Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Village of Cold Spring DIY-ers with long range home improvement plans.... this one's for you.... Please watch for the discussion topic to return to the Village Board in coming months...


Our Building Inspectors' practices have long conflicted with our Village Code. But rather than alter that practice to conform to our code, our current Building Inspector has asked the Village Board to rewrite our local law.


Our Building Inspector has limited part-time hours that are easily overwhelmed by administrative work.  Limiting the frequency of permit renewals is one way to reduce paperwork while permitting construction and continued home improvement in our Village.


Our Building Inspector has been issuing 12-month building permits and 12-month renewals.  Our Building Inspector has been advising applicants they are not allowed  more than 2 permit renewals (i.e. three years to complete a project).

The Village Board is resolving this disconnect between the law and its enforcement.

In an effort to reduce the administrative burden on our Building Inspector, the Village Board is contemplating 24-month permits and two (2) one-year renewals (i.e. four years to complete a project).

In an effort to ensure resident and non-resident applicants have clear access to the permit renewals they seek, the Village Board is contemplating removal of the subjective phrase "for good cause".

In an effort to improve certainty about the term of a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic District Review Board, the Village Board is contemplating a Certificate of Appropriateness whose term restarts upon issuance of the building permit and runs for the same 24-month period.

The Village Board hasn't yet scheduled its next discussion about this topic, but until then, permitting and renewals should proceed without delay and in accordance with the Village Code.  In consideration of the 3-month permit renewal periods being recognized once again, the Building Permit Renewal Fee has been reduced from $100 to $50.
















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