The Department of Building Safety & Permits is divided into several areas of code enforcement. Each area relates to various codes that the Department is responsible to enforce. The divisions are Permitting, Building, Electrical, Mechanical, and Plumbing. The Building Official is the executive officer of the Department’s enforcement.
Permitting Division
Their Permitting Division is responsible for general office operations, such as typing permits, correction notices, certificates of occupancy, and scheduling inspections, to mention only a few.
Building Division
The Building Division was established on October 8, 1974. Presently, there are two part-time inspectors involved in the building code environment. The Inspectors perform residential/commercial, plan reviews, and inspections. The division is responsible for building code enforcement for 15 townships, one city, and one village.
Electrical Division
Electrical code enforcement was also established in October 1974. We utilize one part-time inspector, depending on the workload and inspector availability. The division is responsible for electrical code enforcement in 15 townships, 2 cities, and one village.
Mechanical Division
A mechanical ordinance was adopted on September 22, 1994, and our department began mechanical code enforcement on November 14, 1994. The division presently has one part-time inspector. The division is responsible for code enforcement in 17 townships, 2 cities, and one village.
Plumbing Division
A plumbing ordinance was adopted on March 22, 2006, and our department began plumbing code enforcement on May 1, 2006. The division presently has one part-time inspector. This division is responsible for code enforcement in 17 townships, 2 cities, and one village.
History
The Newaygo County Department of Building Safety & Permits was established in 1974 under Act 230 of the Public Acts of 1972. The Department is an enterprise department and has been completely self-funded since 1990. (The Department uses no General Fund Revenues for operational expenses.)
North Country Inspection Services, LLC provides inspection services for Newaygo County.
All major credit cards are accepted. A non-refundable service fee is applied for this service.
Any work started prior to obtaining the proper permits will require the permit fee to be doubled (not to exceed $600). A reasonable amount of time is required for inspection requests per code. Same-day inspection requests when a permit is applied for will be assumed work has been done prior.
Failure to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy prior to occupying a new structure/building will be charged $100 in addition to any required permit fees. A $25 fee will be charged to all others requesting a Certificate of Occupancy, with the exception of the original contractor or homeowner of the original building permit.
A $100 fee will be charged for a Stop Work Order on open permits when the project scope does not match the permit issued or does not comply with code.
Residential demolition permit fees are $70, and commercial demolition permit fees are $100 (base fee which includes 1 inspection).
Permits remain valid for one year as long as work is progressing and inspections are requested and conducted. A permit will be closed when no inspections are requested and conducted within 180 days of the date of issuance or the date of a previous inspection. Closed permits cannot be refunded, and a new permit will be required to complete work.
A contractor, or homeowner, will be required to bring all outstanding fees whole before being issued any additional permits.
