Residential Construction Permitting Procedures

The intent of the Inspections Department and Planning Department is to expedite your application as quickly as possible. It is imperative that you review your package carefully prior to submission. We always attempt to review the package concurrently within the Staff’s review responsibilities. This requires a complete application.

Section I: The following information shall be submitted with your New Construction Permit Application

1. Completed and approved CAMA permit.
2. Completed zoning and floodplain development application.
3. Completed driveway permit application.
4. Preliminary plot plan/survey from a NC licensed land surveyor - see attached checklist.
5. Completed building, electrical, fuel gas (if applicable), insulation, plumbing and mechanical permit applications.
6. Completed elevation certificate from a NC licensed land surveyor - see attached checklist.
7. Completed V-zone certification from a NC registered design professional - see attached checklist.
8. Engineered building plans w/foundation system and those requirements shown in Section II below - see attached checklist.
9. Paid sewer service permit from Pluris or septic approval from Onslow County.

Section II:  All Plans shall include, but not limited to the following details

1. Pile foundation layout with required depths and loading requirements (Design and installation is the responsibility of the Engineer of record, a Final Letter of approval must be provided).
2. Floor System details: girder sizes, spacing, fastening and manufacturer’s documentation as required; floor truss documentation or joist sizing, spacing, loading.
3. Wall systems shall be designed where exceeding the current NC Residential Codes; indicate stud sizing, spacing, jack studs/king studs required, header sizing, shear wall requirements; wood structural panels shall be as designed or prescriptively by default.
4. Roof system details shall include manufactured truss drawings, lay-out, rafter sizing, high wind zone uplift tie-down requirements, all bracing details, roof decking material, sizing, fastening (NOTE: max building height is presently 48.0’).
5. Deck construction details shall be shown to include bolting, bracing, cantilevers, joists span, sizing.
6. X-bracing for the pile system to be shown with construction details (avoid bracing parallel to the ocean and at the interior side of breakaway walls).
7. All pile to girder connections, required bolts, strapping, notching as necessary.
8. Breakaway walls to be by PE Design (indicate on plans and V-zone certificate).
9. Flood vents required if in a mapped AE zone with V-zone construction standards.
10. Include crossover design if applicable to include pile installation.
11. Include information pertaining to the following: attic ventilation, insulation to be used, window and door data for DP rating and windborne debris protection; show all platforms and stairs used for HVAC and/or electrical system access on all plans/plot plans.

Section III: The following are steps to receive your Permit

1. All required documentation must be signed and sealed as required and on hand for permit issuance.
2. All permits shall be issued pursuant to NC General Statutes and Rules governing the valid issuance of all permits (NOTE: You may utilize the online permitting portal for the current status of your permit application).
3. All permits shall be paid for prior to issuance.
4. All fees shall be calculated based on the current approved fee schedule adopted by the North Topsail Beach Board of Aldermen.
5. All changes to your original permit and or plans must be done through the online portal to include any change in contractors and approved plans.
6. All homeowners permitted to construct their own home shall comply with the rules as outlined by the NC General Contractors Board (GS 87-14) to provide a notarized exemption affidavit prior to issuance of any permits.

Section IV:   After the Permit is Issued

1. All job sites will have a weather-proof job box for permits and required paperwork.
2. All job sites shall have an approved trash container.
3. All job sites shall have an approved port-a-john facility prior to t-pole or girder inspection.
4. All inspection requests shall be scheduled through the portal at least a day prior to the requested inspection date.
5. The permit holder is responsible to ensure a 7-day elevation certificate is provided to alert the Zoning/Flood Administrator for inspection; ensure the surveyor places the PK nail as required.
6. All construction sites requiring inspection above grade will be required to provide OSHA compliant stairs or ladders for access. The Inspector shall not risk utilizing un-safe ladders, steps or stairs to accomplish any inspections.

Section V: Requirements for the Certificate of Occupancy

1. A final inspection in all trades with all required documentation on hand.
2. A final CAMA, Zoning and Flood inspection.
3. All final documentation must be available prior to applying for a Certificate of Occupancy and a building final inspection to ensure that all final inspections are scheduled accordingly and approval obtained.

SITE PLAN

• Indicate zoning district on site plan.
• Indicate setbacks on site plan.
• Indicate proposed percentage impervious surface on site plan.
• Indicate proposed building height on site plan.
• Indicate Area of Environmental Concern (AEC) on site plan.
• Indicate CAMA setbacks on site plan.
• Indicate wetland delineation on site plan by bearings and distance and date confirmed by USACE.
• Indicate Area of Disturbance ( include nature, location, dimensions, elevations) on site plan.
• Indicate existing and proposed structures, utility systems, grading/pavement areas, fill materials, storage areas, drainage facilities and other development on site plan.
• Indicate boundary of the special flood hazard area or a statement that the entire lot is within the special flood hazard area on site plan.
• Indicate Flood Zone designation(s) on site plan.
• Indicate base flood elevation (BFE) on site plan.
• Indicate boundary and designation date of the coastal barrier resource system (CBRS) on site plan.
• Indicate certification of the site plan by a registered land surveyor or professional engineer on site plan.

ELEVATION CERTIFICATE

• On Elevation Certificate Block A. 1. Enter the name(s) of the building owner(s)
• On Elevation Certificate Block A. 2. Enter the building's complete street address
• On Elevation Certificate Block A. 3. Enter the lot and block numbers
• On Elevation Certificate Block A. 4. Enter whether the building is residential, non-residential, an addition to an existing residential or nonresidential building, an accessory building (e.g., garage), or other type of structure. Use the Comments area of the appropriate section if needed, or attach additional comments.
• On Elevation Certificate Block A. 5. Provide latitude and longitude coordinates for the center of the front of the building. Use either decimal degrees (e.g., 39.5043°, −110.7585°) or degrees, minutes, seconds (e.g., 39° 30' 15.5", −110° 45' 30.7") format. If decimal degrees are used, provide coordinates to at least 5 decimal places or better. When using degrees, minutes, seconds, provide seconds to at least 1 decimal place or better. The latitude and longitude coordinates must be accurate within 66 feet. When the latitude and longitude are provided by a surveyor, check the "Yes" box in Section D and indicate the method used to determine the latitude and longitude in the Comments area of Section D. If the Elevation Certificate is being certified by other than a licensed surveyor, engineer, or architect, this information is not required. Provide the type of datum used to obtain the latitude and longitude. FEMA prefers the use of NAD 1983.
• On Elevation Certificate Block A. 6. If the Elevation Certificate is being used to obtain flood insurance through the NFIP, the certifier must provide at least 2 photographs showing the front and rear of the building taken within 90 days from the date of certification. The photographs must be taken with views confirming the building description and diagram number provided in Section A. To the extent possible, these photographs should show the entire building including foundation. If the building has split-level or multi-level areas, provide at least 2 additional photographs showing side views of the building. In addition, when applicable, provide a photograph of the foundation showing a representative example of the flood openings or vents. All photographs must be in color and measure at least 3" × 3". Digital photographs are acceptable.
• On Elevation Certificate Block A. 7. Select the diagram on pages 7–9 that best represents the building. Then enter the diagram number and use the diagram to identify and determine the appropriate elevations requested in Items C2.a–h. If you are unsure of the correct diagram, select the diagram that most closely resembles the building being certified.
• On Elevation Certificate Block A. 8. a Provide the square footage of the crawlspace or enclosure(s) below the lowest elevated floor of an elevated building with or without permanent flood openings. Take the measurement from the outside of the crawlspace or enclosure(s). Examples of elevated buildings constructed with crawlspace and enclosure(s) are shown in Diagrams 6–9 on pages 8–9. Diagrams 2A, 2B, 4, and 9 should be used for a building constructed with a crawlspace floor that is below the exterior grade on all sides.
• On Elevation Certificate Block A. 8. b Enter in Item A8.b the number of permanent flood openings in the crawlspace or enclosure(s) that are no higher than 1.0 foot above the higher of the exterior or interior grade or floor immediately below the opening.
• On Elevation Certificate Block A. 8. c Estimate the total net area of all such permanent flood openings in square inches, excluding any bars, louvers, or other covers of the permanent flood openings, and enter the total
• On Elevation Certificate Block A. 8. d Indicate whether the flood openings are engineered. If applicable, attach a copy of the Individual Engineered Flood Openings Certification or an Evaluation Report issued by the International Code Council Evaluation Service (ICC ES)
• On Elevation Certificate Block A. 9. a Provide the square footage of the attached garage with or without permanent flood openings. Take the measurement from the outside of the garage.
• On Elevation Certificate Block A. 9. b Enter the number of permanent flood openings in the attached garage that are no higher than 1.0 foot above the higher of the exterior or interior grade or floor immediately below the opening.
• On Elevation Certificate Block A. 9. c Enter the total net area of all such permanent flood openings in square inches and enter the total in Item A9.c.
• On Elevation Certificate Block A. 9. d Indicate whether the flood openings are engineered. If applicable, attach a copy of the Individual Engineered Flood Openings Certification or an Evaluation Report issued by the International Code Council Evaluation Service (ICC ES)
• On Elevation Certificate Block B. 1. Enter NFIP Community Name & Community Number
• On Elevation Certificate Block B. 2. Enter County Name
• On Elevation Certificate Block B. 3. Enter the 2-letter state abbreviation
• On Elevation Certificate Block B. 4. Enter Enter the 10-character "Map Number"
• On Elevation Certificate Block B. 5. Enter the effective map suffix letter
• On Elevation Certificate Block B. 6. Enter the effective date of the FIRM Index
• On Elevation Certificate Block B. 7. Enter the effective date of the FIRM Panel
• On Elevation Certificate Block B. 8. Enter the flood zone, or flood zones, in which the building is located.
• On Elevation Certificate Block B. 9. Enter the BFE (or base flood depth) of the building site.
• On Elevation Certificate Block B. 10. Indicate the source of the BFE that you entered in Item B9. If the BFE is from a source other than FIS Profile, FIRM, or community, describe the source of the BFE.
• On Elevation Certificate Block B. 11. Indicate the elevation datum to which the elevations on the applicable FIRM are referenced as shown on the map legend.
• On Elevation Certificate Block B. 12. Indicate whether the building is located in a Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS) area
• On Elevation Certificate Block C. 1. Indicate whether the elevations to be entered in this section are based on construction drawings, a building under construction, or finished construction
• On Elevation Certificate Block C. 2. provide the PID or other unique identifier assigned by the maintainer of the benchmark. For GPS survey, indicate the benchmark used for the base station, the Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) sites used for an On-line Positioning User Service (OPUS) solution (also attach the OPUS report), or the name of the Real Time Network used.
• On Elevation Certificate Block C. 2. a. Enter top of bottom floor (including basement, crawlspace, or enclosure floor)
• On Elevation Certificate Block C. 2. b. Enter top of the next higher floor
• On Elevation Certificate Block C. 2. c. Enter bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member
• On Elevation Certificate Block C. 2. e. Enter the lowest platform elevation of at least 1 of the following machinery and equipment items: elevators and their associated equipment, furnaces, hot water heaters, heat pumps, and air conditioners in an attached garage or enclosure or on an open utility platform that provides utility services for the building.
• On Elevation Certificate Block C. 2. f. Enter the lowest elevation of the ground, sidewalk, or patio slab immediately next to the building
• On Elevation Certificate Block C. 2. g. Enter the highest elevation of the ground, sidewalk, or patio slab immediately next to the building
• On Elevation Certificate Block C. 2. h. Enter Lowest adjacent grade at lowest elevation of deck or stairs, including structural support

V Zone Certification

• Indicate Community Number on V Zone Certification, SECTION I Block 1
• Indicate Panel Number on V Zone Certification, SECTION I Block 2
• Indicate Suffix on V Zone Certification, SECTION I Block 3
• Indicate Date of FIRM Index on V Zone Certification, SECTION I Block 4
• Indicate FIRM Zone on V Zone Certification, SECTION I Block 5
• Indicate Elevation of the Bottom of Lowest Horizontal Structure Member on V Zone Certification, SECTION II 1
• Indicate Regulatory Flood Protection Elevation (RFPE) on V Zone Certification, SECTION II 2
• Indicate Elevation of Lowest Adjacent Grade on V Zone Certification, SECTION II 3
• Indicate Approximate Depth of Anticipated Scour/Erosion Used for Foundation Design on V Zone Certification, SECTION II 4
• Indicate Embedment Depth of Pilings or Foundation Below Lowest Adjacent Grade on V Zone Certification, SECTION II 5
• On V Zone Certification, SECTION III: V-ZONE CERTIFICATION STATEMENT must be certified by a registered professional engineer or architect. Initial all that apply.
• On V Zone Certification, SECTION IV, AREAS BELOW THE LOWEST FLOOR must be certified by a registered professional engineer or architect. Initial all that apply.
• On V Zone Certification, SECTION V: SAND DUNES AND MANGROVE STANDS must be certified by a registered professional engineer or architect. Initial all that apply
• On V Zone Certification, SECTION VII: UNDERGROUND FUEL TANKS must be certified by a registered professional engineer or architect. Initial all that apply
• On V Zone Certification, SECTION VIII: ABOVE GROUND FUEL TANKS must be certified by a registered professional engineer or architect. Initial all that apply
• On V Zone Certification, SECTION IX: SWIMMING POOLS must be certified by a registered professional engineer or architect. Initial all that apply
• On V Zone Certification, SECTION X: FILL must be certified by a registered professional engineer or architect. Initial all that apply
• On V Zone Certification, SECTION XI: EROSION CONTROL STRUCTURES must be certified by a registered professional engineer or architect. Initial all that apply