[StBernard] Permit fees back in St. Bernard

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Wed Mar 26 09:02:14 EDT 2008


Permit fees back in St. Bernard
Also, parish licensing of builders required Wednesday, March 26, 2008By Bob
Warren
More than two years after suspending them to help returning residents, St.
Bernard Parish next week will resume levying utility permit fees for
residential rebuilding and new construction.

The fees, ranging from $40 to $55, are required for electrical, heating,
plumbing and natural gas work. The fee schedule, which is the same as prior
to Hurricane Katrina, takes effect April 1.

Dave Peralta, chief administrative officer for St. Bernard Parish
government, said resuming the fee collection for residential construction is
part of the parish's efforts to "get back to normal mode.

"We've always had fees," he said. "We just waived them in the initial stages
(of hurricane recovery)."

Peralta said the parish never waived collection of permit fees for
commercial construction and rebuilding.

Meanwhile, effective April 15 the parish will again require professionals in
the building industry to be licensed with St. Bernard Parish.

Due to the crush of construction work immediately after the hurricane, the
parish suspended the licensing requirement and accepted work from
professionals with valid state licenses or licenses from other parishes,
Peralta said.

"We've had some reports of people doing work who are not licensed," he said.
"Would you want someone doing electrical work at your house who wasn't
licensed?"

Parish license fees range from $25 to $125, and require annual renewals.
Peralta said the licensing requirement and fees are identical to what was in
place before the hurricane.

"Nothing's changed, nothing's different," he said.

Permit fees must be paid in the parish's Office of Community Development, at
the parish government complex, 8201 W. Judge Perez Drive, Chalmette.
Professionals applying for licenses should report to Peralta's office, which
is also in the government complex.

. . . . . . .

Bob Warren can be reached at bwarren at timespicayune.com or (504) 826-3363.



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