Building Permits
The Bureau of Building Code Administration issues construction permits and Certificates of Occupancy for all projects and conducts all plan reviews and inspections for one and two family dwelling projects, including sewer lateral repairs.
Beginning in 2009, the City embarked on a Public/Private Partnership utilizing approved Third Party Code Agencies for most commercial projects. If your project is directed to go out to a Third Party Code Agency, we recommend that you research City Council approved firms listed on our website (below) for plan review and inspection service fees.
The City reserves the right to send inspections for any given commercial project to an approved Third Party Code Agency after a city staff plan review. This is based on the type of project and staff availability. The inspection fees are the responsibility of the permit applicant.
Permit applicants may elect to have an approved Third Party Code Agency perform residential (One and Two Family Dwelling) inspections when city staffing levels cannot provide timely service. The responsibility for payment to an approved Third Party Code Agency for these inspections is the permit applicant.
City Code staff performs all commercial sewer lateral inspections on behalf of the City (regardless of any other agency selected for the project).
Commercial projects may have the following code related fees applied:
– City building permit fee.
– Third Party Code Agency plan review and inspection fee.
– Fire Systems permit fee for Fire Permits for all fire system work.
– City building permit fees for all signage. Signs are required to be submitted separately for all projects involving signage.
Interior demolition permits can be applied for and issued by the City, which allows an applicant to begin clearing work (not new construction) on the interior of a building while building plans are under review. Floor plans and a commercial building permit application are required.
All fire systems, including alterations to existing systems, must be submitted to and reviewed by the Third Party Code Agency if the City does not have primary plan review responsibilities for the project. All applicants for fire systems should use the City Fire Systems Permit application form. Upon return of the plans to the city code compliance office, the plans will receive a cursory review by the city code staff for placement of control panels, annunciator panels, fire department connections, lock box locations, etc. A separate fire systems permit will then be issued for the project fire system(s).
All fire system work must be performed by a contractor who has a Certificate of Fitness issued by the Fire Bureau, Fire Marshal’s Office.
No work involving the removal, disconnecting or taking out of service any installed fire system or component is permitted without notification to and the approval of the fire marshal.
Buildings and structures are not to be used or occupied until a Certificate of Occupancy has been issued by the code official.
Questions regarding plan submittal, reviews, permits, permit fees or code requirements should be directed to the appropriate staff member. The permit office is open to the public Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.