Planning Board and Selectmen Work on Building Permit Revisions

Changes necessary to reduce Town's liability.

June 22, 2013 • Saved under Committees
By Paul Currier, Chair, Andover Planning Board

Change is in the works to bring Andover’s Building Permit process up to date and to revise Andover’s Zoning Ordinance. The revisions will streamline the Town’s building permit process and better align the process with current state law.

Andover has required building permits since Town Meeting adopted the Andover Building Ordinance in 1961. When zoning was passed in 1974, an additional permit or certificate of compliance was included in the Zoning Ordinance.

In 2002, the state legislature added a state requirement for building permits and also passed a State Building Code that all construction must follow.

The Planning Board and Selectmen have been reviewing Andover’s ordinances in light of current state laws. It turns out that our Building Ordinance is very out-of-date, and in fact its language creates potential liability to the Town.

After a series of meetings, much discussion, and consultation with the Town Attorney, the Selectmen and Planning Board have charted actions that will update our ordinances to function effectively under current state law. These actions include:

  • A new Building Permit Application form that combines the permits needed under the Building Ordinance and the Zoning Ordinance

  • A new fee schedule

  • Repeal of the old Andover Building Ordinance, which requires a Special Town Meeting

  • Changes to the Zoning Ordinance to update and incorporate all building permit provisions into the Zoning Ordinance, which requires a Special Town Meeting

  • Changes so that the Town of Andover is not involved in administering or enforcing the State Building Code. Under current state law, following the code is the responsibility of the contractor and homeowner. The Special Town Meeting would have the option of approving these changes, or not.

Draft changes to the Andover Zoning Ordinance are being worked on by the Planning Board. The Board expects to hold a hearing on the changes when the draft is complete, probably in July or August. The hearing will include input on repeal of the Andover Building Ordinance.

After the hearing, the Selectmen expect to call a Special Town Meeting to adopt the proposed changes.

The Planning Board meets regularly on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month, at 7 PM. The public is always welcome. Interested people can obtain a working draft of proposed ordinance changes from the Town Office.