by Andrew Getty

With summer behind us, fall will start to kick in. The warm and mild weather of August sometimes makes us lazy about getting ready for winter.

Putting up firewood, taking boats out of the water, winterizing buildings, are all things that don’t seem too urgent when the lakes are still warm and the air is mild.

But as we all know all too well, the weather will change, the lakes will get cold, the rain always sets in and the nice warm days come to a screeching halt. 

Then the sudden urgency of “getting ready” begins.

Contractors and their customers often fall into the same trap. What’s the hurry?

Every year during September and October… and into November and December, there is a mad rush to get that building project started.

If the same holds true again this year, this office will be slammed with applications for building permits with most asking politely for special attention to review the documents asap, then issuing permits.

And, unfortunately, there are always the few that are just a tad more demanding.

Usually those who are late and in a hurry often lack the required information like surveys, good compliant plans, or plans that at least can be read and understood.

Fortunately, few are so unprepared. But those few can cause hours of unnecessary time at this end.

Then there is always the one that is in a hurry, submits pretty good documents, a decent survey and proposed plot plan but the application can’t be approved; usually because of the set-back requirements to a side or street front.

An area variance will be required, and that takes time with no guarantee of success.

Now the urgency of time hits home. That project may not start this year, if site work and concrete is involved.

A quick preview with the code office, a few weeks before, could have found this.

The variance process takes at least one month, sometimes six weeks.

And that assumes a determination can be made the same night as the scheduled hearing.

The Zoning Board of Appeals tries to do that, but there is no guarantee.

Any waterfront project usually will need a JIF (Jurisdictional Inquiry Form) and letter of jurisdiction which follows from the Park Agency.

This is the formal process to determine if the Park Agency requires any permits for the project. The majority of projects do not require any Park Agency permits.

This process can take three weeks; sometimes less.

However, just like any code office, things can heat up pretty good before winter really sets in with application and inspection requests.

Getting the information submitted sooner than later will only help you.

So, if you are planning a project this year, especially one that requires lots of site work, footings, piers or other foundation work, hopefully by now you have your architect or engineered plans ready to go, your survey has been completed, any Adirondack Park Agency review done and all you need is to file the application in the code office and get the permit.

Having discussed your plans with this office during the planning stages can eliminate any unforeseen surprises.

Here are some things to remember when submitting an application:

Read the instructions;

Plans are required; the bigger the project, the more detailed the plans;

Many plans will need an architect or engineer;

• Surveys are needed for additions and new construction…very few exceptions;

• Don’t forget the Park Agency JIF, takes 2 – 4 weeks;

• Have your architect or engineer call the code office in your area to verify basic design criteria;

• Determine who will be calling the code office to schedule inspections;

• Please write legible;

• Provide phone numbers and email for better communication.

Help your code office help you by making it easy to sign off on permit applications.

This applies to any code office. A complete, well put together application is easy to review and issue.

One that is missing stuff, hard to read, impossible to understand will be held up… which delays the project. Help us help you.