There are two times of the calendar year—right about now then again in late fall—when the code office gets the request: “We need to fast-track this permit because the contractor wants to get started tomorrow.”
Wouldn’t it be cool if you could get a building permit simply on-line and then select which delivery method you wanted?
Heck, we all do it now with on-line shopping. Just sit down with your computer or smart phone; go to Amazon, eBay or any other on-line store; pick all the items you need and place them in your shopping cart and then go to check out
There you select the payment type, plug in all your “secure” information and then figure out the shipping.
Now you’re prompted to pick what kind of delivery—regular delivery or some kind of expedited delivery for an extra charge.
That’s the way things are done today. We are being trained for instant gratification.
In the world of land use regulations, otherwise known as Zoning, things just don’t happen as easily as shopping on-line.
Maybe someday getting permits can happen with a few clicks of the mouse, but not too likely in the foreseeable future.
The Town of Webb, just like every other town or village, has rules and regulations governing the use of land, how property can be developed and the process of obtaining permits.
Although each municipality has its own zoning standards, they all have to follow certain procedural requirements that comply with state requirements.
And those depend on the type of the permit being applied for.
If the proposal is a standard use allowed by local law and meets all the minimum criteria of the same, the permit may be approvable quickly right at the code office.
However, if any part of the request rises to a “special” or “conditional” permit as defined by local law, or a variance, the code office may not have the ability to approve it immediately.
Whether it’s a variance request, Planning Board site plan approval, subdivision, conditional use application, or an amendment to any of these, due process is required.
That due process does not have an overnight delivery option. It is what it is. Almost always, a minimum thirty-day time frame is involved.
The time frame becomes longer when the applicant does not have the information needed to get the process started… specifically a current survey of the property or proper plans for any new construction. Not a hand drawn plot plan… rather, a regular survey prepared by a licensed Land Surveyor that shows locations of all buildings, property lines, shorelines or other pertinent features.
All these things take time. Planning ahead is required.
Most design professionals and contractors understand that not every permit is obtainable in the same day.
The most successful projects are the ones where good communication is established with the local code office and all competent information is provided.
Now the path to approval can be established and a realistic start date can be targeted.
Walking into a code office in late October thinking you going to walk out with a building permit for a new house on the lake and not have a survey, septic design, complete architectural plans for the house or the JIF letter [jurisdictional determination from the APA] is not good planning.
Then only to find out that the property is boat access only, inside a ‘Critical Environment Zone’ and there are wetlands involved. These issues all require due process, board approvals and APA permits… which all have prescribed time frames.
Although this situation is an extreme example, this stuff happens all too often.
Someone comes into the code office and says, “What do we have to do to fast-track this?”
Or, “We want to start now before the snow… or before my customer arrives for their summer.”
A code office can only help to the degree that local law allows, and if the information provided is accurate, complete and ready to go. Fast-track is where you get gas, not permits.
Someone’s lack of planning does not constitute an emergency. Be prepared, plan ahead, be smart.