Planning|How to request a pre-consultation for planning approval, receive a meeting invite and result

Pre-consultation is typically required before submitting planning approval applications. 

Steps:

You will select the application permit type (planning approval), the category with scope, and the purpose of use once you enter the "Application type, project type, and category" selection workspace. Applicants for planning approval will be automatically prompted to request a pre-consultation and directed to the pre-consultation request workspace.

Following pre-consultation, applicants should fully understand their planning approval process, the documentation required to apply, the approval process with the expected timeline, potential roadblocks, the public hearing process in planning and zoning applications, and the required application and permit fees.

1. Click "Create a New Application" in your dashboard.
2. Click the "Create a New Project" tab. Give a name for your request and click "Next."
3. From the drop-down menus, select the province (state) and municipality you want to create your pre-consultation request. Use the interactive map to locate your property, or enter the address, PIN, or PID into the search field. On the right side of the map, Cloudpermit displays the matching property data.
4. Click "Next."
5. Select the permit type (planning approval).
    
6. Choose a category. The category includes the various types of planning applications that are available.

   If the municipality has preconfigured the scope and proposed use to be available, they will appear after selecting the category.

7. In most planning processes, the pre-consultation phase is required. However, some category types, such as Minor Variance, may not require pre-consultation, but applicants may voluntarily request it. In that case, you will be given the option to select the pre-consultation at the bottom of the workspace. Ignore the pre-consultation option if you want to proceed to the application phase. It is not required by default.
   
8. After selecting the category, you will be notified of the required pre-consultation. Select "Next."
   
   
9. Check your inputted data in the summary view. If you need to change the data, click "Back" to return to the previous views. Once all is done, click "Finish & Create."
   

Filling out the pre-consultation request 

1. You will enter your "pre-consultation request" workspace.
2. In this workspace, you can invite parties, like planning consultants, property owners, and other professionals, to collaborate on your request (Parties to the Application) and add attachments (Attachments), like the site plan and other helpful documents, which will help planning authorities understand better your land development plans. Read also the following support articles: How to invite parties to the application, How to add attachments, and decide the file visibility.
3. Some application types may require filling out the pre-configured pre-consultation form in the workspace's "Project Data" section. In the form, click the "Missing Mandatory Fields" tab and fill out the required data in the form. Cloudpermit saves your changes in the form automatically.
4. Once you've entered your information (also required by your municipality, such as the project data form and required attachments), ensure you've enabled "email notifications" in the workspace header to receive notifications about the process. Click "Request Pre-Consultation."
5. The request status is now "Requested" in the workspace header. Cloudpermit sends you an automated email confirming the submission of your request. It also sends you an email notificaiton once your municipal planning department has begun processing your pre-consultation request.

Receiving pre-consultation meeting invitation

By creating and publishing a meeting request in Cloudpermit, the municipal planning authority will invite all parties to the pre-consultation meeting. The meeting date and time will be emailed to applicants and all invited parties. The email contains a link to submit a pre-consultation request. 

1. Click the "open application" link.
2. Scroll down to "Meetings" in the "pre-consultation" workspace. Click the down-facing arrow to the left of the meeting title, and you will see the meeting invitation as a whole.

Receiving a pre-consultation result

The municipal planning authority will publish a pre-consultation result in Cloudpermit once the pre-consultation phase ends. The outcome is displayed in the pre-consultation workspace's "Results" section. The published result will be communicated to all parties involved via email.

1. Check your mailbox. Cloudpermit sent you an email with the subject "Pre-Consultation is published."

   Click the "Open pre-consultation" link to enter the pre-consultation workspace in Cloudpermit.

2. Scroll down to "Result" to view the published pre-consultation result.
3. The preliminary consultation is now complete. The municipal authority has prepared a draft approval application, which can be found in the "Application workspace" tab next to the pre-consultation workspace tab. Click the "Application" tab.

   The "Required Tasks" progress bar displays the steps you must complete before submitting your approval request.