That’s about right but here’s the “trick”. I noticed the permit application was “faxed”. Maybe that’s handy but it’s wrong. Walking it in, getting a receipt signature, getting the name of a bureaukrat, doing it all in person, is the way to minimize delay, interference, etc. These are gutless people who will hide behind phones, emails, faxes, etc. Then follow up in person, make the foot-dragger tell you to your face what the problem is. Once, some decades ago, I slugged a desk in Honolulu City Hall after I got three wrong answers, from three different guys, to the same building permit question. Within ten minutes I was at the head of a table talking to every head in the building dept. and within a half hour I had my building permit. Nothing wrong with reverse intimidation and a stare that looks like you might go beeezerk any minute. A healthy bicep is incidental but also helpful.
I’ve done that, too. They can’t hang up on you or ignore you when you are right there.