Trenton City Zoning Code
ARTICLE IX
Building Permits Required
Section 400.440 Building Permit Required.
[R.O. 2011 §400.445; Ord. No. 01-10 §1(9.01), 4-9-2001; Ord. No. 04-25 §1, 7-26-2004]
Except as hereinafter provided, no person, firm or corporation shall construct, erect, alter, wreck or move any building or structure or parts thereof within the corporate limits without first securing a building permit from the City of Trenton. It shall not be necessary to secure a building permit in order to alter, repair or otherwise change the interior of any residential building provided the proposed alteration, repair or change will not affect the exterior dimension of such building or change the existing use and occupancy thereof.
Section 400.445 Schedule of Fees for Building Permits, Inspections and Plan Review.
[Ord. No. 2014-19 §1, 5-12-2014; Ord. No. 2017-40, 6-12-2017; Ord. No. 2017-73, 12-11-2017; Ord. No. 2018-22, 4-23-2018]
A.
The following fees shall be submitted with each application for a building permit.
2.
Building Permits.
a.
Existing Structures.
(1)
Residential Construction, Remodeling, Manufactured Home, Etc: Thirty five dollars ($35.00) unless the total cost of construction exceeds one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), in which case an additional five dollars ($5.00) will be charged for each additional one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) in construction costs for the project.
(2)
Commercial Construction, Remodeling, Grading/Storm Drainage, Etc.: Fifty dollars ($50.00) unless the total cost of construction exceeds one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), in which case an additional six dollars ($6.00) will be charged for each additional one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) in construction costs for the project.
b.
New Construction. Permit fees shall be based on the estimated construction costs using the current version of the International Code Council/Building Valuation Data (BVD) using a regional multiplier of 0.080 and a fee multiplier of 0.004 for projects which qualify as Group U (residential garages an misc.), 0.002 for projects which qualify as Group R-3 (one- and two-family) and 0.003 for all other types of projects.
c.
Miscellaneous Building Permits.
(1)
Sidewalks: Thirty five dollars ($35.00)
(2)
Building Moving: Fifty dollars ($50.00)
(3)
Signs: Fifty dollars ($50.00) unless the total cost of construction, including but not limited to the cost of the sign exceeds one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), in which case, an additional six dollars ($6.00) will be charged for each additional one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) in construction costs for the project.
B.
Other Inspections And Fees.
1.
Inspections outside of normal business hours: Fifty dollars ($50.00) per hour* (minimum charge-one (1) hour).
2.
Reinspection fees: Fifty dollars ($50.00) per hour* (minimum charge - one-half (1/2) hour).
3.
Inspections for which no fee is specifically indicated: Fifty dollars ($50.00) per hour* (minimum charge - one-half (1/2) hour).
4.
Additional plan review required by changes, additions or revisions to plans: Fifty dollars ($50.00) per hour.
5.
For use of outside consultants for plan review And inspections, or both: Actual costs**.
*Or the total hourly cost to the City, whichever is the greatest. This cost shall include supervision, overhead, equipment, hourly wages and fringe benefits of the employees involved. |
**Actual costs include administrative and overhead costs. |
C.
The following are exceptions from the above fees:
Exceptions: Building permits for the following structures shall be based on the valuation of on-site work only, with a fee in the amount of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) for investigation:
D.
Plan Review Fees.
1.
When submittal documents are required by the Building Official and plan review is required, a plan review fee shall be paid. The plan review fees are separate fees from the permit fees and are in addition to the permit fees.
2.
A site plan will be required for all new construction projects, including accessory buildings and fences. The site plans shall be drawn to scale and show the following: drawing scale, north arrow, dimensions from property lines and adjacent streets, and dimensions of the proposed construction. The site plan shall be submitted with the building permit application.
3.
Review fees for structural, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC plans shall be based on the estimated construction costs, using a multiplier of 0.0010, and a multiplier of 0.0005 for review fees of life safety, sprinklers, and other plan review fees.
4.
Minimum plan review fee: One hundred dollars ($100.00).
E.
Certificate Of Occupancy. A Certificate of Occupancy will not be issued until all inspections have been performed and approved and all permit and inspection fees paid. Occupation or use of a building or area prior to receiving a Certificate of Occupancy is prohibited. Any person or persons occupying or using a building or area prior to receiving a Certificate of Occupancy shall be guilty of an ordinance violation, and subject to a fine up to five hundred dollars ($500.00), with each day of occupancy to be a separate offense.
F.
Demolition Requirements.
1.
Demolition shall consist of demolishing, removing, and disposing of all structures and improvements within the construction limits and shall apply to all structures and improvements, whether on, above, or below the surface of the ground with the complete removal of all construction material larger than two (2) inch diameter.
2.
Excavations shall be filled to existing grade with suitable soil material. The site shall be graded to drain, then seeded and mulched.
G.
Miscellaneous.
1.
Definition Of Construction Costs. Construction cost, shall include the total value of all construction work, including materials and labor, for which the permit is being used, such as gas, mechanical, plumbing equipment and permanent systems. The Building Official shall make the final determination of value.
2.
Payment Of Fees. A permit shall not be issued until the fees prescribed by the City of Trenton have been paid.
3.
Work Commencing Before Permit Issuance. If work of which a permit is required by the Code has been commenced without first obtaining a permit, a special investigation shall be made before a permit may be issued for the work. An investigation fee shall be collected and is in addition to the required permit fee, and will be equal to the permit fee.
4.
Fee Refunds.
a.
The Building Official may authorize a refund of not more than eighty percent (80%) of the permit fee or plan review fee paid when no work has been done under a permit issued.
b.
The Building Official shall not authorize a refund of any fee paid except on written application filed by the original permittee. No refund will be authorized if the permit expires.
5.
Re-Inspections.
a.
A re-inspection fee may be assessed for each inspection or re-inspection when such portion of work for which inspection is called for is not complete when corrections called for are not made.
b.
In instances where re-inspections fees have been assessed, no additional inspections of the work will be performed until the required fees have been paid.
6.
Expiration.
a.
All permits shall expire after one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of the permit, unless specifically noted on the permit by the Building Official. If a permit expires, a new permit shall be obtained, and the fee therefore shall be one-half (1/2) the amount required for a new permit for such work, excluding plan review fee, and provided no changes have been made or will be made in the original plans and specifications for such work.
b.
The Building Official may grant, in writing, one (1) or more extensions of time, for periods not more than one hundred eighty (180) days each. The extension shall be requested in writing and justifiable cause demonstrated.
7.
Expiration Of Plan Review. Applications for which no permit is issued within one hundred eighty (180) days following the date of application shall expire by limitation, and plans and other data submitted for review may thereafter be returned to the applicant or destroyed by the Building Official. In order to renew action on an application after expiration, the applicant shall resubmit plans and pay a new plan review fee. In the event of a hardship and at the discretion of the Building Official a new plan review fee may be waived.
Section 400.450 Application For Building Permit.
[R.O. 2011 §400.450; Ord. No. 01-10 §1(9.02), 4-9-2001; Ord. No. 04-25 §1, 7-26-2004]
Application for a building permit shall be made to the Zoning Administrator on blank forms to be furnished by the City Clerk. Each application for a permit to construct or alter a building shall be accompanied by a sketch drawn more or less to scale showing the dimensions of the lot to be built upon and the size and location of the building and accessory buildings to be erected. Applications shall contain such other information as may be deemed necessary for the proper enforcement of this Chapter or any ordinance. The fee for a building permit shall be determined by the City Council and may be revised from time to time.
Section 400.455 Issuance of Building Permit (Certificate of Compliance).
[R.O. 2011 §400.455; Ord. No. 01-10 §1(9.03), 4-9-2001; Ord. No. 04-25 §1, 7-26-2004]
A.
The Zoning Administrator shall issue the building permit only after determining that the building plans, together with the application, comply with the terms of this Chapter. The building permit shall also be known as the certificate of compliance and is subject to the following restrictions:
1.
A certificate of compliance shall be valid for twelve (12) months after date of issue. When construction has not been started on valid permits within a twelve (12) month period from the date of issue, an extension of time may be granted upon application to the Planning Commission.
2.
No certificate of compliance shall be required for maintenance, repair or remodeling where the building area coverage is not increased.
3.
Certificates of compliance issued hereunder may be revoked for cause, including, but not limited to, mistakes or misrepresentation of fact, issuance in violation of the provisions of this Chapter or in violation of any other applicable law or ordinance and for violation of the terms and conditions of the permit.
Section 400.460 Issuance of Certificate of Occupancy.
[R.O. 2011 §400.460; Ord. No. 01-10 §1(9.04), 4-9-2001; Ord. No. 04-25 §1, 7-26-2004]
A certificate of occupancy shall be obtained before any building hereafter erected or structurally altered is occupied. Application for a certificate of occupancy for a new building or for an existing building which has been altered shall be made to the Zoning Administrator as part of the application for a building permit as required by Section 400.440. Every certificate of occupancy shall state that the building or proposed use of a building or land complies with all provisions of law and this Chapter. A record of all certificates of occupancy shall be kept on file in the office of the City Clerk and copies shall be furnished on request to any person having a proprietary or tenancy interest in the building or land affected.