Lewisboro begins building permit amnesty program

By NEAL RENTZ

Lewisboro property owners are getting a break from some building department fines via a new program.

For a limited time, property owners with expired building permits are not required to pay the $102 filing/records management fee and the 25% additional fee to obtain renewals.

The legislation was approved by the town board, at the request of the building department, July 22.

The moratorium program, which began Sept. 1, runs through Nov. 1.

“They sought to achieve a user-friendly way to close out these permits and save the homeowners of our municipality the 25% surcharge for renewing the permit.”  —Building Inspector Kevin Kelly

Program participants will need to submit a building permit application with the supporting documentation and the renewal fee. The building department will do a brief code review to determine what inspections or other items are required to work toward closing the permit. The permit renewals will be valid for one year from the date of issue and standard inspection protocol will resume. 

After final inspection and all required items are in place, a certificate of compliance or a certificate of occupancy will be issued by the building department, the legislation stated.

Some residents have told the town board they were not aware that they did not receive a certificate of occupancy from the building department, even though they applied for one for work on their buildings many years ago, Supervisor Tony Gonçalves said over the summer. Those building owners said they were surprised that they not only had to pay another building fee, but also were given penalties by the town, he said.  

Building Inspector Kevin Kelly told The Recorder on Sept. 4, that property owners need to apply to renew a building permit application. The building department will then approve or deny the application, and if approved, an inspection will be scheduled to close out the permit, he said.

The goal of the program is “to create a more cost efficient process for homeowners to achieve their goal of obtaining a certificate of compliance or occupancy,” Kelly said.

Gonçalves and the town board met with him to discuss ways to address lapsed open permits earlier this year, Kelly said. “They sought to achieve a user-friendly way to close out these permits and save the homeowners of our municipality the 25% surcharge for renewing the permit.” 

In addition to presenting their concerns to town board members, a few residents reached out to the building department, Kelly noted. 

“If any residents are unsure if they have an open permit, they can call the building department at 914-763-3060 to check,” Kelly said.

For more information about the program, Kelly is asking residents to read the flier on the town website Building Department Amnesty Program, at lewisborony.gov.