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The City of LaGrange is going online for electronic plan reviews, permitting and licensing using SagesGov software.

The Community Development Department of the City of LaGrange is partnering with Sages Networks Inc. to implement online software that will streamline electronic plan reviews and provide for online permitting, mobile inspections and licensing.

The online permitting process was officially implemented on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024. Community Development Direct Alton West said the new software will increase the city’s ability to offer a one-stop shop for permitting, planning & zoning, licensing and tracking inspection results. The software will also speed up permitting and licensing for those building in LaGrange.

“This will help the residents, business owners, contractors, builders, engineers, architects and the development community to use a single online solution for their permitting and licensing needs,” the city said in a press release.

West said that anything that pertains to permits for business licensing, plans, reviews, planning and zoning will be funneled through the new online Sages software, so they won’t be handling permitting through paper forms any longer.

For those without internet access, two kiosks are being set up in city hall so that requests can be submitted in person. West said he assumes developers and most people will be able to navigate the new system without problem, but employees will be able to assist residents through the process.

West said they know there will be a few people who will absolutely not want to go through the online permitting process, and they will handle them.

“Even if somebody comes in here bringing us a paper application, we will walk them through or put it in for them,” West said, “But, it will be helpful for them in the future because once they set up an account, they can go back each year and just update whatever needs to be updated.”

West said the new system will also help during unexpected circumstances, like with the pandemic.

“Like a lot of cities back during COVID, we closed down to the public for a period of time. Had this been in place, they would have been able to just continue to go right on and do transactions whenever they needed to and move right on,” West said.

“Our team and our hope is that the majority of those 2,000-plus licensees that we have within the city — not including home occupations — is that all of them will create their own account, and each year, just get accustomed to going [to the website], making whatever necessary changes that need to be made and making your payment online,” West said.

For more information, visit the community development section of the City of LaGrange website at www.lagrangega.org, where a short tutorial on how to set up an account and complete an online application is available.
For more information, contact Brittany Jackson at (706) 883-2060, Christine Reeves at (706) 883-2054 or Alton West at (706) 883-2021.