City Council:
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF TIME LIMITS ON
DORMANT BUILDING DEPARTMENT APPLICATIONS
Whereas, by letter dated June 13, 2025, the Commissioner of the Department of Buildings formally requested the establishment of time limits on dormant building permit applications; and
Whereas, a substantial number of permit and approval applications remain inactive or dormant for prolonged periods, consuming staff time and administrative resources that could be allocated to current, active applications; and
Whereas, the continued review, monitoring, and communication regarding these dormant applications has hindered the Department’s ability to operate efficiently and serve the public promptly; and
Whereas, the implementation of time limits for inactivity across all types of applications will promote timely compliance by applicants, reduce administrative backlog, and improve recordkeeping and operational efficiency; and
Whereas, it is in the best interest of the City of Mount Vernon to ensure that the Department of Buildings’ resources are focused on active applications that demonstrate progress toward completion; and
Whereas, the City Council of the City of Mount Vernon finds that the expiration of dormant applications will protect the public health, safety, and welfare by improving departmental responsiveness and effectiveness; Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved That
The City of Mount Vernon, in City Council convened, does hereby ordain and enact:
Section 1. Definitions.
(a) Dormant Application: Any application submitted to the Building Department for a permit or approval-including but not limited to permits for New Structures, Alterations, Demolition, Plumbing, Electrical, or Signage-for which no applicant-initiated activity has occurred for six (6) consecutive months from the date of filing.
(b) Substantive Activity: Includes submission of required documents, correction of identified deficiencies, responses to official correspondence from the Building Department, or any other action that demonstrates the applicant’s intent to pursue the application.
Section 2. Invalidation of Dormant Applications.
1. Any application submitted to the Building Department shall be deemed invalid if there is no applicant-initiated activity for six (6) months following the date of filing, regardless of whether the applicable fee has been paid.
2. Applications deemed invalid due to inactivity shall not be eligible for renewal or reactivation.
3. If the applicant wishes to proceed with the proposed work after the application has been invalidated, a new application must be submitted and shall be subject to the rules, procedures, and fees in effect at the time of the new filing.
Section 3. Notice of Dormancy. The Building Department may, but is not obligated to, notify applicants before declaring an application invalid due to dormancy. The absence of such notice shall not impact the enforceability of this Ordinance.
Section 4. Applicability. This Ordinance shall apply to all new and existing applications filed with the Building Department on or after the effective date. Any application that has already remained dormant for six (6) months or more as of the effective date shall be deemed invalid immediately.
Section 5. Application Types Covered. This Ordinance shall apply to, but is not limited to, the following categories of applications requiring review and issuance by the Building Department:
• New Structure Permits
• Alteration Permits
• Demolition Permits
• Plumbing Permits
• Electrical Permits
• Signage Permits
• Any other permits or approvals subject to review by the Department
Section 6. Severability. If any provision of this Ordinance is held to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions, which shall continue in full force and effect.
Section 7. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the City Council.