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New Permit Search not helpful (UPDATED)

UPDATED 11/17/2016

From the comments:

I can get results from the permit search if I leave the “Street Type” field unselected. I fill out the “Street Number”, “Pre Direction”, and “Street Name” and leave everything else alone.

Maybe our records are entered as “ST” instead of “Street” and it’s not matching because of that. I’m not sure.

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A reader writes in:

Do you know what is going on with the Permit Search capability for Richmond? Around April they took down what seemed like a perfectly fine permit search website. I was able to get everything I needed from that website. For a few months there seemed to be no web functionality available to the public. Now, the only website I can find always returns zero records when I search by address.

If you are of the ilk to be excited that the city’s Permit Search is back online, slow your roll…

Though the page says “To make it easier for everyone to check on the status of their plan submittal, permit status, or schedule of inspections we have reactivated “Permits Web Inquiry” on the Department’s web page”, this is not the case – as described above, any search returns 0 records.

I called Permits and Inspections at (804) 646-4169 for clarification, and described what is happening. The helpful lady at the other end told me that Permit Search doesn’t work, only Inspections, and told me that I should know this, because *obviously*. Yay Richmond.

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No records for you
No records for you

10 comments

Andrew 11/16/2016 at 7:43 PM

I noticed this too. The old one was really helpful for checking what kind of work has taken place on a prospective property that is up for sale. Really disappointing!

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Paul 11/16/2016 at 8:07 PM

Thanks for following up. The ability to search permits online has been down since April. Very disappointing that they seem indifferent to restoring the functionality any time soon…

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Ben 11/16/2016 at 9:59 PM

Noticed this too but sadly I’ve come to find this is par for the course. If it worked seamlessly now then I’d be surprised.

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crd 11/17/2016 at 1:34 AM

Am I the only one who hopes that the new mayor will order this to be fixed?

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Kathleen 11/17/2016 at 8:48 AM

This and 1 million other things! Anyone tried to contact DPW lately? My garbage can got stolen last week and requesting another one was a total pain in the ass. Not to mention that it will probably be weeks before I get a new can (if ever). Between the condition of the parks, school grounds and sidewalks, I would not be at all upset if Stoney fired everyone in DPW and started over again.

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Scott Saunders 11/17/2016 at 10:28 AM

I can get results from the permit search if I leave the “Street Type” field unselected. I fill out the “Street Number”, “Pre Direction”, and “Street Name” and leave everything else alone.

Maybe our records are entered as “ST” instead of “Street” and it’s not matching because of that. I’m not sure.

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John M 11/17/2016 at 10:44 AM

BINGO!

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Mark A. Olinger 11/17/2016 at 11:04 AM

Thank you for pointing this out. I do not know why that’s happening but I’ve forwarded the information to our IT folks to get resolved. In the meantime, yes, please do not put “street type” into the search function…

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mary 11/17/2016 at 12:19 PM

Thank you Mark Olinger, as always!

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Bill 11/17/2016 at 12:41 PM

Bingo is right John M!! Leave ST, AVE, BLVD out and search using street name and number and you should find what you’re looking for.

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