(Amended by Ordinance Nos. 150873, 162103, 174880, 187432, 188647 and 190350, effective May 7, 2021.)
A. Validity. The issuance or granting of a permit or approval of plans and specifications will not be construed to be a permit for, or an approval of, any violation of any of the provisions of this Title. No permit presuming to give authority to violate or cancel the provisions of this Title will be valid, except insofar as the work or use which it authorizes is lawful.
The issuance of a permit based upon plans and specifications will not prevent the Director from thereafter requiring the correction of errors in said plans and specifications or from preventing construction being carried on thereunder when in violation of this Title or of any other ordinance.
B. Life of Permit Limited.
1.Permit applications.
a. Initial permit application. A permit application that is inactive for a period of 180 days will be deemed abandoned. If an abandoned permit application is not reactivated within 180 days of abandonment, the permit application will be void. If a permit application is void, a new permit application is required for the subject work.
b. Extensions. The Building Official may extend a permit application for up to 180 days, with justifiable cause, as determined in the Building Official’s sole discretion. Extension requests must be in writing and received by the Bureau of Development Services before the scheduled permit abandonment date.
c. Reactivations. The Building Official may reactivate a permit application that has been abandoned for less than 180 days, with justifiable cause as determined in the Building Official’s sole discretion. Reactivation requests must be in writing and received by the Bureau of Development Services within 180 days after permit abandonment date. If no activity occurs within 180 days after a permit application is reactivated, the permit application will be deemed abandoned. A permit application may be reactivated only once.
2. Issued permits.
a. Initial issued permit. If no inspection is approved within 180 days after permit issuance, the permit will expire. If an expired permit is not reactivated within 180 days of expiration, the permit will be void. If a permit is void, a new permit is required for the subject work.
b. Extensions. Each time an inspection is approved, the permit will automatically be extended for 180 days. The Building Official may also extend a permit for a period of up to 180 days with justifiable cause, as determined in the Building Official’s sole discretion. Extension requests must be in writing and received by the Bureau of Development Services before the scheduled permit expiration date. If no inspection is approved within the extended time period, the permit will expire.
c. Reactivations. The Building Official may reactivate a permit that has been expired for less than 180 days, provided no changes have been made to the scope of work, and with justifiable cause as determined in the Building Official’s sole discretion. A void permit may be reactivated provided there have been no changes to the scope of work and only the final inspection remains unapproved. Reactivation requests must be in writing and received by the Bureau of Development Services within 180 days after permit expiration. If no inspection is approved within 180 days of reactivation, the permit will expire. A permit may be reactivated only once.
3. Fees. When a new permit is required, a new permit application must be submitted and new fees must be paid based on the current adopted Bureau of Development Services fee schedule. The Bureau of Development Services will adopt policies for fee refunds or credits of previously submitted permits. Fees for permit extensions and reactivations may also be charged as adopted in the Bureau of Development Services fee schedule.
C. Suspension or Revocation. The Director may, in writing, suspend or revoke a permit issued under provisions of this Title whenever the permit is issued in error or on the basis of incorrect information supplied, or in violation of any ordinance or regulation or any of the provisions of this Title.
D. Investigation Fees: Work Without a Permit.
1. Investigation. Whenever any work for which a permit is required by this Title has been commenced without first obtaining said permit, an investigation will be made before a permit may be issued for such work.
2. An investigation fee, in addition to the permit fee, will be collected whether or not a permit is then or subsequently issued. The Bureau may charge an investigation fee equal to the average or actual additional cost incurred by the City of ensuring that the work done without benefit of a permit is in conformance with the Mechanical Code and this Title. The payment of such investigation fee will not exempt any person from compliance with all other provisions of this Title nor from any penalty prescribed by law.