The Development Timeline
A typical development project moves through several stages before construction begins:Stage 1: Proposal and Discussion
Development projects often first appear in city council agendas or planning commission meetings. At this stage, the project is being discussed but no formal action has been taken. What you see in Decisions: Meeting agenda items, preliminary discussions, public hearing notices.Stage 2: Zoning Approval
If the project requires a zoning change, special use permit, or variance, it must be approved by the relevant municipal body. This is the core of what Shovels Decisions captures. What you see in Decisions: Approved rezonings, conditional use permits, variances, and zoning code modifications.Stage 3: Permit Application and Issuance
After zoning is in place, the developer applies for building permits. This is where Shovels permit data begins tracking the project. What you see in Permits: Filed applications, permit approvals, contractor assignments, inspection schedules.Stage 4: Construction and Completion
As construction proceeds, permits are updated with status changes, inspections, and eventually final approval. What you see in Permits: Status updates, final inspections, certificates of occupancy.Time Advantage
The gap between a zoning decision and permit filing varies by project complexity:| Project Type | Typical Gap |
|---|---|
| Minor commercial renovation | 2-4 weeks |
| New single-family home | 1-3 months |
| Multifamily development | 3-6 months |
| Large commercial project | 6-12 months |
Connecting Decisions to Permits
Several fields help you link decisions to eventual permits:Geographic Matching
- Address: The property address in a decision should match the permit address
- Coordinates: Latitude/longitude enable spatial matching when addresses differ slightly
- Geo IDs: Standardized geographic identifiers allow precise joins
Entity Matching
- Applicant/Owner: The decision applicant often appears as the permit applicant or property owner
- Developer: Development company names may appear in both records
- Contractor: Contractors assigned to permits may be associated with the developer from the decision
Timeline Correlation
Permits filed within the expected window after a relevant decision at the same location are likely related to that project.Use Cases
Early Lead Generation
Identify projects at the decision stage to reach potential customers before competitors who only monitor permits. Example: A roofing contractor monitors area rezonings for multifamily developments, then contacts developers months before permit applications are filed.Site Selection Intelligence
Track zoning decisions to understand where development is being approved and what types of projects municipalities are favoring. Example: A data center operator monitors zoning code modifications related to power infrastructure and industrial uses to identify favorable jurisdictions.Competitive Analysis
Monitor decisions involving specific developers or property owners to track their pipeline of upcoming projects. Example: A subcontractor tracks decisions listing their target general contractors as applicants to anticipate bidding opportunities.Market Timing
Area rezonings and code modifications signal shifts in what can be built, affecting property values before any construction begins. Example: An investor monitors upzoning decisions to identify neighborhoods where development potential—and land values—are increasing.The combination of Decisions, Permits, and Contractor data makes Shovels the intelligence layer for the built world—from first proposal to final certificate of occupancy.