Effective Date: 7/1/2020
Category: Plan Review | Permits | Inspections
Community Development Operations COVID-19 Update 7-1-20
At this time, Community Development employees are reporting to work or working remotely. Our lobby is open to walk-in customers, but limited to capacity. Should the lobby be at full capacity, customers will be asked to provide their cell phone number and to wait outside or in their vehicle. When a customer's ticket is called, a customer service specialist will contact the customer's cell phone to notify them. Masks are not mandatory for customers entering the building, but encouraged by our Board of Commissioners. Customer service specialists will be wearing masks while helping customers.
Submitting a Permit
All permits, either paper and electronic, currently going through intake will be processed as normal, but we encourage the use of our online permitting portal if you are a contractor. This will limit the traffic in our lobby for safety reasons. Please visit https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/citizenaccess.
Owners that are acting as their own contractor (owner/builder) may come into the lobby to submit for a permit or submit through email. Submitting by email will only be available for owners during the Governor's State Emergency Declaration. Owners can email their application and plans to buildingconstruction@charlottecountyfl.gov for processing. This email is not for licensed contractors to use, as they must use the online permitting portal. Applications for owner/builders can be found at this link www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/community-development/building-construction/permits/
The County Clerks office is still recording documents using the E-Filing Portal at www.myflcourtaccess.com/default.aspx or the drop box in the parking lot at 18500 Murdock Circle, Port Charlotte for Notice of Commencements and other commonly recorded documents.
Plan Review
The plan review process for electronic and paper plans are back to normal.
Permit Issuance
The process for issuing permits, paper and electronic are back to normal.
Inspections
Beginning May 28, 2020, Charlotte County will resume building inspections in occupied dwelling units with the certain precautions. The health of our citizens and employees are of the utmost importance and we are taking measures to keep everyone safe during this pandemic. Therefore, anyone requesting an inspection inside an occupied residential dwelling unit (single-family home, apartment, condo, duplex) will be asked some questions to reduce the risk of exposure to the coronavirus. Before entering the dwelling unit, the inspector will ask the individual opening the door, who is 18 years of age or older, the following questions:
- Within the last 14 days, has anyone in this household experienced a new cough, shortness of breath or a temperature over 100.4 you cannot attribute to another health condition?
- Within the last 14 days, has anyone in this household had close contact with someone who is currently sick with suspected or confirmed COVID-19? (Note: Close contact is defined as within 6 feet for more than 10 consecutive minutes).
- Within the last 14 days has anyone in this household traveled Internationally or traveled within the United States to areas of known for COVID spread such as New York, New Jersey, Connecticut or Louisiana? (These states are specifically mentioned in Florida's Emergency Declaration).
If the individual answers "NO" to these questions, then the inspector may enter the dwelling unit, as long as, social distancing of 6 feet is observed by the occupants and contractors on site. The inspector will be required to wear a protective mask inside the dwelling.
If the individual answers "YES" to any of the questions, the building inspector will not be allowed into the dwelling unit. The inspection would then need to be rescheduled for a later date when the answers to these questions will be "NO". If the inspector is unable to enter the dwelling unit, the contractor may utilize the following options.
- Virtual inspections are available for A/C changeouts, re-pipes and water heaters inside a dwelling unit. See instructions for virtual inspections at Microsoft Teams Contractor Instructions; or,
- An inspection report from a Florida licensed engineer or architect will be accepted upon review.
Inspections may be conducted within garages without the need of a questionnaire for electrical panels, water heaters, A/C changeouts, doors and windows at the inspector's discretion. The occupant shall open the overhead door and remain in the home while the inspection is being conducted. If the garage contains laundry facilities, then the questionnaire must be used.
As an assurance to the occupants of the dwelling unit, any inspectors that answer "Yes" to these same questions will not be conducting inspections or reporting to work. Our customer service specialists will be on hand to help answer any permitting questions that might arise during this local emergency at 941.743.1201.Thank you.