Responsibilities For Commercial Building Permits

The Owners Responsibility

An owner is ultimately responsible for any development or construction on their property. In most cases, owners pass the responsibility of a project to a general contractor or designer to manage and coordinate a development or construction project. State Law also has requirements that dictate the involvement of registered professional engineers and architects for commercial projects. It is suggested that owners monitor the progress of a project through their professionals to ensure the proper steps are being followed for design, permitting and inspections. Any pertinent information an owner can provide design professionals prior to preliminary design will aid in the success of obtaining a permit. Failure to submit complete information during any phase of design, permitting or construction can cause delays in issuing permits, performing inspections, and obtaining Certificates of Occupancy.

The Professional Engineer and Architect’s Responsibilities

The designer, usually a registered professional engineer or architect, is required to take responsibility for projects submitted to the Building & Safety Department. During the review process, the architect or engineer is responsible for supplying adequate construction drawings and making timely corrections to those drawings when requested. Building permits cannot be issued until all drawings are correct according to city codes and standards. The designer is expected to have taken into consideration all applicable construction code provisions, as well as all zoning requirements which may apply to a specific property. Preliminary meetings are strongly suggested to bring attention to any specific code issues or site specific zoning requirements which may be necessary for issuing a building permit. Initial building permit reviews are performed in 10 working days by City staff with reviews of revisions occurring in 5 working days after an architect or engineer has resubmitted. Preliminary meetings and proper code research help to eliminate unnecessary delays in the permit process. A strong partnership should be created between the design professional and the building official before a building permit can be issued.

The Contractors Responsibility

The general contractor is responsible to see that a project is built in accordance with the permit issued plans and specifications. Often, the contractor is the permit applicant and must coordinate plan submittal from the design professionals to the Building & Safety Department. Timeliness of this coordination can be critical to preventing delays in obtaining a building permit. The general contractor is also responsible to see that work is not commenced without obtaining a permit and that such work progresses according to code. Inspections can be scheduled via the internet or telephone the same day if contacted by 7:30 am. The general contractor is also responsible for coordinating all subcontractor permits, inspections and obtaining the Occupancy Certificate. No one may use or occupy a facility until a Certificate of Occupancy has been issued by the Department.

Building & Safety Department’s Responsibility

The Department’s responsibility is to review submitted plans thoroughly and in a timely manner. The Department of Building & Safety coordinates all reviews that occur by multiple city departments as well as those which are to be performed by Building & Safety staff. The policy of the Department is to have all reviewers complete their initial review within 10 working days of receiving a complete permit application. Reviews of corrected or resubmitted plans are to occur within 5 working days. A building permit cannot be issued until all reviewers are satisfied their code requirements have been met properly and legally reflected on the permit drawings. Limited construction permits may also be issued by Building & Safety if enough information warrants such an approach. Proper research and preparation by owners and their design professionals and quick response to reviewers comments will aid in a permit being issued in a timely manner. After a permit is issued, the Department is responsible for performing progress inspections and final inspections before issuing a Certificate of Occupancy.