Permits getting best-before date

By Neil Horner
May 13^th, 2008

Developers who want to build in Qualicum Beach are welcome to do so, but they will have to do it quickly, if a proposed bylaw goes through.

The issue came up at the May council meeting, when Councillor Barry Avis moved that council impose a 120 day best-before date for building permit applications in the community.

In a report to council, chief administrative officer Mark Brown said building code changes - in particular in regards to seismic issues - have changed between 1998 and 2006. However, because there is no time limit on building permit applications, projects applied for under the old regulations can be approved without necessarily meeting the new regulations.

"This allows the applicant and the town to be aware that the application is not open indefinitely,"Brown said. "This will put into the bylaw how long a building permit application is good for.

Brown noted the town is dealing with some applications approved under the 1998 codes and this makes life difficult for both the proponent and for town staff.

"These are 10-year-old codes,"he said. "This could go on indefinitely if we are silent in our bylaw. This puts into the bylaw certainty about how long a building permit application is good for."

Under the proposed bylaw, an application would be cancelled and the plan-processing fee forfeited if the building permit has not been issued and the permit fee paid within 120 days of the date of written notification to the owner that the permit is ready to be issued.

"Once staff is satisfied the permit is ready to be picked up and the owner is notified, the clock starts ticking,"Brown said.

Council approved three readings of the bylaw.

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