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Town Government & |
Departments: Building Department
Building Department
Building Department Staff The Hingham Building Department is responsible for administration and enforcement of the Massachusetts State Building Code, Electrical, Plumbing and Architectural Access Codes,the Hingham Zoning By-Law and General By-Laws of the town. The Department issues permits to construct, repair, and maintain properties, the issuance of Certificates of Occupancy for new and change of use properties and the annual inspection of restaurants, assembly and school uses. We also remind you to protect yourself before buying property. The records of this department are available to the public to check for legal occupancy, compliance, and for complaints against the property you propose to purchase. 2011 Annual Report The Building Department’s role is to protect the lives and property of the residents as well as visitors to the Town of Hingham, and contribute to the economic development through enforcement of the Massachusetts State Building Code and associated codes. This includes, but is not limited to the Town of Hingham Zoning By-Laws, National Electrical Code, Massachusetts Plumbing and Gas Code and the Architectural Access Board (Handicap Access Code). In enforcing these codes we review architectural and engineered plans, issue permits when the application meets all of the legal requirements, perform inspections, answer complaints, and write violations when necessary. We respond to emergency situations, (fires, floods, storm damage and vehicle impacts) along with the fire and police departments. We have had a slight increase in building permits this year (1038), with a slight decrease in the number of building inspections (2330). This has also led to an increase in the plumbing/gas and electrical permits and inspections. This year we have created new “counter permits” which include roofing, siding, and window permits. These permits can be issued by the office staff with minimal wait time, provided they meet other permitting requirements. The State has also mandated sheet metal permits which have added to the number of permits issued and are also counter permits. The creation of a new Zoning/Building code complaint form has helped us keep track of issues and created a better tracking system. This past September we began using our new computer based permitting program which has received mixed reviews. We expect to gain proficiency with this program over the coming months and decrease wait times for the application process. We anticipate a very busy year with the simultaneous construction of a new Middle School, the South Shore Education Collaborative new facility and the ongoing construction of the Shipyard. We would like to thank our volunteers from the tax work off program. They have been a great help and we look forward to working with more volunteers in the future. Mark Grylls, Inspector of Buildings
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