Yes, spring is coming, and with its arrival also comes the beginning of construction season.
While creating your dream project can be exciting, the required paperwork is significantly less so. In Cavan Monaghan, this paperwork has been streamlined to make it easier for applicants and municipal staff to keep track of projects through a centralized, cloud-based system which stores and monitors all aspects of construction projects, from the initial planning requirements to final inspection and occupancy permits.
Cavan Monaghan has modernized their building permit and planning act application process by implementing a cloud-based program that begins with the very first inquiry about a potential construction project, known as a land use inquiry. This inquiry can be made directly through the township website in the building and permits section or by calling the Building Department.
An electronic land use inquiry is emailed to a member of the planning department to determine whether the proposed project adheres to current zoning and planning by-laws for the property, and to identify other regulatory bodies whose approval would be required for the project such as Otonabee Conservation. The planner responds tot he applicant providing all the applicable zoning information and may also include a map illustrating zone boundaries.
If there are no planning issues, the proponent can proceed to creating a building permit application. Through the planning department section of the township website, the system is accessed through the Cloud permit link and where the applicant creates an account with their contact information and the address of the proposed project. This opens up a dashboard which is the equivalent of a home page for the building project. The applicant provides basic information about the project, including specific property information, the type of project, the project cost and its scale.
The next step involves identifying the parties involved in the project such as the designer, builder and property owner. If their contact information is added, the system will invite them to access the files and everyone will be literally on the same page for the duration of the project.
The next section collects required documentation about the project, including architectural drawings, site plans and other technical drawings. Each successful step in the process is acknowledged with a green checkmark.
Once all required documents are uploaded, the applicant signs off of the project and submits it for approval. This will only be possible if all the mandatory fields and forms have been submitted. The system automatically notifies building staff of the application, communicates with parties who have been identified on the application, including any agencies whose support for the project is required.
Once a project has been approved, the system calculates permit fees, prepares the invoice for approval and monitors payment. Permits are posted for printing by the proponent, and inspections are also scheduled through the system. The beauty of the system is that it tracks each project providing current status information to all stakeholders.
Cavan Monaghan is the only municipality in the region that uses cloud permitting for planning and building permit applications. This tool is particularly useful for large, complex applications including residential subdivisions and commercial developments where many parties are involved. The system was launched in November 2020, and during Covid restrictions applications were often managed with no personal interaction.
Detailed instructions as well as videos about the process are available on the township website to facilitate completing the application. Township staff understand that some residents would prefer to talk to someone about their application and are happy to walk residents through their projects in person or on the phone. Ready, set, build!