit process. The award is given to counties that modernize with innovative programs that increase services to residents.

No one says development in Collier County or anywhere else in Florida is easy, but at least Naples bureaucrats are now more helpful.