City official: building permit process helps guide growth

    When construction of commercial or residential property occurs within the city of Imperial corporate limits, and a one-mile radius around it, there are zoning regulations that usually require a building permit.
    Nick Schultz is Imperial’s City Building Inspector and Zoning Officer, and has served in the dual position since 1990.
    A building contractor since 1972, Schultz has lived in Imperial since 1979.
    That’s not always been his profession, however.  
    After graduating from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota in 1969, he worked as an accountant in Minneapolis for nearly three years. While in college, he also worked with his father, a building contractor in his hometown.
    “Then in 1972, I decided I wanted to live in the mountains of Colorado, and it was there I became involved full-time in the construction business,” he said.
    A boom in construction here in the mid-70s as pivot irrigation was developing led him to the community.
    Building permits are required for any new building or structure, additions to any building, structural modifications and any new fences, he said.  
    Prior to these permits being granted a proposed building, addition, structure or fence would require an inspection of things like property lines.
    Getting permits for structures is influenced by the zone they will be categorized in.  
    There are 11 zones in Imperial categorized as multi-family residential, residential single family and/or duplex, commercial office, mobile home park, etc. All have different allowances and restrictions, he said.
    All zones were established by the city council with public hearings and recommendations from the City Planning Commission. There may also be input from the Building Inspector, as well as the public at large, he said.
    As far as the fee for permits the cost varies, he said.
    Currently fences, small sheds and signs are a flat $30. Average two-car garages are $50.  A new home minimum is $100, and new commercial or industrial minimum is $150.  
    The fee for all buildings increases as the square footage does, he said.
    The estimated cost of improvements to the real estate needs to be included on the permit, he said. Even though the cost of the project does not affect the permit fee, Schultz said it is important for the city valuation records and for the County Assessor, to which a copy of the permit is forwarded for each project.
    All permits require other specific information including owner, contractor information, property size and location of the lot, a legal description and street address.
    In some cases, the State Fire Marshal must approve the details if hazardous materials are involved, he said.    
    Depending on the residential or commercial building size, it may require the involvement of a licensed architect and/or structural engineer.  This would come into play with buildings three or more stories high and/or of more than 5,000 square feet, he said.
    If there are disputes or challenges on permit issues/denials there is a five- member Board of Adjustment, or Variance Board,  filled by citizens, with the Building Inspector as the non-voting secretary, he said.  
    In rare cases a “conditional use” may be requested from the Planning Commission and city council. Both require public hearings and final council approval.
    The need for complex zoning and building inspections in municipalities like Imperial is important, Schultz said.  
    “For example, any time someone puts up a structure on Highway 61 that is taller than existing buildings it needs to be okayed by the Airport Authority as the structure could interfere with flight paths to the airport,” he noted.
    The potential for flooding in some areas affects building restrictions on square foot areas of buildings, driveways, patios, etc., for each lot.
    In an effort to help minimize potential flooding, the city council, in conjunction with the Planning Commission, professional planners and engineers, recently adopted some restrictions in most zones as to the maximum square footage allowed that would be considered impervious ground cover, he said.  
    Building inspections and zoning have specific criteria regarding Mobile Home Parks.
    If someone wants to move a mobile home that is not new into the park, it must be inspected first.  
    It must also have a HUD emblem and title showing the date of manufacture, he said.  In some cases the permit fee might be waived.