Gainesville › Unified Land Development Code

Article 16 — Building and Property Maintenance Regulations, Chapter 16-14 — ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS FOR BUILDING PERMITS AND CERTIFICATES OF

current as of 2025-12-16verified current · checked 2026-08-24Officialofficial source ↗15 sections · full chapter

§ 16-14-1

Building Permit Required

(a)A building permit issued by the building official is required in advance of the initiation of construction, erection, moving or alteration of any building or structure. All buildings and structures shall comply with the requirements of this Code, whether or not a building permit is required.

(b)Building permits for all buildings, structures and interior finishes shall be required and shall be issued after application and demonstration through building plans that the building, structure, or interior finish will meet all applicable requirements of the Life Safety Code and the various health and building codes of the city and as may be applicable.

§ 16-14-2

Lot of Record

Building permits shall only be issued on lots of record, as defined in this Code. If an application for building permit is received on a tract or parcel that is not a lot of record, the building permit applicant shall be required to subdivide the land in accordance with Article 11.

§ 16-14-3

Land Development Permit

Prior to issuance of a building permit, the owner shall have received a land development permit if required by Chapter 11-6 or Chapter 12-1.

§ 16-14-4

Environmental Health Approval

For any building, structure, or land development activity served by a decentralized wastewater system, a permit shall be required and must be applied for and approved and issued by the Hall County Environmental Health Department prior to issuance of a building permit. Said permit may require a plan showing the location of the sewage disposal system and other on-site improvements, in accordance with said department's regulations.

§ 16-14-5

Water Supply Approval

A building permit shall not be issued prior to issuance of a well permit by the Hall County Environmental Health Department or water meter approved by the city Department of Water Resources.

§ 16-14-6

Application Requirements for Building Permits

Application for a building permit shall be made to the building official. Building permit applications shall include all information necessary as determined by the building official for thorough review and approval, and shall specifically include the following:

(a)Application form. Application on the form furnished by the building official, requesting issuance of a building permit.

(b)Fee. Payment of the building permit application and review fee, and payment of any development impact fees required by Article 15.

(c)Plat or plan. For a single-family detached or two-family dwelling, a plat and one set of plans. For a multi-family or nonresidential building, a site plan upon which has been approved by the Department of Community and Economic Development.

(d)Building plans. Four sets of architectural plans and three sets of approved civil drawings from the Department of Community and Economic Development for principal multi-family or non-residential buildings prepared in conformance with this Code and the applicable building codes. Plans shall be prepared by or under the supervision of, or reviewed and approved by, an architect registered in the state, who shall sign and seal each sheet in the original set of drawings.

(e)Zoning compliance. Prior to issuing a building permit, the building official shall require that the applicant for a building permit obtain zoning verification from and review for compliance with this Code by the Department of Community and Economic Development. A copy of conditions of zoning, special use approval, or variance approval, and verification of zoning compliance shall be submitted, if applicable.

(f)Address. A street address number as assigned by the city.

(g)Septic tank approval by the Hall County Environmental Health Department. Evidence of approval by the Hall County Environmental Health Department if an on-site sewage disposal system has been allowed.

(h)Water meter receipt. Water meter receipt issued by the Department of Water Resources, if connection to city water is involved.

§ 16-14-7

Review of Building Permit Application for Completeness

The application for building permit shall be checked by the Building Official for completeness at the time of submission. Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant.

§ 16-14-8

Review of Building Permit Application

(a)Within two weeks following receipt of a complete application, the building plans review officer shall indicate on one copy of the building plans or in writing all comments related to compliance of the building plans with applicable building codes, and any conditions of zoning, special use, or variance approval, and any other applicable requirements of this Code. The building plans review officer shall seek the review by and approval of the state fire marshal prior to issuing a building permit. If changes are required to building plans, the owner shall be responsible for compliance with this article and all building code requirements, regulations, and for the satisfaction of all the comments of the building official and other administrative officers responsible for the review of building permits.

(b)The time frames established by this chapter for the issuance of building permits shall not apply to the extent that compliance with Article 15 relative to payment of development impact fees has not been accomplished within the time frames established by this chapter.

§ 16-14-9

Building Permit Approval

A building permit shall be issued for the building or structure when the owner has addressed the comments to the satisfaction of building official, state fire marshal, and other administrative officers responsible for the review of building permits, and upon demonstrating that the building or structure conforms with the technical codes adopted and amended by the city under chapter 5-2 of the City of Gainesville Code of Ordinances.

§ 16-14-10

Related Permits

Plumbing, electrical and mechanical permits shall be issued separately by the building official or separately identified on the building permit. Such permits must be issued prior to commencement of work by each affected trade.

§ 16-14-11

Building Inspection

Building inspections shall be conducted in accordance with the requirements and procedures of the City.

§ 16-14-12

Certificate of Occupancy Required

A certificate of occupancy shall be required and must be issued by the building official prior to the occupancy or use of any new or newly renovated building or structure, in accordance with the procedures established in this chapter. Specifically, a certificate of occupancy shall be required for the following activities (not exhaustive):

(a)Prior to occupancy and use of a building or structure, whether newly constructed or enlarged.

(b)Change in use of existing buildings to uses of a different classification.

(c)Any change in use of a nonconforming use.

§ 16-14-13

Occupancy Without Certificate is Unlawful

It shall be unlawful to use or occupy or permit the use or occupancy of any building or premises or parts thereof hereafter created, erected, changed, converted, or wholly or partly altered or enlarged in its use or structure, until a certificate of occupancy shall have been issued therefore by the building official stating that the proposed use of the building or land conforms to the requirements of this Code and other applicable codes and ordinances adopted by the city.

§ 16-14-14

Connection to Electric Power

Permanent electric power shall not be supplied to any building or structure until a certificate of occupancy shall have been issued and the power company provided with evidence of approval by the Building Official.

§ 16-14-15

Suspension of Permits and Certificates

(a)The building official may withhold, revoke, or suspend a building permit or certificate of occupancy when violations occur.

(1)The term “violations” as used in the preceding sentence shall include violations of local, state, and/or federal law, including but not limited to criminal law.

(b)If the certificate of occupancy is revoked for criminal violations, no new certificate of occupancy shall be issued at that location for the same use for 12 months immediately following revocation. Revocation of a certificate of occupancy shall automatically revoke the business/occupational tax (business license).

REQUIREMENTS