Firemen tell you to "Stop, Drop and Roll.

Saturday, May 06, 2000

Firemen tell you to "Stop, Drop and Roll." While getting the right permit and advice about building projects may not seem nearly as important, inferior construction can lead to some dangerous situations. City Planning/Zoning Administrator Craig Hoium says prospective home improvers should "Stop, Ask and Remember."

Translated, that means a homeowner or contractor should: Stop before you start and give City Hall a call at 437-9950. Ask for the Austin Building Codes Division. And remember, it’s a lot easier to get the right building or zoning permit before starting on a project than it is to correct the error later.

The city code states that "no building or structure regulated by the code shall be erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, repaired, moved, improved, removed, converted or demolished unless a separate permit for each building or structure has first been obtained from the building official."

Permits are not simply another way for the government to take the taxpayers’ money, they’re a safeguard to make sure certain minimum standards are adhered to on a construction project.

Hoium stresses the public service aspect of both the zoning and building departments. Not only do the building inspectors do inspections at various points throughout a building project, they will also offer advice on projects and materials before they get off the ground.

"We’re a service department," Hoium said. "The building code provisions that dictate minimum standards are there to make sure whoever puts time and money into a project is protected – both his or her investment and safety."

Getting a permit can take anywhere from a day to ten days, depending on the size of the project. A deck or a garage could probably get a verbal OK in a day, but it takes a little longer for a home addition, Hoium said.

Costs of permits are based upon a valuation of the project, so the bigger the project, the more the code will cost. And, while permits cost money, a person will pay more if he or she gets caught without a permit when one is needed. The city is authorized to charge twice the building permit fee for an "investigation" of any unpermitted building site.

There are two building inspectors, plus Hoium, working for the city.

Residents planning work can contact the city building inspectors at 437-9950 or stop in at the engineering department on the second floor of the Municipal Building at 500 4th Ave. NE.

There are some exceptions to the city code, buildings and structures that don’t actually require a building permit. Many of those still require a zoning permit, however, or have other conditions to fulfill.

For zoning permits, call Hoium (437-9952). Many may find it surprising, but fences, accessory buildings like tool sheds up to 120 square feet, decks 30 inches or less above ground level require zoning permits although they don’t require a building permit.

"If they don’t get a zoning permit and go ahead and do it, then they would have to apply for a variance," he said. "It makes sense to get the zoning permit first, then they know about the issues. Plus, the fee for a zoning permit is minimal ($20), while a variance will cost $150. And if the variance isn’t approved by the Austin Planning Commission and the City Council then the fence or building would have to be moved."

There are also specific guidelines concerning height, setbacks (from the property line), boundaries and placement that Hoium is more than happy to explain to the property owner.

Another issue Hoium wants people to be aware of is accumulation of junk and debris. Having a yard that looks like a junkyard is not legal within the city limits, Hoium explained. It can also be expensive, should the violation not be corrected before it gets to court. If a person is convicted, for example, of unlicensed or junk vehicles cluttering the property, he or she could face a maximum penalty of $700 or 90 days in jail or both. Other zoning violations that Hoium is focusing on include extremely cluttered properties as well as housing code violations, where homes have deteriorated to a point where they no longer meet minimum housing standards.

"Any one of these issues – junk as well as other zoning violations – is subject to a misdemeanor charge," Hoium said. "That is never our first course of action, but if people don’t comply they eventually have to talk to the county attorney or appear in district court."