Successfully Navigating Building Permits and Municipal Approvals

building permit

Why this process? 

When one wants to remodel, build an addition or build new, it will require approvals from the local municipality. Because building is dangerous, expensive, environmentally sensitive it requires oversight and monitoring. This process includes submission of applications, fees, drawings and related documentation to explain the project to an agency within the municipality. https://youtu.be/jW5Tespo5co

These municipal agencies, such as a building department or engineering department, are typically composed of qualified employees that may have experience and education in their field of review.  Often, there is a mixture of agencies, boards and committees that will generally review the project together.

These agencies will analyze what is being done and confirm that the project complies with applicable regulations and often refer the project for further review by other agencies or boards.  Often their points of view differ and can cause delays even within the same department.  Additionally, submission requirements, codes and regulations are constantly changing -which can also wreak havoc for municipal agencies and design professionals alike.

From experience, I suggest to get as much information related to submission requirements and carefully package your submission while observing submission deadlines for successfully navigating Building Permits and Municipal Approvals and avoid later disappointments. Make sure to make copies for your records and other affected parties…’nuf said.

The Boards or committees might include professionals, volunteers or a combination of both.  The committees may also include county-based, state based or regional reviews depending on the scope of the project.  These Municipal Approval boards address additional aspects of compliance such as environmental conservation, zoning regulations, appearance, traffic impact, neighborhood or town planning, etc. . The Boards usually work in concert to advise the Municipal agencies of their findings. In addition to this, many areas have local Landowners or Neighborhood Associations that may require their blessing before submitting a project to the Municipality.

Since the municipal agencies staffing is based on revenue derived from tax collections, which is often short due to the budget constraints, most building departments are presently running short-staffed due to the high volume of projects under review.

So what length of time should one expect at this time for these reviews and related approvals?

crazy schedule

For most smaller-medium projects that our office has done over the past 18 years.: It generally takes between 1-4 months for your project to be reviewed and sent to one municipal board for review, then obtain a permit. This assumes all goes smoothly and there are not many objections or revisions needed to the submission.  Depending on the town and complexity of the project, we often advise our clients to budget an additional 1-2 months.

For larger projects,  projects that are built in environmentally sensitive areas, or projects that may face neighbor opposition a period of 3-10 months is very common for obtaining necessary approvals.  Complicated subdivisions and projects facing neighbor resistance can take, gulp, years.

Projects built without permits are easily discovered by the building department officials.  The tell-tale signs of dumpsters, calls from nosy neighbors, contractors with an axe to grind, and property transfers each signal the building department that work may have commenced without proper approvals.  At this juncture a stop-work order or other form of violation may be issued.These penalties create delays, involve punitive fines, possible tax increases and will involve far more effort resolving than having obtained the approvals in the proper manner.

Give us a call to review your specific situation 914 674 2950!

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