Building Commissioner: Tom Jamieson
Assistant Building Commissioner: Jim Austin
Building Inspector: George Wilson

Phone: 440-442-7403

The Building Department is responsible for all commercial and residential construction. Building Department employees assist the public in all building and zoning matters and guide individuals through the regulatory process.

The Building Department is state certified and fully qualified to review all plans and inspect all projects and construction elements.

Building permits and zoning approvals are required for all residential and commercial construction including accessory uses such as: signs, decks, pools, sheds, porches, fences, roofing and siding.

Zoning approval is required when any structure is erected or enlarged. Zoning approval is also required for any business use including a home business.

Please check with our building department if you are not sure if you need a permit. Forms and information are available at the department counter.

FORMS

• Board of Building & Zoning Appeals – Application (pdf)
• Building Permit Application (pdf)
• Fence Permit Application (pdf)
• Planning and Zoning Commission - Request for Hearing (pdf)
• Guidelines for Registration for Contractors (pdf)
• Registration for Contractors (pdf)
• Sign Permit Application (pdf)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. Is contractor registration required?
A. Yes, applications and guidelines are available in the Building Dept. The fee for a general contractor is $100.00 and sub-contractor is $50.00.

Q. What are the dates and time of Architectural Review Board (ARB) meetings?
A. 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month at 1:30 PM in the Building Department.

Q. What are the dates and time of the Planning & Zoning Meetings?
A. 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month at 8:00 PM. in the Council Chambers.

Q. What are the Building Department hours?
A. Monday – Friday, 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Q. When is a permit required?
A. Permits are required for all new commercial and residential construction including plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning and related elements. Permits are also required for all interior renovations and home improvements including siding and roofing.

Q. When is a permit not required?
A. Minor alterations.

Q. What is the cost of permits?
A. Commercial and residential permit fees can be found in Chapter 1311 of the Building Code. All fee schedules are available in the Building Department.

Q. Can a homeowner pull permits to work on his own home?
A. Homeowners can obtain all permits and perform any work on his own property.

Q. How do I know how a parcel of land is zoned?
A. Zoning maps and zoning code books are available in the Building Department.

Q. What is needed for Architectural Review Board (ARB) review?
A. An application with associated review fees and 3 sets of plans. A handout is available in the Building Dept. as to what is required in blueprints.

Q. Is a permit required for a shed or a fence?
A. Yes, and zoning specifications can be obtained in the Building Department.