working with “charlie”

Who is “Charlie”?

A play on Peta’s last name, “Charlie” is the nickname given to BTP’s site detective robot/automated planning sidekick. Originally an internal site info collection tool that was created to help Peta process enquiries, she now generates site reports for design pros (at no cost). As we want to encourage people like building designers to ask questions upfront … so that they know where the goalposts are and which direction to run in from the start.

What does a “Charlie” report cover?

We all know those girlies who can go full detective mode, digging up dirt on an ex or potential new date … the ones who find stuff that no one ever thought existed. Well, Charlie is that girlie for us. She collects current and historical aerial photos as well as base info on contours, zoning, overlays, neighbourhood plans, flooding, regional plan categories, state referral triggers, development application history, easements, NALL (protected vegetation), protected boarding houses, expected infrastructure upgrades, services like sewerage/water/stormwater lines … and much much more.

Why no cost?

There are 3 key reasons.

1 - We planners have a bit of a rep for being the “dream crushers”. A big part of our job is dealing with the tears that come when someone finds out they can’t do the dream reno they have been emotionally and financially falling in love with for the past year. Getting this info upfront reduces the risk of tears later on, which makes our job waaaaaay more chill.

2 - Charlie is like our wing woman … she makes design pros lives easier and hence, reinforces the positive relationship vibes for us.

3 - Those reports act as little branding ninjas, spreading the BTP name.

So don’t hesitate to reach out, as she benefits all of us!

Rules of engagement

Charlie is intended as a kind of “secret sauce” for design pros, she isn’t intended to be a tool that the general public can tap into. Hence, we have intentionally steered away from creating a public portal for her. Think of it like the hidden coffee spot that only locals know about. If you are a design pro and want to find out how you can access her magic, send us an email, and we will gladly fill you in. Just a heads up before you do …
*
The biggest thing to note is that Charlie is intended as an initial checking resource, she doesn’t replace a detailed human review (lol, at least not yet).
*
“Charlie's” magic powers (like ourselves) only work in the Brisbane Local Government Area.
*
For design pros, there is no limit to the number of “Charlies” you can run each day or week. That is the beauty of computer automation, it can go on and on and on and … you get the idea.
*
We aim to review the “Charlie” report and respond with any additional high-level commentary required within 24 to 48 hours (we are working on ways to speed this up).
*