King County’s Depart-ment of Development and Environmental Services (DDES) plans to launch a new over-the-counter permitting process for small projects, an effort to respond to frustration over the agency’s sometimes cumbersome permitting processes.

The new program will begin Monday, Oct. 18. With the new approach, residents seeking permits for small home remodels, tenant improvements to commercial spaces, decks and other small-scale proposals will be able to obtain the permit in a day.

They’ll also be able to walk into the DDES office without an appointment. Appointments will still be required for complex development proposals.

DDES used to have walk-in permit services but had to begin requiring appointments for all permits after construction activity surged in the 1990s.