Friday 22 January 2016

Essay: The Process of Obtaining a Building Permit


        After returning from Jamaica, each of us was tasked with picking a topic to research or a project to complete. I chose to finish the AutoCAD drawing that we worked on this year and research the reasons behind making an architectural drawing in AutoCAD, as well as the process of getting a building permit in Jamaica. Within Jamaica, the process of obtaining a permit to build takes about three to four months according to KeVaughn Harding, the Executive Director of Falmouth Heritage Renewal (FHR) who we worked closely with during our stay in Jamaica.
        The process starts with a proposal to restore a historical house, which includes architectural drawings of the building, as well as “ the application form, photographs of the site, proof of ownership of the property, and endorsement of the property owner,” (Harding). These AutoCAD drawings that we have been producing will be used as some of the architectural drawings required in the proposal. Additionally, the AutoCAD drawings are used by FHR as a way of documenting and recording the history of Falmouth and as resources in their research to better interpret the history of Falmouth. By having these drawings, people are able to reference them to see what was common during different time periods, in terms of style and function; compare and contrast building layouts, structures, and designs; and develop a vocabulary to describe certain aspects of different periods. Once completed, these AutoCAD drawings, and the proposal they are a part of, have to go through a long process of checks and verifications before Falmouth Heritage Renewal is granted a building permit.
The next step in this proposal’s journey is a long process of checks, in which it travels through various levels of government to get either approved or denied. “Typically, building permits are granted by the Parish Council that has oversight for the area that you are proposing your development,” (Harding). Because Falmouth is located in Trelawny Parish, each proposal has to go through the Trelawny Parish Council, which functions as the seats of local government. The Trelawny Parish Council is made up of Councillors, which are elected officials from various regions of the parish. After one submits a proposal to the Parish Council, “it is reviewed by its different departments which include the council's Roads and Works Dept., and the Planning Dept.” (Harding). Members of these various departments “review things like the electrical plan, storm water disposal, structural integrity of the design,” (Harding) and that the proposal is following proper laws, “regarding subdivisions of properties, required setbacks of buildings from streets and publicly owned properties, allowable density within developments,” (Harding).
If needed, the proposal will be passed to the Health Department and the Fire Department for more approvals. The Health Department will review proposals if they include site sewage treatments for new bathrooms or issues regarding the disposal of waste. The Fire Department typically only reviews large-scale buildings to ensure they are following all the proper laws and are up to code, so many of Falmouth Heritage Renewal’s proposals do not pass through them as FHR normally works on restoring smaller buildings. Because FHR works within the Falmouth Historic District, which is a national monument, their proposals have to go through national government agencies such as the Jamaican National Heritage Trust (JNHT). The JNHT ensures, “that what we're proposing is in keeping with the authentic, historic character of the protected area,” (Harding). The goal of the JNHT is to make sure that, “new development doesn't destroy the overall character of the historic area,” (Harding); therefore, “both new construction and rehabilitation of existing buildings (whether ancient or modern), so long as they exist within the historic district have to be reviewed by the JNHT,” (Harding).
Once all of the agencies and departments with the Parish Council and beyond have approved the proposal, it will go to the Councillors with a recommendation that the building should be approved. The Councillors, then, get the final say in whether the proposal goes through or not. “Approval by them [the Councillors] results in the applicant receiving a building permit, along with the conditions that the applicant has to adhere to in order for the permit to remain valid,” (Harding). If denied, the proposal is sent back with recommendations of what needs to be amended.
The process of obtaining a building permit is typically a long one; however, it is fairly straightforward. After being submitted to the Trelawny Parish Council, the proposal goes through various departments and agencies to obtain approval. If it obtains approval, it is sent to the Councillors for a final stamp of approval or rejection. A significant part of this process relies on the AutoCAD drawings (some of which we made) of the proposed buildings, which are used as a way of verifying that the buildings will follow the laws, abide by the proper codes, and stay accurate to their historical design. Along with this, the AutoCAD drawings are used as a way of recording the history of Falmouth for research purposes and as a way to interpret Falmouth’s history by forming relationships between different periods and places in history.

No comments:

Post a Comment