The Home Building Association of Richmond (HBAR) continues to partner with local governments across the Richmond Region as the COVID-19 outbreak impacts their ability to provide core services, including the services that are related to the land development and construction process. Many building officials have responded resiliently to limited office hours and/or closures, rallying their staffs to process building permits, conduct inspections, and issue certificates of occupancy in the wake of the public health crisis.
Chesterfield County, Henrico County, Hanover County, and Goochland County are currently operating at reduced service levels. While their government complex doors are closed to the public, most have deployed operations remotely and are using technology available to carry out essential functions. The City of Richmond plans to return to reduced operations effective Monday, March 23, 2020.
As HBAR receives information from local governments in our region on the evolving status of their operations, we are posting those to our website at https://hbar.org/county-updates/. Please be sure to check that website, as well as the websites for each locality, for the most up-to-date communication. And please contact Danna Markland, at dmarkland@hbar.org, if you have any questions, comments, or updates from local government officials and/or staff.
Given the present slowdown in local government functions and the anticipation that we could see continued delays and/or closures of local governments, the Home Builders Association of Virginia (HBAV) formally requested that Governor Northam consider exercising their executive authority in this time of emergency to:
(i) Extend the date of expiration of all existing approvals issued by the Commonwealth or any agency or political subdivision thereof, including without limitation, any permits, licenses, registrations and other authorizations due to expire during the state of emergency under applicable laws and regulations for a period equal to the number of days comprising the duration of the state of emergency (i.e. March 12, 2020 until the date upon which the state of emergency is ordered terminated), and
(ii) Toll for a period commencing on March 12, 2020 and terminating on the date upon which the state of emergency is ordered terminated the running of any applicable period or deadline imposed by the governing body of any agency or subdivision of the Commonwealth pursuant to any general or special law enacted by the General Assembly or the governing body of any subdivision of the Commonwealth, which shall expressly include, without limitation, the period of validity of all special use permits, conditional use permits, preliminary and final site plans and subdivision plats, and building permits but expressly excluding any period or deadline imposed by Title 8.01 (Civil Remedies and Procedure) and Title 19.2 (Criminal Procedure) of the Code of Virginia (1950).
(iii) As the Administration considers any additional declarations or public health orders as a result of the crisis, it is essential that communities have access to our professionals to build and maintain essential services including: building, plumbing, electrical, HVAC systems, waste/wastewater treatment plants and power generations. Home construction should be designated as “essential” because it is necessary to maintain safety, sanitation, and economic security within our communities and therefore, we respectfully request that any additional declarations or public health orders: (1)Recognize that construction of housing is essential and should be allowed to continue under a remain in place order; (2)Permit government functions related to the building and development process, such as inspections, permitting and plan review services, to be modified to protect the public health, but fundamentally should continue and serve the construction of housing (E.g., Allow qualified private third-party inspections in case of government shutdown); (3)Permit supply stores necessary to serve the construction, repair and maintenance of housing to operate; and (4)Allow those working in building trades to continue to maintain the essential operation of residences and other operating businesses.
For updates on the status of state regulatory agencies, including the Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Health, Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, the Home Builders Association of Virginia has posted several updates over the last 72 hours. You can also contact HBAV’s Vice President of Government Affairs, Andrew Clark, at AClark@HBAV.com if you have any questions about the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on residential development and construction processes at the state level.
Please stay safe!
