photo by: Rochelle Valverde/Journal-World

Lawrence City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St., is pictured on Jan. 31, 2023.

The City of Lawrence announced Thursday that it will soon introduce a new system for permitting and licensing services that aims to streamline the process for business licensing, planning submittals and more.

According to a release from the city, the transition from the current system to an Enterprise Permitting and Licensing system through Tyler Technologies is set to take place Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. Once it’s live, the new system will replace the city’s current permit and license processes, including business licensing, contractor licensing, rental licensing, building permits, special event permits, right-of-way permits and planning submittals. It also will move many of the city’s currently manual processes online.

Other benefits, according to the release, include 24-hour access for applicants, including on weekends, via a single online platform that will host all types of permits. Applicants will also be able to access their entire license history.

As the Journal-World reported, this isn’t the only system change the city has in the works. In September, City Clerk Sherri Riedemann briefed the Lawrence City Commission on other new systems the city hopes to fully implement by spring 2024, including one that will host the city’s code and allow for search functionality. Another change will implement a new cloud-based internal documentation system for the city, which will eventually include a public access portal where residents can access a wide range of city documents.

Thursday’s release notes that in order to allow the new system to go live, city staff will pause permit and license applications for a one-week period from Friday, Jan. 26, to Friday, Feb. 2, 2024.

“City staff is working diligently to ensure a seamless transition for customers,” the release reads. “… Community members should plan accordingly and submit any needed applications before or after this week.”

Between now and the new system’s launch date, city staff from various permit and license teams will be putting together tutorials and guides explaining how to use the new system; those resources will be available online on the city’s website.