A building permit grants legal permission to start construction of a building project. A building permit is required for new construction, adding on to pre-existing structures, and for major renovations. Generally, the inspection of projects must be made during construction and after completion to ensure compliance with the City's adopted building codes. Failure to obtain a permit can result in significant fines and penalties, and even demolition of unauthorized construction if it cannot be made to meet code.
The City has adopted various construction codes to reduce potential hazards of unsafe construction and therefore ensuring public health, safety, and general welfare. We rely on the safety of structures that surround us in our everyday living and the need for protection from disaster due to fire, structural collapse, and general deterioration accentuates the need for more modern building codes and the administration of such codes.