City of Baltimore - File #: 05-0077R

• File #: 05-0077R
• Version: 0
• Name: Investigative Hearing - Is the Building Permit Process Promoting Non-Compliance?
• Type: City Council Resolution
• Status: Adopted
• File created: 8/15/2005
• In control: Judiciary and Legislative Investigations
• Final action: 12/8/2005
• Title: Investigative Hearing - Is the Building Permit Process Promoting Non-Compliance ? FOR the purpose of requesting the Housing Commissioner and the Executive Director of the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals to report to the City Council on the procedures for issuing permits for construction, to describe the requirements an applicant must meet to be granted a variance to Zoning Code requirements for new and expanded structures; and to demonstrate the integrity of the City's construction permitting process.
• Sponsors: Edward Reisinger, James B. Kraft
• Indexes: Building Permit, Investigative Hearing, Judiciary and Legislative Investigations Committee, Non-Compliant

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
12/8/2005	0	City Council	Adopted	Pass
12/6/2005	0	Judiciary and Legislative Investigations	Recommended Favorably	Pass
11/7/2005	0	Judiciary and Legislative Investigations	Scheduled for a Public Hearing
8/18/2005	0	The City Council	Referred for a Report	Pass
8/18/2005	0	The City Council	Referred for a Report
8/15/2005	0	City Council	Introduced
8/15/2005	0	The City Council	Assigned
8/15/2005	0	City Council	Assigned

* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*

CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)

Introduced by: Councilmembers Reisinger, Kraft


A RESOLUTION ENTITLED

A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
Investigative Hearing - Is the Building Permit Process Promoting Non-Compliance ?

FOR the purpose of requesting the Housing Commissioner and the Executive Director of the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals to report to the City Council on the procedures for issuing permits for construction, to describe the requirements an applicant must meet to be granted a variance to Zoning Code requirements for new and expanded structures; and to demonstrate the integrity of the City's construction permitting process.
Body
Recitals

Media reports that the number of residential rehabilitation permits has nearly doubled in five years comes as no surprise to residents of Baltimore's more popular neighborhoods that are the target of rehabbers who took out 21,658 permits in the past fiscal year - an increase of about 25% over the previous year and almost twice the 11,500 permits issued in FY 2000.

The lucrative market for rental and sales properties has spurred a rash of unscrupulous property speculators who attempt to circumvent the permitting process altogether or supply false information on permit applications in order to build additions, decks, or other structures that are not permitted under current zoning code regulations.

The Housing Department's Strengthening Neighborhoods, Permits & Building Inspections: A Han...