Permits
Applying for a permit
To begin, you must fill out a zoning permit application and a building application, if applicable, that should include the signature of the property owner. Please include a drawing of your proposed improvement, showing setbacks, building dimensions, and lot coverage, including driveways. Please submit the completed applications either in-person at the Township building, via standard mail, or by emailing the forms to zoning.hellamtownship.com. You must pay the application fees in order for your permit to being the submittal process.
Fees
For all Building & Zoning permits, there is a $25 non-refundable application fee, with payment due at the time of submittal. Your application will be reviewed, and if there are any questions, the Zoning Officer will contact you. Please be sure all contact information is submitted and accurate. The zoning permit fee is $8 per $1,000 spent on the construction costs, and is due upon pick-up.
Building Permits
Our primary, third-party, inspection service is Commonwealth Code Inspection Service, Inc. (CCIS). We do offer a secondary inspection service for the convenience of our residents; Building Inspection Underwriters, Inc. (BIU). If a building permit is required, we will forward it to the inspection servicer selected by the applicant. It is the responsibility of the applicant to chose which inspection service their application is submitted to. After the Township submits the building permit to your chosen Inspector, and has been reviewed and/or approved by CCIS or BIU, we will contact you regarding the final fees due. You can then pick up your building permit, along with your zoning permit, if applicable.
Payments
We accept cash and checks for zoning permits payments; which checks are payable to Hellam Township. Payment for building permits is payable to the specific third-party inspection service utilized, either Common Wealth Code Inspection Services, Inc. (CCIS) or Building Inspection Underwriters, Inc. (BIU). Cash is not an acceptable form of payment for building permits at this time. The permit process on average takes 10-14 business days to complete. You must allow for this time in scheduling your project, as no work may begin until the appropriate permits are acquired.