AUSTIN, Texas — On Thursday, the Austin City Council passed two ordinances aimed at speeding up repairs from last week’s freezing weather.
The ordinances waive residential permitting and development fees as well as certain plumbing permit requirements.
The fees covered by the first waiver include permitting, plan review, inspection, demolition and variance fees for repair of existing structures only, and do not include fees for re-inspections.
The second ordinance allows building officials to exempt certain plumbing activities from permit requirements normally required under the City’s Plumbing Code. It also extends the deadline to submit a permit application from one business day to five business days from the date the activity starts, and waives registration requirements for work regulated by the Plumbing Code.
The Development Services Department has established a dedicated website for emergency repairs and permitting, including a live chat feature for quick response and a hotline (512-974-1500) operational Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Additionally, the City of Austin has launched a new website to help residents navigate winter storm repairs. The website has information about safety for repairs, plumbers, electricians and other contractors; code compliance and service requests; the City’s emergency permitting process; homeowner’s funding assistance; and federal and local assistance programs.
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