MODEL # 98-22
CONTINGENCY CONSTRUCTION START PROGRAM
HOWARD COUNTY, MARYLAND
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Jurisdiction Statistics:

• Population: 230,000
• Size (square miles): 251

• Administration & Enforcement

PROBLEM:

Building Permits - Rehabilitation Projects

Howard County's Department of Inspections, Licenses, and Permits wanted to develop a less burdensome procedure for processing building permits for certain types of rehabilitation projects.

SOLUTION:

Concurrent Review and Project Start

The Department instituted the Contingency Construction Start program (CCS), which enables a building permit customer to begin construction at the time the application is filed rather than waiting for the permit to be issued.

DESCRIPTION:

The CCS program typically applies to buildings having non-structural interior alterations and interior demolition work. Unlike the traditional building permit process that prohibits the start of work until a building permit is issued, the CCS program is intended to allow certain work to begin upon application for a permit.

The mutual success of this program is contingent upon the timely review of the permit application and plan submission by the Department, and the agreement by the owner to correct any code deficiencies in the construction that are noted during the review process. Experience shows it is likely that the permit process will be completed prior to the request for the first inspection while the construction components remain exposed. Regardless, the owner is obligated to stop construction before concealing any work between wall surfaces, ceilings, and other concealed spaces requiring inspection for code compliance, until the required electrical, plumbing, and building permits are issued.

The CCS program provides the owner with the opportunity to start construction without delay while allowing the Department a method to ensure regulatory compliance.

EVALUATION BY STREAMLINING COMMITTEES:

Advantages

• Increases productivity and reduces time, cost, and complexity;
• Allows work to commence immediately;
• Saves money that would otherwise be lost due to permitting delays;
• A simple, customer-oriented program that builds trust between government and industry.

Limitations

• Allows construction to start without seeing the complete picture;
• If a jurisdiction cannot do the plan checks in the established time frame (15 days), it defeats the purpose of the program;
• Program is good for only certain types of projects;
• Might have a negative impact on fire separation and/or exiting systems.

The Streamlining Committees designated this program as a streamlined model to be considered in conjunction with other self-certification models. The Committees also made the following modifications:

• The model would best apply to interior renovations with:
• No change of use;
• Relatively new buildings constructed under recent editions of the building code (10 years or less); and
• Where no work is being done that would impact exiting or fire separation systems.

IMPLEMENTATION:

This program was implemented through administrative action of the Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses, and Permits.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR ASSISTANCE IN CONSIDERING THE USE OF THIS MODEL, PLEASE CONTACT:

David M. Hammerman, P.E.
Director
Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits
3430 Court House Drive
Ellicott City, MD 21043
Phone: (410) 313-2433
FAX: (410) 313-3298
Email: hammermd@nitnoi.howa.lib.md.us

Or NCSBCS STAFF:
Carolyn Fitch
National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards
505 Huntmar Park Drive, Suite 210
Herndon, VA 20170
Phone: (703) 437-0100
FAX:    (703) 481-3596
Email: cfitch@ncsbcs.org