It has been several years since the City Council implemented permits for construction, yet we are still finding people doing construction in the City owned Right-of-Way (ROW) without a permit. The permits are actually for your benefit. The City has rules and regulations for what is allowable within the ROW and the permit process is our way of explaining what is allowed prior to you spending money. People that do not obtain permits prior to construction are violating the Salida Municipal Code. I had hoped that over time people would get used to the idea of obtaining a permit, unfortunately that has not happened. As a part of the last water utility billing we sent out a notice that as of October 1, 2009 we will begin to assess penalties to those that do not get permits. For the Public Works Department, who administers these permits, it is very frustrating and painful to have to inform people that their construction efforts were in vain because they used a wrong material or did work outside of what is allowed especially when it would be prevented if the person had first obtained the permit.
The ROW is the area that includes the street, alley, parkway and sidewalk. Construction is defined as dirt work or changing existing conditions. This includes landscaping, repair or replacement of concrete driveways or sidewalks, installation of water and sewer lines and related activities. If you are unsure if your planned activity requires a permit or if you are unsure where the ROW is please call us as we would be happy to help you. Landscaping in the parkway requires a permit. The parkway is city property but you as a resident or property owner are responsible for the maintenance of the area. Since the parkway is City property there are items that are not allowed such as concrete. With the permit, we provide a brochure explaining what is allowed and what is not.
The Public Works Department is asking that everyone please get a permit prior to any work within the ROW. As a property owner it is your responsibility to obtain the permit. A contractor cannot do it for you. A permit can be fully obtained within 24 hours. The fees vary depending on the work being done and offset the costs the City incurs for inspections and administration. If you choose to work without a permit, we must assess penalties per the City code. These penalties include a doubling of the permit fee and in some cases the issuance of a notice of violation. It is our hope that we never have to assess the penalties and that everyone obtains a permit prior to construction. It is our goal and mission to you, our residents, to provide the very best service we can. Permitting is a tool that helps us provide that serviced to all concerned.
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