Because coastal areas are regulated at multiple levels—local, state, and federal—projects near shorelines, beaches, wetlands, dunes, and tidelands often face strict oversight. Navigating these regulations can be time-consuming and complex, which is why many property owners, developers, engineers, and contractors hire permit expediters to streamline the process.
Coastal development typically requires specialized coastal permit expediting approvals such as coastal development permits, shoreline setback variances, environmental assessments, habitat protection reviews, stormwater and erosion control plans, and sometimes federal authorizations from agencies like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Each agency has its own application requirements, timelines, technical standards, and documentation expectations. A coastal permit expediter understands these layers of regulation and coordinates them so the applicant avoids unnecessary delays.
The role of a coastal permit expediter generally includes researching applicable regulations, preparing complete and compliant application packages, managing communication with reviewing agencies, coordinating required studies or site assessments, and ensuring all deadlines are met.
They also anticipate potential issues—such as conflicts with shoreline protection rules, endangered species impacts, sea-level rise requirements, or public access concerns—and work proactively to resolve them before an application is submitted. By addressing these matters early, they reduce the risk of rejections or requests for additional information, which are common reasons coastal permits take longer than expected.
Expediting does not mean bypassing regulations; rather, it means navigating them efficiently. Because coastal zones are environmentally sensitive and highly regulated, agencies will not shorten official review timelines simply because an expediter is involved. However, the expediter minimizes avoidable delays by ensuring the submission is complete, accurate, and aligned with what reviewers expect.