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Application types and workflow

An application type is one kind of thing the town accepts: a building permit, a variance, a sign permit. It ties together the form the applicant fills in, the fee schedule, the conditions staff can attach, the inspections, the letters it prints and the steps it moves through. Open Settings, then Application types to see the town's list. In Alder Pond there are 31.

Changes to an application type are versions, and open applications keep the version they started under. See how changes are saved and put into use.

What you set on an application type​

Choose a type from the list to see:

  • Name: what applicants and staff see, for example Building permit.
  • Number prefix: one to four capital letters that start each application number, such as BP.
  • Fees are paid: when the application is submitted or when it is approved. The fee schedule can also charge at renewal or when the abutter notice list is issued.
  • Kind of proceeding: building permit, trade permit, site plan review, subdivision, variance and so on. This sets the state law deadlines, notices and board steps the type follows.
  • Settings this type uses: which application form, fee schedule and set of conditions it uses.
  • Inspections for this type: tick the inspections it needs, including exactly one final inspection. Leave all unticked if it needs none.
  • Documents Chiban writes for this type: the permit, notices and letters staff can produce from an application of this type.
  • Documents the applicant provides: each gets its own upload on the application. Items marked "To file" must be in before the application can be submitted. Later items hold the decision, the issuing of the permit or the certificate.

Most towns change little here: they adopt a starter and edit its form and fees. See adopting starters and taking updates.

Workflow​

Choose Change the steps on an application type. The workflow page lists the stages an application passes through: Draft, Submitted, Under review, Decided and Issued. Add, remove and reorder steps inside a stage with Add a step, Move up, Move down and Remove. The steps are the ones staff see on the application, such as Plan review and Zoning review.

Two more settings sit at the foot of the page.

  • Staff may issue directly at the counter lets staff issue the permit without waiting on later steps.
  • Closes says what ends the application: when the final inspection passes, when the certificate of occupancy is issued, or when staff close it.

Preview with a sample asks for the dates an application would have, such as Received on, Accepted on and Meeting on, and shows what the deadlines would be, so you can check a change before it is in use.

Report columns​

The permit volume and processing time reports count applications. To add up an answer from the form as well, open the application type and choose Choose report columns. The page lists the numeric questions on the form, such as number of dwelling units, finished area or estimated cost of work. Tick the ones to add to the reports and their downloads. Applications made on an older form without the question show a blank. Until you choose some, the reports show counts only.

An application type, its form, its fee schedule, its conditions and its letters are separate items with their own histories. If you change a question on a form that a fee schedule counts, check the fee schedule afterward. See forms, fee schedules and letters.