Permits
A plot plan (survey) stamped by an Alabama registered land surveyor must be submitted before the issuance of a permit. This survey is used to verify:
- Zoning regulations pertaining to use, setbacks from adjacent lot lines, and sufficient off-street parking are provided.
- Compliance with the City of Decatur’s floodplain management ordinance is documented by having the lowest floor of any proposed construction lying in a special flood hazard area elevated 1 foot above the Base Flood elevation shown on the December 16, 2005 Flood Insurance Rate Map.
- The surveyed lot is of record and file with the Planning Department parcel map and has been issued an address by that department.
For new residential construction , framing plans and elevations are required to be submitted for review and approval. Residential plan reviews are performed to verify compliance with the currently adopted one- and two-family dwelling code. One set of plans will be returned to the permit applicant marked up in red notation indicating special construction items such as load paths for bearing walls, thickened foundation areas supporting load paths, braced wall lines, stair geometry, emergency egress windows, and other details needing special attention in order to pass inspections. Residential plan reviews do not cover every compliance requirement found in the code, but do guide the permit holder on some of the more important structural aspects and life safety features that field inspectors frequently find out of compliance.
New commercial and industrial construction projects require extensive and comprehensive design documents to be prepared by registered design professionals, such as registered architects and engineers. For more information on registered design professionals, please visit the Alabama Board for Registration of Architects, the Alabama Board of Registration for Interior Design, and the Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.
Plan reviews are performed to verify compliance with the currently adopted building code for the City of Decatur . Plan review turn-around time is dependent on volume of reviews currently under review and thoroughness of submittal documents.
See contractor licensing section of this website for more information concerning licensed contractors and issuance of permits.
Reference: Municode for Decatur, Alabama
