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Memo- Building Permit ProcessCITY OF HOPKINS MEMORANDUM DATE: June 3, 1998 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Tom Anderson SUBJECT: Building Permit Process The Purpose of the Permit Process: The purpose of the building permit process is to ensure the minimum standards to safeguard life, limb, health, property and welfare provided in the State Building code and other city ordinances are applied to the buildings constructed in Hopkins. The code has many benefits to our community that may not be readily apparent. • It benefits the city by providing a level of quality to the buildings that are built thereby maintaining the property values of the city. • It benefits building occupants. A quality code enforcement program ensures a building is safe. Building safety includes: Fire Safety. Provides occupants safe exiting in case of fire, a level of safety for the city fire fighters and property protection for the owner. Structural Safety. Provides assurance that the structure can accommodate the loads applied to the building. Healthy Buildings Ensures adequate ventilation, a safe water supply, and properly designed mechani- cal systems. Occupant Safety Provides for safe stairways, exit ways, landings and the like. Hazards in the build- ing are managed or separated from the occupants. • It benefits building owners • A home or business is an investment. A construc- tion project that does not meet code is reduced in value. • Property insurers may not cover losses if work was done without permits or inspections. • A property owner that can show code requirements were met as demonstrated by inspection,records has a strong ally in potentially damaging lawsuits. • Buildings that meet minimum safety standards are less likely to cause injury to the users. What Comprises the Building Code: The Building code adopted and enforced by the city inspec- tion division is the Minnesota State Building Codel. The State Code is mandatory for all communities that have a building code and there are no local options to be either more or less restrictive than the state code. Having no local option provides a consistent standard of safety for all the citizens of the state and allows products or construction methods approved in one community to be used in every community. This levels the playing field for Hopkins. How does the Permit Process Work: The permit process is dependent on the type of permit being requested. I have attached a flow chart that shows the permit process. A permit that does not involve the need for plans or other department reviews can be issued very quickly, usually less than one day. Permits of this type include: • roofing, • residing, • plumbing and • most mechanical permits. 1 See Appendix A for a list of documents that comprise the State Building Code 2 Attached as appendix B. These are shown on the left side of the chart. The review consists mainly of • looking at the application, • checking for contractor license, • entering the permit into the computer and • providing appropriate handouts to the applicant to assist in the inspection process. All permits that require a construction plan are shown on the right side of the chart and the permit process becomes more time consuming depending on the complexity of the project. Review of these permit requests require the build- ing inspector to do an in -depth code review on the plans submitted. These plans may be a one page document or a large roll of plans with 50 or more pages. The more complex projects may also contain construction specification books that must be reviewed. If the permit is for a new structure or involves a change in the exterior foot print of the building, a review by other departments is also needed to be sure it meets all of the city codes. What is the Purpose of a Plan and Plan Review: To determine if the structure to be built will comply with city codes and the building code. Some construction can simply be described verbally other construction can only be described through preparation of construction drawings. The plan review process is where the inspector applies his code knowledge to the plan to determine if the construction will meet the complex requirements of the building code. Code violations and potential pitfalls are identified during the plan stage to allow the applicant to correct the problems before construction begins. Once construction begins, correction of code violations is costly. The plan review stage of the permit process is the most time consuming. The inspector reviews the: • structural integrity, • exiting system, • type of construction, • fire protection elements, • energy efficiency, • mechanical systems and • accessibility. Plans can be very complex so the time needed for review varies greatly. How long does it take to obtain a Permit: The time necessary to review and issue permits vary with the complexity. The following are policy guidelines the division uses: • Residential permits • We expect permits where no plan review is needed to be issued within one working day. • Residential permits requiring plan reviews like: decks, additions, interior remodels, detached garages and new homes are expected to be reviewed in 3 to 5 working days. • Commercial permits Commercial permits are all reviewed in a timely manner in accordance with the complexity of the plan. More complex structures require larger blocks of time to be set aside for review. The building code requirements are more numerous and complex on commercial projects. • We expect permits where no plan review is needed to be issued within one to two working days. • Simple commercial remodeling projects and tenant finishes that don't involve a change in the building size or change in use are expected to be reviewed in 5 to 8 working days. • Small commercial structures and some of the simpler changes in use should be completed in 8 to 10 working days. • All new buildings and larger buildings undergoing a change in use are expected to be reviewed in 15 to 45 working days. Most of the structures in this category are within the 15 days, however every year 3 The term change in use is defined in the code and would require the entire building to be brought up to code. A change in use is where a building is to be used for a more hazardous occupancy than it currently is used for. one or two structures are complex enough that more than 15 working days are required. What is the Purpose of On Site Inspections On -site inspections are conducted after the permit is issued to be sure the construction is being done in accordance with the plan. All materials being installed must be inspected to ensure they are installed correctly. How Many On Site Inspections are needed The number of Inspections required for a project vary with the complexity of the project. Most permits require at least two inspections. This includes those where no plan is required. Permits for additions and new residential buildings will require 8 to 10 site inspections. Commercial projects will require a minimum of two site visits and most remodel projects needing 4 to 5 inspections. New commercial buildings can require from 15 to a 100 or more inspections depending on the size of the project and methods of construction. APPENDIX A. The State Building Code contains the following documents: a) 1994 edition of the Uniform Building Code b) 1993 edition of the National Electric Code c) Elevators and related devices d) Minnesota Plumbing Code, Minnesota Rules e) "Flood Proofing Regulations," June 1972, Office of the Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army f) The Uniform Mechanical Code 1991 Edition. g) The Minnesota Energy Code h) State of Minnesota Manufactured Home Rules i) Solar Energy Systems j) Requirements for Fallout Shelters k) Minnesota Statute, Variations in Snow Loads 1) Minnesota Rules, Facilitates for the Handicapped; m) 1994 Uniform Building Code Appendix Chapters 3,Division I, Detention and Correctional Facilities; 12, Division II, Sound Transmission Control; 29, Minimum Plumbing Fixtures; 31,Division II, Membrane Structures and 33, Excavation and Grading; n) Minnesota Plumbing Code o) Rules relating to Public Swimming Pools p) Minnesota State Building Code q) Certification and Continuing Education of Building Officials r) Building Construction, State Agency Construction Rules s) Prefabricated Structures t) Minnesota Rules Chapter 1370, Storm Shelters. APPENDIX B Inspections checks to see if plans are required Contacts Inspection • Department Owner submits application with plans? Owner decides to do project • Yes Inspections verifys that application is complete Zoning and /or Public Works approval needed? Yes • Designer completes design Submits application to Inspections Yes Yes Inspections reviews plan Inspections approves plan? Zoning and /or Public Works pproves? Returned to applicant for more information or resolution Owner provides information /resolves code violations? No 1 Yes Yes • P rmit denied . _._