County Building Department to Open Satellite Permitting Office on Big Pine Key

BIG PINE KEY, FL – Monroe County Mayor Michelle Coldiron and the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners authorized hiring a customer service representative to open a satellite permitting intake and issuance office on Big Pine Key. The goal is to open the satellite office in the next several months in a shared space at Big Pine Key library in the Winn-Dixie shopping plaza, dependent on the hiring and training process. The commissioners also authorized hiring other positions to improve permitting services throughout the county.

“The Lower Keys have needed a permitting office for a long time, and I am pleased to announce we are fulfilling that need by placing an office on Big Pine Key,” said Coldiron, whose district encompasses Big Pine Key and the Lower Keys. “I am equally as excited my fellow board members agreed with the request.”

The satellite office will allow staff to accept permit applications and associated plans and courier them to the Marathon office for review. After review, the permit would be routed back to Big Pine Key for permit issuance without the permittee having to travel to Marathon.

At the April meeting, the board also approved purchasing online permitting software to streamline the time it takes to obtain a building permit and replace the current outdated system. The new system will tentatively go live to the public in April 2022, but the staff is looking at options to expedite the process.