17.08.100 Building permit applications.
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A. To obtain a building permit, the applicant shall first electronically submit a completed permit application. Every application shall:
1. Identify and describe all work to be covered by the permit for which application is made.
2. Describe the land on which the proposed work is to be done by legal description, street address or similar description that will clearly identify the location of the proposed work.
3. Indicate the use or occupancy for which the proposed work is intended.
4. Be accompanied by plans, diagrams, computations and specifications and other data as required by this code and the technical codes.
5. State the valuation of any and all work to be performed under said permit.
6. Indicate either:
a. The name, address, and phone number of the office of the lender administering the interim construction financing, if any; or
b. The name and address of the firm that has issued a payment bond, if any, on behalf of the prime contractor for the protection of the owner, if the bond is for an amount not less than 50 percent of the total amount of the construction project.
7. If any of the information required by subsection (A)(6) of this section is not available at the time the application is submitted, the applicant shall so state and the application shall be processed forthwith and the permit issued as if the information had been supplied, and the lack of the information shall not cause the application to be deemed incomplete for the purposes of vesting under the building code. However, the applicant shall provide the remaining information as soon as the applicant can reasonably obtain such information.
8. Provide both the property owner’s and the permit applicant’s names, addresses, email addresses and phone numbers, if they are different.
9. Be signed by the property owner or the owner’s authorized agent.
10. Provide the general contractor’s and the plumbing contractor’s business names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses if available, current state contractor registration numbers; if the work being done is being done by someone other than the property owner.
11. Provide such other data and information as may be required by the building official.
B. Time limitation of permit applications.
1. Permit applications for which a permit has not been issued within one year of application filing date shall be deemed to have expired. The building official may grant an extension of the permit application beyond one year where, in the judgment of the building official, extenuating circumstances exist that warrant an extension and the development review process and approvals are pending and are being actively pursued.
2. If a permit application is extended beyond one year, the impact fees owed under Chapter 20.915 VMC shall be recalculated using the rate at the time of the extension. Permit applications associated with code enforcement cases shall expire 60 days from the permit application filing date or as determined by the building official.
C. Submittal Documents. Plans, specifications, engineering calculations, diagrams, soil investigation reports, special inspection and structural observation programs, and other data shall be submitted in the electronic format required by the city.
1. The construction documents shall be prepared by a registered design professional when required by state law.
2. The building official is authorized to waive the submission of construction documents and other data not required to be prepared by a registered design professional if it is found that the nature of the work applied for is such that review of construction documents is not necessary to obtain compliance with this code or other technical codes adopted by the city.
D. Real Property Survey. A survey of the lot, site or premises performed by a registered surveyor as required by state law, may be required by the building official to verify/demonstrate the legal existence and location of the lot, site, or premises. The cost of such survey shall be the responsibility of the permit applicant and/or property owner.
E. Information on Plans and Specifications. Plans and specifications documents shall be dimensioned. Documents shall be of sufficient clarity to indicate the location, nature and extent of the work proposed and show in detail that it will conform to the provisions of this code and technical codes, and other laws, as determined by the building official.
F. Information for construction areas prone to flooding. For buildings and structures in flood hazard areas construction documents shall demonstrate compliance with VMC 20.740.120 and applicable provisions of the technical codes.
G. Registered design professional in responsible charge. When it is required that documents be prepared by a registered design professional, the building official is authorized to require the owner to engage and designate on the building permit application a registered design professional who shall act as the registered design professional in responsible charge. If circumstances require, the owner may designate a substitute registered design professional who shall perform all the duties required of the original registered design professional in responsible charge. The building official shall be notified in writing by the owner if the registered design professional in charge is changed or is unable to continue to perform required duties. The registered design professional in responsible charge shall be responsible for reviewing and coordinating all submittal documents prepared by others, including deferred submittal items for compatibility with the design of the building.
H. Deferred submittals. When a project is so large that it requires a registered design professional to prepare construction documents, the project may be processed as a “deferred submittal.” A “deferred submittal” project is one in which construction is authorized for phases while review of plans for subsequent phases proceeds. The holders of such a permit shall proceed at their own risk without assurance that subsequent phases of construction will meet technical code requirements or will be approved. Deferred submittal projects are subject to the following:
1. Prior written approval by the building official.
2. Work must be under the seal of the registered design professional in responsible charge. The registered design professional in responsible charge shall list the deferred submittals on the plans and shall submit the deferred submittal documents for review by the building official.
3. Submittal documents for deferred submittal items shall be submitted to the registered design professional in responsible charge who shall review them and forward them to the building official with a notation indicating that the deferred submittal documents have been reviewed and that they have been found to be in general conformance with the design of the building.
4. The plans check fee for deferred submittal is established in VMC 17.08.130 Table V.
I. Structural tests, special inspections and structural observation. When structural tests, special inspection and/or structural observation is required by IBC Chapter 17 the permit applicant shall submit a statement of special inspection and/or structural observation prepared by the registered design professional in responsible charge to the building official for approval prior to issuance of the building permit. The statement shall be in compliance with IBC Section 1705.
1. The special inspector(s) shall be employed by the owner, the registered design professional in responsible charge, or an agent of the owner, but not the contractor or any other person responsible for performing the work.
2. The special inspector and the inspector’s employing agency shall be certified as a special inspector and special inspection agency by the Washington Association of Building Officials in order to perform special inspections. Washington Association of Building Officials/Oregon Building Officials Association special inspector certification reciprocity is also acceptable providing the employing agency is a Washington Association of Building Officials registered agency.
3. Where structural observation is required by IBC Section 1709, the owner shall employ a registered design professional to perform structural observations as defined in the IBC.
4. Reports shall be prepared and submitted to the building official as required in IBC Section 1704 and 1709. (Ord. M-4407 § 2, 2023; Ord. M-4079 § 9, 2014; Ord. M-3958 § 11, 2010; Ord. M-3863 § 6, 2008; Ord. M-3660 § 4, 2004)