CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Transportation Impact Fee Increase  

December 10, 2019

This table addresses residential construction only.   For a complete list of the transportation impact

Fees, please visit our website.

Residential Homebuilders will see an increase in transportation impact fees effective for residential permits applied for January 1^st or after. 

Original ITT platted lot - a residential lot with final plat approval as of December 30, 1977.  In most cases, it will be a legal description beginning with Section, Block and Lot (07-11-31-70)

Please check our website for official copies of the fee schedule. 

CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Inspections for Flatwork

November 18, 2019

Effective for any permits applied for on or after DECEMBER 2, 2019, a PRE-POUR inspection will be required prior to the final inspection for concrete (flat) work. 

Also be reminded, effective today for any flatwork greater than 300 square feet will require a final survey.

CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

**UPDATED **

Final Survey Requirements for Flat Work

 (Concrete patio)  

November 14, 2019

Effective for all permits applied for on or after November 18, 2019, a final survey will be required prior to the final inspection for concrete (flat) work greater than 300 square feet.

• A survey will NOT be required for pre-manufactured sheds

Effective immediately, a final survey will NOT be required for aluminum enclosures on existing patios. 

• It will be required if you are adding any concrete greater than 300 square feet.

*A survey may be required if the lot is peculiar and the concrete may impede the drainage flow

CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Final Survey Requirements for Flat Work

 (Concrete patio)  

October 21, 2019

Effective November 18, 2019, a final survey will be required prior to the final inspection for concrete (flat) work greater than 100 square feet.

• A survey will NOT be required for pre-manufactured sheds

Effective immediately, a final survey will NOT be required for aluminum enclosures on existing patios. 

• It will be required if you are adding concrete greater than 100 square feet.

*A survey may be required if the lot is peculiar and the concrete may impede the drainage flow.

CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Notarization of Documents

October 9, 2019

Notarizations are an intricate part of the Building Permit Application Process. Unfortunately, on occasion, false notarizations are discovered. These discoveries are usually part of a larger issue outside the purview of the Permitting Division.

On occasion, notarized documents are later found to be incorrectly or falsely notarized.  This can lead to legal consequences. The most common are documents signed not in the presence of the notary and notarizations performed for relatives or business partners.  Below are some frequently asked questions that commonly arise:

May I notarize a signature without the person being present if another person swears that the person signed the document?

No! The Notary Section receives frequent inquiries about "notarizing a person's signature by subscribing witness." Evidently, some notaries believe that it is permissible to notarize a signature when the person is not present if someone who witnessed the signing of the document appears before the notary and swears that the person actually signed the document. Some states, like California, do, in fact, allow such notarizations, but Florida does not. Misunderstanding may also stem from a section in Florida law that provides a method by which instruments concerning real property may be entitled to recording in Florida when the document signer cannot appear before a notary to acknowledge his or her signature. You may hear this procedure referred to as "proof of execution by subscribing witness."

As a business owner, would I have a financial interest in the transactions being notarized for my company's business?

Section 117.107(12), Florida Statutes, provides that you may not be the notary for a transaction in which you have a financial interest or to which you are a party. Although this provision was added to the notary law in 1992, it is not a new prohibition. This provision was merely a codification of the same prohibition established by case law dating as far back as the 1800s and as recently as the 1990s.

May I notarize a document for a family member?

No! Per the Florida Statutes, a notary public "may not notarize a signature on a document if the person whose signature is to be notarized is the spouse, son, daughter, mother, or father of the notary public." (Section 117.107(11).

Cases of false or fraudulent notarizations can be reported to the Office of the Governor at https://www.flgov.com/notary-complaints/.  There are both civil and criminal penalties that are applicable to fraudulent notarization.

The City of Palm Coast offers free notarization services to all city residents and businesses.

City of Palm Coast

Building Division

386-986-3780

palmcoastgov.com

CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Generator Disconnects

September 26, 2019

In accordance with the National Electric Code 2014,  445.18 for all permits applied for on or after October 9, 2019:

• A disconnect must be installed between the transfer switch and the generator.

• The disconnect shall be identified as a 'Generator Shut-Off'.

The disconnect will be identified on the approved plans.

September 4, 2019

Palm Coast City Hall will resume normal operations tomorrow, Thurday September 5th,  to include the Building Division Permitting and Plan Review services.   

We will make every effort to perform any inspections that have been requested this week on Thursday.  Any site not visited on Thursday will be completed on Friday. 

Please make contact with any homeowners that may need to be home for inspections to ensure accessiblity.    We encourage you to cancel any inspection that may not be ready or accessible for inspection.  palmcoastgov.com/eplan   or 386-986-4747.

September 3, 2019

Re:  Hurricane Dorian   

Hurricane Dorian is expected to affect the City of Palm Coast over the next 2 days.    

Building Division staff immediately following the hurricane will be performing damage assessment throughout the entire city.

Office operations are anticipated to be open for normal operations Thursday, September 5th.   

Normal operations for inspections will be suspended until the damage assessment has been completed.  It is hopeful the assessment will be completed within one day and we will resume normal operations on Friday, September 6^th.  

Thank you to all the construction companies that took a proactive approach securing your job sites and hauling waste prior to the potential arrival of severe weather conditions. 

Please keep you and your family safe during this time and stay tuned to the city website for the most recent updates in your community.   www.palmcoastgov.com

CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

City Offices Closed Tuesday September 3^rd

August 30, 2019

Please be advised, City Offices will be closed Tuesday September 3^rd due to Hurricane Dorian.  (Offices are closed Monday in observance of Labor Day). 

Building inspections requested for Tuesday will be done when the office resumes normal activities.   This schedule will depend on the course taken by Hurricane Dorian and the impact it has on our community.

Please stay tuned to the City's website, facebook page and the local media for the latest information.   www.palmcoastgov.com

August 28, 2019

Hurricane Dorian is expected to make landfall in Florida within the next 4- 5 days;  please be sure to secure any loose items, building materials, debris, dumpsters and signage you may have stored on your construction sites.

In addition, please make sure all swales are free flowing and are not obstructed in any way and check all appropriate erosion/sediment control measures as needed. 

Thank you in advance for being a good neighbor in your community. 

CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Storm Preparedness

August 27, 2019

As we enter peak hurricane season, please be sure to secure any loose items, building materials, debris, dumpsters and signage you may have stored on any of your properties that are under construction.  

In addition, please make sure all swales are free flowing and are not obstructed in any way and check all appropriate erosion/sediment control measures as needed. 

Thank you in advance for being a good neighbor in your community. 

CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Early Power Request & Agreement

July 31, 2019

The Early Power Form submitted for Single Family and Duplex construction will no longer be required. 

The form has been removed as a requirement from the online portal. 

The inspection for early power will continue. 

CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Phone System Maintenance

July 30, 2019

The City of Palm Coast will be performing maintenance on our phone system beginning Friday , August 2nd at 3PM.

If you experience difficulties in scheduling inspections, our online permitting portal offers 24/7 permitting services including the scheduling of inspections. 

If you are not familiar with this site, we encourage you to visit www.palmcoastgov.com/eplan .    You may enter the site using an address or the permit #. 

We regret any inconvenience this may cause.

CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Unable to Obtain a Final Inspection

2-4-19

There have been questions raised how to handle a final inspection when the property owner will not make the inspection area available for inspection. 

It is strongly encouraged to schedule the inspection directly following the completion of the work, it is our experience that the more time lapses, the more difficult it is for a contractor to obtain the final inspection when a homeowner needs to be home.

The Building Department cannot release a contractor from a permit where the work has been started/completed.

The Building Department will pursue the property owner through the Code Enforcement Board proving a minimum of the following items have been done and provided to the Building Department

1. Inspection has been requested.

2. Letters / notice requesting inspection (during the 6 months of the active permit) has been sent to property owner via certified mail - return receipt requested and copies have been provided to the Building Department.

3. Letter / notice posted on property (picture for proof)

4. Phone log of attempted calls to property owner.

These steps must be throughout the 6 months of the active permit PRIOR to the expiration.  These actions are to protect YOU the contractor from action with the Department of Business and Professional Regulations / Flagler County Contractor Licensing Review Board.  Without the above information, we do not have proof to defend you did due diligence in gaining compliance. 

The evidence you supply must be enough to convince the Department of Business and Professional Regulations you have done everything possible to gain compliance.   

If the permit expires, a new permit will be required if the above steps have not been taken during the 6 months the permit was active. 

June 7, 2019

 A copy of the final survey will not be required to be at the job site for a final inspections.

All reviews and onsite inspections will have already occured prior to the final inspection.

When the PERMIT has been finaled, the survey will receive the approval stamp.   It is no longer necessary for the contractor/applicant to have a copy of the approved final survey at the site.

Water Meter and PEP Tank Installation Request

May 31, 2019

Good News

Effective June 1, 2019

All Pep Tank and Meter Requests will be scheduled through the same venues as your building inspections. 

Water Meter requests may be submitted once the following requirements have been met:

• Permit issued

• Lot cleared

• Vegetation is cleared in a 5' diameter around both front survey pins

• Obstructions removed

Pep Tank install requests may be submitted once the following requirements have been met:

• PEP Tank site must be clear of construction debris. (dumpsters, porta-lets, temporary power poles, and building supplies or materials)
• Brick or stone must be completed.
• Homes with pools under construction must provide access on the opposite property line of PEP Tank.
• Trees cannot be located within tank site.
• Building or home must be dried in stage (exterior siding, trim, windows, and complete roof system) but prior to the forming of the driveway or sidewalks.
• A cleanout must be installed on the sewer stub-out by the house as a reference point to assure the tank is placed at the proper elevation. (stakes driven in the ground by the stub-out is not acceptable as a permanent mark)

If the requirements above are not met, the inspection will be cancelled, a re-inspection fee assessed and will need to be requested again when the above criteria has been met.  

The installs will be scheduled once the request has been approved.

Any cost incurred due to damage to the Water Meter or PEP Tank during construction shall be the sole responsibility of the builder.

CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Water Meter and PEP Tank Installation Request

Good News

Effective June 1, 2019

All Pep Tank and Meter Requests will be scheduled through the same venues as your building inspections. 

Water Meter requests may be submitted once the following requirements have been met:

• Permit issued

• Lot cleared

• Vegetation is cleared in a 5' diameter around both front survey pins

• Obstructions removed

Pep Tank install requests may be submitted once the following requirements have been met:

• PEP Tank site must be clear of construction debris. (dumpsters, porta-lets, temporary power poles, and building supplies or materials)
• Brick or stone must be completed.
• Homes with pools under construction must provide access on the opposite property line of PEP Tank.
• Trees cannot be located within tank site.
• Building or home must be dried in stage (exterior siding, trim, windows, and complete roof system) but prior to the forming of the driveway or sidewalks.
• A cleanout must be installed on the sewer stub-out by the house as a reference point to assure the tank is placed at the proper elevation. (stakes driven in the ground by the stub-out is not acceptable as a permanent mark)

If the requirements above are not met, the inspection will be cancelled, a re-inspection fee assessed and will need to be requested again when the above criteria has been met.   

The installs will be scheduled once the request has been approved.

Any cost incurred due to damage to the Water Meter or PEP Tank during construction shall be the sole responsibility of the builder.

CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Payment of Water and Sewer Fees

May 3, 2019

Effective Monday, May 6^th, the application for water and sewer fees will no longer be paid in advance of the building permit application for residential construction.    

The application for water and sewer fees will be submitted WITH the permit application. 

A new fillable Utility Application has been created and is available on our website under permitting documents and in the detailed checklist. 

If you have already paid the fees, please continue to submit the Utility Receipt with the permit application. 

CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Final Survey Review and Approval

May 3, 2019

In an effort to streamline the overall permitting review and inspection process, the review of final surveys will now be tracked through the inspection area.  These review will no longer be visible in the 'plan review' area of the online portal but will be visible in the inspection area. 

When a final survey is submitted, the final survey (office use only) inspection will be added.  The survey review and an inspection will performed the next business day.

The result will be entered into the inspection area and an automatic email will be generated for notification when a result has been entered.  (as it currently does)

Once the final survey inspection has been approved, you may request the remaining inspections. 

The ROW final inspection code of 9474 has been removed from the permit and replaced with a new stormwater final inspection code of 9471.  This is the only change that will affect any actions on your part - you will no longer request a ROW final inspection code of 9474.

We anticipate this change to substantially improve the time frame for final survey reviews and provide a faster timeline for you to proceed with the remainder of the inspection in a timelier manner.

CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Water and Sewer Locates Review

March 29, 2019

For clarification to a previous notice, reviews for the water and sewer locates will no longer be required in advance of paying for the CIAC fees.  (water and sewer hookup)

The review for water and sewer locates will be handled during the permitting application process.

If you have already had the locates reviewed, you will submit that along with your water receipt as previously done.

If you have NOT already had the locates reviewed, you will submit a site plan identifed as "LOCATES" with the building permit application.  (The same one you would have submitted previously to Customer Service/Utility)

The CIAC fees will continue to be paid prior to application for the building permit - that process has not changed at this time.  

CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Water and Sewer Locates Review

March 12, 2019

In an effort to streamline the overall permitting process, the review for water and sewer locates will be determined through the Building Permit Application process, eliminating the need for submission prior to making application for water/sewer.

Effective March 18^th

A separate site plan identified as 'locates' will be submitted with the building permit package. 

Water and sewer locates will be marked and available online when the permit is issued.  https://www.palmcoastgov.com/eplanreview 

Facts:

• Revisions will not be required if the riser diagram does not match the locate site plan.

• The plumbing and electrical riser diagrams are not required to be specific to the location of the water and sewer locates.

• A revision to a site plan will not require a new site plan to be submitted for locates.

CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Unable to Obtain a Final Inspection

2-4-19

There have been questions raised how to handle a final inspection when the property owner will not make the inspection area available for inspection. 

It is strongly encouraged to schedule the inspection directly following the completion of the work, it is our experience that the more time lapses, the more difficult it is for a contractor to obtain the final inspection when a homeowner needs to be home.

The Building Department cannot release a contractor from a permit where the work has been completed. 

The Building Department will pursue the property owner through the Code Enforcement Board proving a minimum of the following items have been done and provided to the Building Department

1. Inspection has been requested.

2. Letters / notice requesting inspection (during the 6 months of the active permit) has been sent to property owner via certified mail - return receipt requested and copies have been provided to the Building Department.

3. Letter / notice posted on property (picture for proof)

4. Phone log of attempted calls to property owner.

These steps must be throughout the 6 months of the active permit PRIOR to the expiration.  These actions are to protect YOU the contractor from action with the Department of Business and Professional Regulations / Flagler County Contractor Licensing Review Board.  Without the above information, we do not have proof to defend you did due diligence in gaining compliance. 

The evidence you supply must be enough to convince the Department of Business and Professional Regulations you have done everything possible to gain compliance.   

If the permit expires, a new permit will be required if the above steps have not been taken. 

CONTRACTORS NEWSFLASH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

                                                                   Submitting Additional Documents

December 11, 2018

Did you know........

• You can submit roof affidavits, notice of commencements, termite certificates, blower door tests, etc. through the online portal?    

• Documents submitted through the portal ensure 100% accuracy your document gets attached to the correct permit and is processed more timely than when receiving it via email.