The following types of construction work (for all Use Groups, unless noted otherwise) shall be considered as ordinary repairs or minor work for which a building permit will not be required:

1. Tuckpointing, plastering, painting (interior and exterior), floor sanding and refinishing, floor tile and/or carpeting, replacement of flooring with like material, application of wall paper (and other similar wall covering material), and cabinet installation;
2. Repair or replacement of existing gutters and above grade portions of downspouts;
3. Application of pre-finished aluminum or steel (or other like materials) on existing soffits, fascia boards and overhangs;
4. Replacement or repair of existing windows and frames (whenever no modification is made to the rough opening); installation of storm windows and doors (whenever no modification is made to the rough opening); glazing and glass replacement;
5. Replacement or repair of exterior and/or interior doors and/or frames, provided the fire rating, when applicable, is maintained (whenever no modification is made to the rough opening);
6. Exterior ramps, stairs and/or steps, which are on grade (and not more than 12 inches above grade), not attached to the structure, and within property lines;
7. Sidewalks and driveways within property lines;
8. Paved areas for single-family residential use (such as parking spaces, shooting area for a basketball goal, etc), on the same lot as the primary structure, without roofs, covers or enclosures;
9. Concrete patio slabs or wooden patios/decks which rest directly on the ground or a rock base, provided they are not covered by a roof or canopy, are not supported by any type of permanent foundation, and are a maximum of 12 inches above the finished grade;
10. Miscellaneous site work, landscaping, gardens, retaining walls 24 inches or less in height; shrubbery and planting boxes, excavation or fill that does not create change in property elevation along property lines, block drainage or create erosion or damage to adjacent properties;
11. Fixed or retractable awnings installed on one and two family residential buildings which do not project into the front yard setback as required by the County Zoning Ordinance;
12. Wall paneling of any type when applied to existing residential room wall surfaces;
13. Ceiling tile of any type other than foam plastic when applied to existing ceiling surfaces except when within assembly rooms > 300 occupants, institutional room/spaces mercantile spaces exceeding 3,000 square feet. Replacement of damaged lay-in ceiling panels of like materials up to 25% of a room/space and a maximum of 500 square feet;
14. Installation of battery operated smoke detectors within existing homes/apartments;
15. Small accessory building/structures (such as utility/tool or storage sheds, cabanas, "play houses", etc.) which are 120 square feet or less in area and less than 10 feet in height provided the structure maintains the front yard setback requirements of the County Zoning Ordinance. This does not include small accessory building/structures having unique uses such as BBQ and/or smoke houses, storage of fuel or other hazardous materials, having fuel fired equipment, and other uses that present an increased fire hazard or nuisance to adjoining property. A permit is required for all buildings/structures housing these types of uses regardless of size.
16. Residential accessory structures such as; clothes poles, arbors, garden trellises and other minor structures, provided such accessory structure maintain the front yard setback required by the County Zoning Ordinance;
17. Basketball goals and standards;
18. Normal backyard playground equipment for residential property (does not include large unusual structures such as; skateboard ramps, batting cages, etc.), provided such equipment maintains the front yard setback required by the County Zoning Ordinance;
19. Swimming pools less than 24 inches deep (water depth) or with a surface area of less than 250 square feet (except where permanently equipped with a water-recirculating system), and hot tubs and spas placed on a slab-on-grade, provided such structures maintain the front yard setback required by the County Zoning Ordinance;
20. Goldfish pools, lily pad pools and other similar residential water landscaping type features not intended for bathing purposes and located on private property, provide such features maintain the front yard setback required by the County Zoning Ordinance;
21. Roof covering replacement for roof slopes of 4:12 or more when done with a like material. Replacement of 25% or less of the roof sheathing with like material;
22. New exterior siding (vinyl, metal, masonite, etc.);
23. New fencing or replacement of existing fencing, except when enclosing swimming pools, spas, or hot tubs, in the rear or side yards up to 6 feet in height. Fencing on a corner cannot be located within the site distance triangle;
24. Radio or television antennae 12 feet or less in height, mounted on the ground (not in the front yard area), attached to or on the roof of a building. Dish antennas 2 feet in diameter or less installed on grade or on the roof, provided such antennae maintain the front yard setback required by the County Zoning Ordinance;
25. All repairs (including smoke/fire damage, termite, wind, repairs, etc.) to a building when the building official determines the work is of a minor cosmetic nature and there is no damage or change to any part of the building structure. A field inspection is required to determine the nature of the repair;
26. Resealing and/or restriping an existing paved parking lot, provided that the restriping done matches the existing configuration and the number of spaces remain the same;
27. All tents used exclusively for recreational camping purposes;
28. Small statues on private property, placed on grade without need for a foundation, not attached to or part of a building or structure provided such statues maintain the front yard setback required by the County Zoning Ordinance;
29. Foundation and floor slab repair such as patching/filling of cracks (up to 1/4 inch in walls and 3/8 inch in slabs), waterproofing, etc., including underpinning, provided the building is otherwise structurally sound and plumb;
30. Relining, repairing, patching and/or shotcreting existing swimming pool walls/floors, provided required minimum water depths under diving boards (if present) are maintained.

EFFECTIVE DATE

The effective date of this policy is June 1, 1998. The effective date of amendments to the original policy shall be the amended date.

ADDITIONAL GENERAL INFORMATION

The County Zoning Regulations (by Ordinance 18,218) exempts structures that do not require a building permit from having to comply with side and rear yard set back requirements. Owners located within Municipalities that contract with the County for Building Code Enforcement are advised to consult their Municipality regarding possible zoning and/or other Municipal regulations even though the County will not be issuing building permits for the work described above.

AMENDMENTS

*December 1, 2002 - Item 15 amended to clarify that not all accessory structures are exempt from a permit. A permit is required for accessory structures, regardless of the size, which have unique uses that may present a hazard or nuisance.

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