Building permit legislation proposed in previous years has re-emerged and is up for a hearing this week.

SB 5380, a short bill sponsored by Sen. Phil Fortunato (R–Auburn), assumes the local building permit review is too onerous and amends the local project review statutes by inserting the following provision:

A project permit application shall be deemed complete following three reviews or requests for additional information by the local government unless clear violation of substantive and procedural requirements is demonstrated by the reviewing entity.

A “three-strikes complete” proposal sets an arbitrary limit for submittals to meet the requirements and does not consider the many omissions that project application submittals can entail, especially from do-it-yourself homeowners who require the extra assistance from local government permit professionals.

SB 5380 shifts the burden to submit complete applications from the project owner, where it is appropriate, to the local government. AWC opposes this bill.

Date to remember

SB 5380 is scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Housing & Local Government Committee on Tuesday, February 9 at 8 am.