Ward County allows Lake Life Addition building permits but withholds certificates of occupancy until stormwater work is finished

The Board of Ward County Commissioners on May 20 approved issuing building permits for lots in the Lake Life Addition on Rice Lake, but required that no certificate of occupancy be issued until the development’s stormwater and runoff work is finished. Planning Administrator Beth Pietsch presented a recommendation from the Planning Commission to allow the county to issue building permits while preserving the county’s leverage to ensure final stormwater systems are completed. The motion, made by Commissioner Olson and seconded by Commissioner Merritt, passed on a roll-call vote: Commissioners Rostad, Merritt, Olson and Chairman Fjeldahl voted yes; Commissioner Schuler voted no. The action allows construction to proceed under the condition that Certificates of Occupancy (C.O.) will be withheld until the stormwater/runoff system is fully completed. The county’s approach separates permit issuance from final occupancy approval: builders may begin construction with a permit, but residents will not be authorized to occupy structures until the stormwater infrastructure is certified complete. The commission requested staff oversight to ensure the contingency is enforced; staff will monitor completion before issuing any C.O.s.