 |
OVERVIEW OF THE BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION PROCESS
Most projects that involve the construction of anything on your property or the renovation/alteration of existing structures require you to obtain a building permit from the Essex Building Inspector. The permitting process can range from a very simple office review by the Building Inspector (for something like replacing roofing shingles) to a fairly complex series of reviews by individual boards, commissions, and departments that will form the basis for the Building Inspector's approval (for things like new or
expanded construction, subdivision approval, variances from zoning rules, and site plan review). A permit fee is required.
The best way to determine exactly what path your project will require is to consult the Building Inspector early in your planning process. He will be able to lay out the general flow of reviews from other entities that your project will need to undergo before he can issue a permit. The Essex Building Inspector a part-time employee with office hours each Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Building Permit Applications for one and two family dwellings and for other projects are available on this website or at the Essex Town Hall at 30 Martin Street in Essex.
Basic information that you will need in order to complete a building permit application includes: the Map and Lot numbers for the property in question (can be acquired via the Board of Assessors' Office); copies of contractor's licenses if you will be hiring someone to do the work; two sets of plans detailing the proposed construction acitivity (the level of detail varies with the proposed activity - see Building Inspector); two sets of accurate site plans drawn to scale (again, see Building Inspector); the official 911 address designation
of the property in question from the Essex Fire Department (and, depending on the project, a smoke detector inspection); and, for all new construction, an energy report.
Since the individual entities that provide pieces of the permitting checklist to the Building Inspector meet on their own schedules at varying times, it may be necessary for you to obtain approvals one step at a time until the Building Inspector indicates that he has what he needs to issue a permit. It is also very possible that one board or commission will require changes to your proposal in order to meet their standards. In turn, that may require you to go back before some entities that had signed off on plans that have now changed.
A general rule is that the more complex a project is, the more time it will take to permit and the more iterations of plans will be necessary to satisfy all jurisdictions. Each project is different and the preceding is only a general overview. During the application process, the Building Inspector can lay out a basic roadmap and each individual "destination" on that map will be able to provide details specific to your proposal that are within their own area of expertise. It is important to note that the Building Inspector cannot issue a permit unless and until the individual requirements of all necessary Town boards and commissions are met and their individual approvals are obtained. Please also feel free to contact the Town Administrator for further assistance with coordination.
| |
