New Prince George's Department Simplifies Permitting

It may have just gotten a little bit simpler to cut through the red tape necessary to start a business, get a building permit, or report your neighbor's unmowed lawn in Prince George's County. 

That's because on Monday, County Executive Rushern Baker formally opened the new Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE), designed to be what county officials call a "one-stop-shop" for a variety of permitting, licensing and code enforcement matters. 

DPIE's core responsibilities will include issuing permits and licenses, commercial and residential property inspections, and enforcing property standards set forth in the county code. Previously, these responsibilities were split up among a number of departments.

"One of the things Mr. Baker heard throughout his transition and his first term was that the county's permitting process was long, unpredictable and so forth," said Thomas Himler, deputy chief administrative officer for budget and finance operations. "A more proactive inspection and enforcement wing was desired."

DPIE is the first new county department to be created in almost three decades. It is located at 9400 Peppercorn Place in Largo. 

The creation of the department was a huge organizational shuffle.  The department is a merging of approximately 280 workers in the departments of Environmental Resources and Public Works and Transportation, the Prince George’s County Health Department. Roughly 85 staffers from other County, bi-County and State agencies are also located in the same building.

According to the county executive's office, the reorganization is an opportunity rethink property inspection and code enforcement responsibilities in Prince George's. Key to that reshaping of inspection and enforcement process, county officials hope, is the embrace of new technologies and shortening the time it takes to bring properties up to the standards set out in the county code.

"DPIE was created to centralize resources, staff and put in place a permit process grounded in quality assurance in order for projects to move forward expeditiously," said Baker in a media release announcing the new department. 

The process to create the new department began last August, with an executive order from Baker. In the intervening months, a work group compiled the required changes in the county code. 

In June, Baker nominated Haitham Hijazi, former director of the county Department of Public Works and Transportation, as the director of the new DPIE. 

“I selected Dr. Hijazi to launch this new County department because of his effectiveness in managing our Department of Public Works & Transportation for the past few years ,” said Baker in a media release announcing Hijazi's nomination.