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TONH Announces Eighteen-Month Penalty Free Reconciliation Period to Correct Unauthorized Construction

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 5, 2012
MEDIA CONTACTS: Collin Nash & Sid Nathan | (516) 869-7794

TONH Announces Eighteen-Month Penalty Free Reconciliation Period to Correct Unauthorized Construction
 
North Hempstead, NY– After months of dialogue with registered architects, professional engineers, building industry and real estate professionals, Supervisor Jon Kaiman, the North Hempstead Town Board and the Town’s Buildings Department announced that penalty fees usually associated with unpermitted work will be suspended from July 2, 2012 through December 31, 2013.

The Town Board has also adopted a series of new policies and practices geared toward replacing several dated procedures that have caused unnecessary hardship and delays in the filing of applications and the issuance of permits.

This temporary reconciliation program applies to applications for building and plumbing permits to “maintain” construction, improvements and alterations which had been done without first filing the required applications and having the work verified by a Town inspector for code compliance. Applications for “maintains” that are currently pending in the Building Department will also be eligible to participate in the reconciliation program.

“The temporary reconciliation program combined with the revamped codes is aimed at one primary goal, keeping our residents safe,” Supervisor Kaiman said. “We urge residents to take advantage of this one-time opportunity to bring unauthorized improvements and renovations up to code.”

Under the program, applications to “maintain” unauthorized improvements that would normally be subjected to a fee equaling four times the amount noted in the Town’s fee schedule, would now be subject to the regular permit fee.

In addition to the reconciliation program, the Town Board has implemented several changes that will make it easier for residents and businesses alike to conduct business with the Building Department. For example, the code has been amended to remove the need for an applicant to submit an updated survey when the proposed work only involves an interior renovation that does not change the footprint of the structure.

Several other common sense changes have already been implemented while many other changes will be forthcoming in the next few months.

For more information call 311.


Supervisor Jon Kaiman (left) along with Buildings Department Commissioner Kevin Cronin and Buildings Department Consultant Ed Sullivan.

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