|
|
Leo Null
Building Official
|
|
Address:
|
155 Deer Hill Avenue
Danbury, CT 06810
|
|
Telephone:
|
203-797-4580
|
Permit Applications
About Us:
The Building Department is a key part of planning for the future of the City of Danbury. We work with people throughout the life of a building from the planning stages, through all required inspections, to its completion and any problems that may arise thereafter. Our staff consists of the Building Official, six Assistant Building Officials, Chief Electrical Inspector, and one Clerk.
All applications are submitted through the Permit Center, and the Zoning Department must first approve the construction use and location before it can be reviewed by the Building Department. All of our inspectors review plans, perform inspections, and answer technical questions daily. We respond to questions and complaints from the public, whether at our counter at City Hall, by e-mail, or phone calls, as well as complaints referred to us by other departments.
Plans are reviewed for conformance to the State Building Code. Applications for a deck or shed can be reviewed in less than twenty minutes, while bigger project plans for commercial buildings can require weeks. Upon approval, permits are issued, and inspections performed as requested. Once a final inspection at 100% completion is performed, a Certificate of Occupancy is issued.
Our inspectors attend classes on a regular basis to stay aware of the latest knowledge in construction and public safety. We continually work with applicants to resolve open permits lacking inspections and CO’s, sometimes brought to us at the last minute – some even thirty years later. We are also called upon to act as expert witnesses and defend abatements in court.
Our Accomplishments:
Despite the difficult economic conditions of 2008, the Building Department remained busy with ongoing construction, requests for information, and the resolution of complaints and unsafe conditions.
The Building Department completed over 13,000 inspections last year and issued 720 Certificates of Occupancy for residential and commercial construction. Danbury Fair Mall alone added or renovated over 15 tenant spaces. We reviewed applications for 29 new single-family homes. We investigated numerous complaints and issued over 75 notices of unsafe conditions. Our one Clerk researched over 400 requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act.
Commercial businesses continue to improve their properties throughout the city, most noticeably the new Union Savings Bank on North Street, new sales and showroom buildings at Honda on Federal Road, over 200,000 square feet of additions and renovations at Mannkind Pharmaceuticals on Casper Street, the replacement of the fire-ravaged Reliant Air hanger, and interior upgrades at both Stop & Shop Supermarkets. We are proud to have been an integral partner in the construction of Danbury’s new police station. After performing numerous reviews of plans, revisions, and test reports, our inspectors were on-site daily and completed over 300 inspections, with the final result of a first-class facility for Danbury’s finest. Other city projects overseen by our inspectors included the new Ellsworth Avenue School, the Southwest Water Tank at the Reserve, sprinklers at Danbury High School., and improvements to the Medical Records, Mammography, Ultrasound, Oncology, Vascular Lab, and the Pharmacy facilities at Danbury Hospital. Our city also added to its reputation for top-notch health care with two new medical buildings at 79 Sandpit Road and 33 Germantown Road, as well as the renovation for the Americares Free Clinic on West Street.
Recreation is not forgotten in our department. Facility upgrades were completed by Danbury Sports and Wellness at the former Beaver Brook Tennis Club, a new building for Danbury Power Sports on Lake Avenue, and two Party Depot locations on South Street and Federal Road.
The Building Department’s inspectors are on emergency call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our inspectors respond to fires, explosions, freeze-ups, pipe breaks, electrical issues, gas leaks, vehicles striking buildings, and unsafe conditions. One never knows what to expect when responding to an after-hours call.
As a testament to our dedication to public safety and service, the City Building Official, Leo Null, a 25-year veteran of the Department, was recognized by the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Fairfield County as the Building Official of the Year. Danbury is fortunate to retain this wealth of knowledge and experience. We are always pleased to work with citizens and developers to protect the public safety and enhance the quality of life in Danbury, through the creation of a visible difference in the appearance of the city, and support for the growth and vitality of our economic and community base. The Building Department looks for construction within the City of Danbury to remain strong well into the future, and stands ready to embrace the challenges that it will bring.