HomeMy WebLinkAbout101823 What is the purpose of a building permitALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Commissioners,
Yes, I know that the formal period for public testimony on the currently pending International Building Code ordinance is now closed, but I need to raise an issue that hasn’t been fully
considered in your deliberations to-date.
Taking a step back from the details of the proposed ordinance, I asked myself (and Google), “What is the purpose of a building permit?”
Google AI:
A building permit is an official approval from a local government agency that allows you or a contractor to proceed with a construction or remodeling project on your property. The purpose
of a building permit is to:
* Ensure that the project plans to comply with local standards for land use, zoning, and construction
* Ensure that the construction project follows all relevant regulations, including building standards, land use, and environmental protection
* Improve the safety of everyone involved both during and after construction
Building permits vary by city or county. They can include regulations for:
* Building standards
* Land use
* Environmental protection
* Earthquake safety standards
* Tree protection
* Structural integrity
* Fire resistance
* Proper exiting
* Health concerns
* Water and sewer lines
* Extension of electrical service
Building permits can also:
* Keep you from engaging in a plan without adequate financial resources
* Keep you and/or work teams from being hurt if the structure is unsound
* Make selling property easier
If you decide to sell a home or building that has had modifications without a permit, you may be required to:
* Tear down the addition
* Leave it unoccupied
* Do costly repairs
The proposed revision to JCC 15.05.040 includes changing the cost threshold from $1,500 (as it exists also in RCW) to $3,000.
But why have a dollar amount at all? The purpose of a permit is completely separate from the cost of the work to be done under the permit.
Example: A permit to install a propane tank is currently $321. That permit is not optional but the cost is not above $1,500 (or $3,000, or …).
If a permit is required, based solely on the nature of the work to be performed, then the costs of materials and labor are utterly irrelevant.
If a person wants to do any work for which a permit is not required by Code, then the “total valuation” of the work is of no legitimate concern to the county; any scheme to collect a
fee for no-permit-required work is simply an unjustifiable and underhanded way to fund DCD.
JCC 15.05.040 should override the IBC et al and simply eliminate any mention of a dollar threshold.
Thank you,
Tom Thiersch