As building picks up in Bend, so, too, can delays in getting the permits needed so construction can begin. One solution to the problem that the city should explore thoroughly is turning building permitting over to Deschutes County.

The delays are frustrating for contractors, for building owners, and, no doubt, for the city of Bend’s Community Development Department. Worse, they’re growing.

Right now, says Carolyn Eagan, the city’s business advocate, builders can expect a five-week delay before building permits are issued, up from the standard two weeks. The city, naturally, wants to ensure that plans are in order — as Eagan put it, “We need to make sure the house will stay up.”

But there’s more to it than simply a desire to ensure that state building codes are met. The city cannot staff any department to meet the demand of a seasonal rush, for one thing, unless it does so with temporary workers. City officials are beginning to do some of that to ease the current crunch.

Meanwhile, Deschutes County provides permitting services for virtually all of the rest of the county, including the city of Redmond. Its turnaround time is a matter of days rather than weeks.

There are differences in how the two staff and process permits. But without a careful analysis, it’s hard to tell if the county is more efficient. Simply counting the number of full-time staff handling permits is not good enough.

City officials have also said they have invested heavily in an electronic permitting system that is not necessarily compatible with what the county uses. They say that at least some members of city government like the “local control” a city permitting program offers.

Yet in the end, both the city and county should be concerned about only a couple of things. One is the critical safety standards that ensure buildings meet code. The other is customer service, both to builders and those who hire them.

Andy High of the Central Oregon Builders Association believes it is time to explore the possibility of a merger, something that hasn’t been considered for several years. We agree. Merging the two may not be feasible, but then again, it could be both feasible and more efficient. It’s worth looking into.