From the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation:

If you do not intend to do the work yourself and have been asked by someone without a construction license to pull the permit, you are at risk of financial harm.

Without worker’s compensation insurance, you could:

• Be held liable for injuries that occur on your property
• Not be covered under your homeowners’ insurance policy

When property owners act as their own contractor, they must provide direct on-site supervision of the work being performed. If you pull an owner/builder permit for an unlicensed contractor to perform work on your property, you must deduct F.I.C.A., withholding tax and provide workers’ compensation for them.

Individuals who aid unlicensed persons may face fines up to $5,000.

Dangers of Unlicensed Activity:

• Poor qualifications
• Poor quality work
• Possible criminal background
• Likely to be victim of a scam
• Limited resources for broken contracts

Customer Contact Center: 850.487.1395
Report Unlicensed Activity: 1.866.532.1440

www.MyFloridaLicense.com

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The Polk County Board of County Commissioners has issued the following update:

Inspection Procedures Back to Normal

Following Hurricane Irma, the Polk County Building Division staff prioritized inspections in order to address life/safety issues, power restoration inspections and damage assessment. We allowed affidavits and pictures for many job types to be submitted by email and asked that contractors delay all other non-critical inspections until that time at which the number of daily inspections became more manageable.

As of today, October 16, 2017, our staff has resumed all typical inspections activities.  All normal inspection procedures are now back in place and we are no longer accepting affidavits and pictures by email.

Thank you for your patience as we attempted to respond to the needs of our community following Hurricane Irma. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Building Division at (863) 534-6080.

Seminole County has issued a notice regarding its ePlan System:

Last evening, a minor enhancement in the ePlan System occurred which will affect any Project or Permit workflows that are started with today’s date.

What does this mean to you, the ePlan Applicant??

1.) A new notification email will be sent to you if your Project or Permit is routed for review to inform you that Pre-screen has been approved and you are now in line for review. This email will also inform you of later follow-on steps in the workflow automation. Note: there are some Permit workflows that do not have a plan review step. Therefore these will not see this additional email.

2.) When your Project or Permit does not pass sufficiency review at the Pre-screening step in the workflow and Corrections are sent back to you with instructions, this task name has been modified to be called “CorrectionsToComplete” and the task completion button located in the task has been changed to “Corrections Completed”.

What improvements are coming??

For Permitting: A new “View Only Consultant” user group is being created soon that will allow you to request that your design team be added to Permit Applications you submit for review and approval. This will allow your design team to have access to view the files uploaded along with the reports so that they can look over the corrections remotely from their office. A separate notice will be sent out when this improvement is ready to be rolled out and used. It will require a new form be created to allow Contractors to tell us the names and email addresses of your design team at the time of application submittal.

Thank you for your attention to this notice.

Jodi Doyle
Seminole County
Department ePlan Administrator

The City of Sunny Isles Beach has posted the following Notice to Owners & Contractors:

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS AND OWNERS WITH ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN THE CITY OF SUNNY ISLES BEACH

The City of Sunny Isles Beach Building Department requires that all jobsites be secured in such manner as to prevent flying objects from damaging the neighboring structures (more than likely, single family residences, condominiums, or apartments.) The following actions are expected from Owners and Contractors. The Building Department will be inspecting all jobsites for compliance. If jobsites are found to be not in compliance with the County’s and/or City’s orders, owners and contractors will be subjected to assessment of appropriate fines.

1. All trash containers must be emptied. If, for some reason, the servicing entity cannot come to the jobsite to empty the trash container(s) prior to the anticipated storm strike, you must cover the top of the container with welded wire fabric that is securely attached so as to remain covering the container during the storm. All construction lumber is to be removed from the jobsite and stored within a secure area in the residence under construction (a space with masonry walls and roof) or within the trash container(s.)

2. Jobsites must be secured so as to eliminate the potential of ANY construction materials becoming airborne during a storm. Particular attention must be given to having any roofing tiles, not yet secured, removed from the top of the roof sheathing and securely stored inside the residence walls.

3. Inspectors from The City of Sunny Isles Beach Building and Code Compliance Departments will visit all sites after hurricane watch and/or warnings are in effect and will make sure that all job sites are in compliance with the Miami-Dade County Code requirements. Violators will be fined and, if potential dangerous conditions are found uncorrected, emergency cleanup could be contracted with outside entities and the charges from those entities will be assessed to the jobsite.

We request your cooperation to ensure that your jobsite does not become an added concern to our residents, prior to, during and after a potential hurricane strike.

Miami-Dade County Code Chapter 8, Article 1, Section 8-16

(a) During such periods of time as the National Weather Service has issued a severe weather advisory that is in effect for Miami-Dade County, best efforts must be used so that all furniture, display racks, material and similar loose objects in exposed outdoor locations, including loose material of projects under construction are secured or otherwise appropriately braced to rigid construction or stored in buildings to the extent practicable given the conditions. Orders shall be oral or written and shall be given to any person on the premises most logically responsible for maintenance and such orders shall be carried out before winds of tropical storm velocity are anticipated.

(b) After winds of the velocity associated with a severe weather event are experienced and have subsided, the Building Official shall investigate to determine if damage has occurred to buildings or other structures.

(c) No building or other structure or assembly or part thereof, which was damaged or collapsed or out of plumb or line shall be repaired or altered or otherwise returned to its original position without inspection and approval by the Building Official.

(d) For the purposes of this section, “severe weather advisory” shall be defined as any one of the following: a tropical storm warning, a hurricane watch, or a hurricane warning and the term “severe weather event” shall be defined as a tropical storm or hurricane.

For More Information Call: 305.792.1735

Hurricane Irma info from the City of Miami Beach

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Hurricane Irma has been upgraded to a dangerous category 5 storm, with maximum sustained winds of over 180 miles per hour. As of right now, all of South Florida is in the forecast track. It is essential that you prepare in advance. Please review our Miami Beach Hurricane Guide that provides detailed information on how you can be storm ready.

City Preparations

Miami Beach is implementing its hurricane plan, preparing for potential damaging winds, heavy rains and flooding. We are cleaning drains, pruning trees, and removing debris from our streets. We are deploying additional portable generators and water pumps. The major pumping stations will have portable generators connected in advance of any storm impacts.

Before the Storm

All of Miami Beach is considered an evacuation zone. It is advised that you begin evacuation preparations before an evacuation order is given.
Have a transportation plan. Make arrangements to stay with friends or relatives living in a non-evacuation areas or make reservations in a hotel located mainland.

Evacuation will begin tomorrow for residents with special needs. Residents who require evacuation assistance must pre-register with the Miami-Dade County Emergency Evacuation Assistance Program. To register or update your information, log on to the county’s website or call 311.

Miami-Dade County anticipates releasing an evacuation order Wednesday or early Thursday. Miami-Dade Public Schools will be closed on Thursday and Friday.
Stock up on emergency supplies, including water and non-perishable food.
Prepare an emergency suitcase of essential documents and supplies for you and your family.
Inventory and take photos of your property and valuables. Back-up all critical data.
Remove debris and potential projectiles from your property. Residents are asked to refrain from pruning.

Install flood panels and take measure to safeguard your property. If you need sand bags they are now available at the Public Works Yard (451 Dade Blvd) from 6am to 7pm. 10 bags per family and please bring your ID.

Evacuation

Parking

Participating municipal parking garages will be made available for residents to safeguard their vehicles during hurricanes and tropical storm events that impact Miami Beach. Residents may access participating municipal parking garages to store their vehicles at their own risk. For more information, call the Miami Beach Parking Department at 305.673.7505.

Shelters

There are NO hurricane shelters in Miami Beach. Evacuation centers will not open until an evacuation order is given. Miami-Dade County is anticipating issuing an evacuation order for Miami Beach tomorrow.

Miami-Dade transit buses will provide free transportation to the mainland shelters from 25 locations in Miami Beach. Remember that pets are not allowed to go to general population shelters and therefore will not be allowed on the buses. Check out the Hurricane Evacuation Bus Pick-up stops on page 12 of the Miami Beach Hurricane Guide or call 311. Families with pets who wish to go to a shelter can go to one of Miami-Dade County’s animal-friendly shelters.

Stay Informed

To receive text updates text MBtraffic to 91011.
Call 3-1-1 to connect with Miami-Dade County’s contact center for up to date information.

@MiamiBeachNews
@NWSMiami

Sincerely,

Philip Levine
Mayor of Miami Beach