Wrestling: South Kitsap district title match win vs. Sumner
South Kitsap won the South Puget Sound League North Division wrestling title with a 38-34 victory over Sumner. CJ Beam’s 144-pound pin was the decisive final victory.
A Kirkland-based technology startup focused on streamlining the residency permit process using artificial intelligence has entered into an agreement with the City of Port Orchard to further improve its software through voluntary submissions.
Permittable AI’s agreement with the city, approved last month, provides a one-year trial period during which anyone filing for a residence permit in Port Orchard can run the application for free on the company’s AI-powered scanner. Supporters hope this will reduce the number of non-compliant or rejected applications and save time for city staff and developers.
Permittable AI claims its system can interpret permit applications, check them against existing building codes, and generate a report on what changes are needed to secure approval. The company says its product catches about 95% of what city officials might point out in a review.
Joe Malahan, the company’s chief revenue officer, said the system will help builders of single-family or multi-family homes submit cleaner, more sophisticated permit applications. The goal is to increase the odds that your application will be approved on the first submission. Permit denials are common and can delay projects by weeks and increase costs.
“The good news for builders is that they can avoid the delays of having their plans rejected in the first round,” Mr Malahan said. “The great thing for cities is that they get a cleaner plan and their jobs are a lot easier.”
Permittable’s system relies primarily on publicly available city codes, Malahan said. The company will work with the city to further refine its products. Compare the differences between what the system captures and what your staff flags.
Nick Tosti, a principal at Kirkland-based Cordillera Group, introduced Permittable AI to city workers. Cordillera is involved in the McCormick Woods master planned development off Old Clifton Road. Tostee said the program could be of great benefit in Port Orchard, since approval for a residence permit can take about six months.
Port Orchard, the first city to partner with Permittable, has seen significant residential development in recent years. Nick Bond, the city’s community development director, said the city is looking at opportunities to expedite the permitting process. Permittable’s software may be the solution.
“While it is too early to know whether this type of framework is viable, officials intend to use a pilot program to evaluate the system, determine its usefulness, and consider long-term partnerships,” he told the City Council in February.
Individuals using the software do so at their “own risk,” Bond said. Projects aren’t considered vested until they arrive at the city, and the program can flag problems with applications that city officials weren’t aware of.
“This is data sharing, and you do it at your own risk,” he said. “No one should have to do this. This is a tool we are giving people. No changes are required and they can use it as they wish.”
City staff plans to use previously approved permit applications to adjust the program. After establishing a baseline, we plan to launch a website offering options to the public. After the trial period ends, city officials will decide how to proceed.
Mayor Rob Putansoo said the pilot was a great opportunity for the city, which is facing an “unprecedented” volume of residence permit applications. He dismissed concerns about the partnership, calling it voluntary and noting that Permittable’s software does not sit on city servers or connect to computer networks.
“I feel strongly that we need to embrace technology,” he said. “The more we leverage technology, the more we leverage the right technology, the more we save staff time and the public money.”
Connor Wilson is a Murrow News Fellow and a reporter for the Kitsap Sun and Gig Harbor Now, a nonprofit newsroom based in Gig Harbor, through a program administered by Washington State University.
