PERMIT PROCEDURES FOR RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF SINGLE FAMILY, DUPLEX, AND MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENCES (TOWNHOUSES)

CITY OF GOOSE CREEK INSPECTION BUREAU
Building Inspector, Simeon Abdon
Building Inspector, Ginger Spindler
Building Inspector, Marc Todd
Building Official, Robert Yarnall
Fire Chief, Steve Chapman

The City of Goose Creek is enforcing the 2006 Edition of the International Residential Code.

City of Goose Creek Ordinance #01-005 dated August 14, 2001 adopted the new family of International Codes to comply with the South Carolina Building Codes Council ruling dated May 24, 2000.

The enforcement of the 2006 International Residential Codes began Wednesday, July 1, 2009. (Enforcement of the 2006 Editions of the International Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel gas and Fire Codes began on July 1, 2008. The enforcement of the 2008 Edition of the NEC began on July 1, 2009.)

The South Carolina Building Codes Council has adopted amendments to the 2006 International Residential Code, which are deletions, changes, or moratoriums to certain parts of the code. The amendments may be viewed at: www.llr.state.sc.us/pol/bcc/

PERMIT APPLICATION PROCESS
Forms and applications may be picked up from the City Permit Clerk at the Marguerite H. Brown Municipal Complex, City Hall at 519 N. Goose Creek Blvd. Permits and business license forms  can also be downloaded from the City Web site.

What You Will Need:

• Two complete sets of construction plans –architectural & structural
• Three site plans
• Building Permit Application
• Subcontractor list
• Business License Application
• Builder's affidavit
• Sewer availability letter

Section R106.1 Submittal Documents - "The construction documents shall be prepared by a registered design professional where required by the statutes of the jurisdiction in which the project is to be constructed."

The City of Goose Creek has no ordinance requiring construction documents be authored by a design professional. The City will accept complete sets of construction documents prepared by any of the following: SC Registered Design Professional (either an architect or an engineer), Residential Designer, a business engaged in the selling of house plans (Plan House) or hand-drawn plans to scale. All are acceptable as long as they are compliant with the 2006 IRC.

Section R106.1.1 Information on Construction Documents - "Construction documents shall be of sufficient clarity to indicate the location, nature and extent of the work proposed and show in detail that it will conform to the provisions of this code".

The City of Goose Creek requires the following to appear on the construction documents:

• Statement indicating the code referenced for design, include wind zone and seismic zone design specifications
• Square Footage of Entire Project including breakdown of Conditioned Space, Garages, Decks/Porches, etc.
• Foundation plan - plan and section view, with all details
• Building Sections
• Wall Sections
• Floor plan - Identify all rooms
• Electrical Plan (may be included on floor plan)- Indicate Panel location
• Elevations - four sides - including exterior covering and all details
• Roof plan - including roof pitch and overhangs. Indicate site built or manufactured truss type. If site built, indicate all rafter sizes.
• Window, door and garage door schedule - including type and design pressures, "U" Values and SHGC.
• Connector schedule for continuous load path, including all bracing and exterior sheathing details
• Documentation required to comply with the provisions of Section R301.2.1 and Section R301.2.1.1 of the IRC

For the City of Goose Creek to complete a proper plan review, plans shall be site specific (no reversals). Structural drawings must match the site plan. Red lines are not permitted. Any additions to the plans shall be drawn to scale as part of the original documents.

R106.1.3 Information for construction in flood hazard areas:
Provide information required by the City of Goose Creek Planning and Zoning Department (Daniel Ben-Yisrael, Planning Director, 843-797-6220 ext. 116).

R106.3.1 Approval of Construction Documents:
One set is retained by the City and the other set shall be returned to the applicant, shall be kept at the site of work and shall be open to inspection by the building official or his or her representative.

The City shall require the City-approved stamped set of construction documents to be at the jobsite for every inspection. In addition, the shop drawings for all engineered products and assemblies used in the construction of the house shall be available, as will any and all manufacturer's literature, installation instructions, etc.  No plans = No Inspections.

The City will not perform any inspection unless the City-approved and stamped set of construction documents and the building permit are present at the project site. A second violation will result in a $50.00 re-inspection fee.

R106.4 Amended Construction Documents-
Work shall be installed in accordance with the reviewed construction documents, and any changes made during construction that are not in compliance with the approved construction documents shall be resubmitted for approval as an amended set of construction documents.

The City of Goose Creek requires amended construction documentation if any of the following occur:

• If changes are made to the footprint
• If window and door location and sizes change
• If exterior decks, porches, screen porches or sunrooms are added
• If structural framing systems are changed from engineered systems to field framing, or vice versa.
• If the exterior covering is changed or the roof system is altered.

R108.1 Payment of Fees:
A permit shall not be valid until the fees prescribed by law have been paid.

No inspections shall be performed until a permit is paid for and placed at the jobsite.
No permit = no inspection.

R109.1 Types of inspections:
The required inspections are as follows:

• Footers and/or Foundation - before concrete is placed, either in footers or a monolithic slab.
• Plumbing and Electrical slab roughs.
• Slab – (if raised slab construction.)
• Floor system - if crawl space construction, prior to placing sub floor.
• Exterior sheathing diaphramming & nailing - before house wrap is installed.
• Preliminary framing - before trades commence inside
• Rough framing & trade roughs
• Insulation inspection
• Interim power inspection - after house is trimmed out & fixtures installed
• Final Certificate of Occupancy Inspection.

NOTE: Additional inspections may be required, depending upon the method of compliance with Section R301.2.1.1. These may include but are not limited to:

• Single and double clad shear walls.
• Continuous load path requirements.
• Bracing and other details as specified by an engineer.

R301.1 Design:
Buildings and structures, and all parts thereof, shall be constructed to safely support all loads, including dead loads, live loads, roof loads, flood loads, snow loads, wind loads and seismic loads as prescribed by this code. The construction of buildings and structures shall result in a system that provides a complete load path capable of transferring all loads from their point of origin through the load-resisting elements to the foundation.

Table R301.2.1.3, 2006 IRC - Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria

R301.2.1.1 Design Criteria:
Construction in regions where the basic wind speed equals or exceeds 100 MPH in hurricane-prone regions shall be designed in accordance with any of the following:

AF & PA Wood Framed Construction Manual
SSTD 10-99 – Standard for Hurricane Resistant Construction
ASCE-7 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings
American Iron & Steel Institute – Cold Formed Steel Framing
Concrete Construction

R301.2.1 Wind Limitations:

The IRC permits wind load design using any one of the five references listed. Any builder or contractor has the option of using any one of these five design references, as applicable to their project. The City will accept whichever design reference is turned in with the construction documents, and will act upon the permit application as follows:

• If AF&PA, SSTD 10-99 or AISA is used as the design standard by a non-design professional, the City will outsource your plan review to SBCCI in Birmingham, Ala. The applicant will pay the cost of this service.
• If construction documents are furnished with the seal of a design professional, the City will conduct the plan review. There may be some cases where the City may still require outsourcing the plans, depending upon the complexity of the project.
• If construction documents are furnished with the seal of a design professional, the City will perform the plan review in house, in most cases.

Section R301.2.1.2 Protection of Openings:
Windows in buildings located in windborne debris regions shall have glazed openings protected from windborne debris.  Glazed opening protection for windborne debris shall meet the requirements of the Large Missile Test of an approved impact resistant standard or ASTM 1996 and ASTM 1886 referenced herein.

Section R301.2.2 Seismic Provisions :
All construction in the City is in a D-2 Seismic Zone. The same conditions for wind design apply for seismic design also.