City of Austin Permitting

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City of Austin Permitting

The permitting process in Austin is a bottleneck for some and an easy transition for others. How do you navigate thru the ups n downs for commercial real estate with the City of Austin and its permitting process?

 

Overview

It depends on what you have to do these  include :

  • Commercial Tenant Finish-out PermitsCity of Austin Permitting
  • Commercial Shell Permits
  • Quick Turn Around Permits
  • Demolition Permits
  • Apartment Building Permits – New Construction
  •  Apartment Building Permits – Renovations
  • Phased Franchise Permits
  • Mobile Vendor Permits
  • Health / Industrial Waste Permits
  • Business Change of Use Permits
  • Site plan exemptions / corrections
  • Restaurant Permits
  • Bar Permits

Zoning and Site Plans

When a property has renovation or finish out, a tenant or buyer has to make sure the property is properly zoned. Zoning is for the usage they intend to have when they occupy the property.  Most properties have an existing site plan in place unless it is a to be a construction property. If there is a “change of use” to the existing commercial space , the City of Austin will have to verify the property meets zoning. This includes parking and ADA accessibility as well as ingress and egress. Starting from a development standpoint, the developer will have to provide a site plan to submit to the City of Austin for permitting review.

 

More on City of Austin Permitting

There are different types of permitting , electrical, HVAC , plumbing etc..

When there is work that requires 2 or more contractors to work on the space permitting from the City of Austin is required. There are also Quick turn permits which are 5,000 SF or less for office and retail sales occupancies where hazardous materials are not being utilized. Quick Turn permits require no exterior remodels that increases the square footage of the commercial property. A phone call can be made to the Development Assistance Center for quick information about the permit process before a tenant signs a lease.

 

Inspections & Certificate of Occupancy

Once the plans are approved and the contractors commence work, the City will send an inspector out to check compliance with City codes. After the improvements are inspected and verified a certificate of occupancy is issued by the City of Austin. A C of O is given so that a business can start operating. There are stories of inconsistencies and bottlenecks with the City of Austin permitting process. Be prepared, permitting takes time even though the City is trying to re-write the development codes. As of the writing of this blog article, typically it is 60-90 days for major changes to a property.