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City staff outlines temporary certificate of occupancy process, common issues and fixes
Summary
Staff presented an informational overview of the city's temporary certificate of occupancy (TCO) process: TCOs can be issued when interiors pass inspection, are valid 30 days (extensions possible), cost $50 per extension, and common TCO reasons include sod timing and damaged curbs or ADA ramps.
Lee's Summit — City staff provided an informational presentation on Jan. 14 about the temporary certificate of occupancy (TCO) process and recent steps to tighten oversight of outstanding exterior punch-list items.
Steve Robbins, assistant director of field services, explained that under the City of Lee's Summit code (section 7-168, paraphrased) a TCO may be issued when a structure is safe for intended occupancy while remaining exterior items are completed. "To qualify for a TCO, all the interior inspections need to be completed and passed," Robbins said, and noted that exterior items that do not create life-safety concerns (for example, sod installation or curb repairs delayed by weather) can be deferred while a TCO is in place.
Robbins said a TCO is valid for 30 days and may be extended; the fee for issuance or an extension is $50. He said the most common TCO reasons are seasonal constraints on sod installation and weather-related limits on exterior repairs, and that builders sometimes request TCOs to accommodate buyer closing schedules. Staff reported that they track outstanding TCOs (as many as about 15 at a time depending on season), have tightened inspector rotation to preserve continuity, worked with the Home Builders Association quarterly, and have closed most of a recent cluster of cases tied to curb damage from the same builder.
Robbins also described builder responsibilities — request the TCO from the building inspector, pay the fee at occupancy inspection, correct punch-list items within 30 days or request an extension — and city responsibilities to document the required corrections, conduct follow-up inspections, and notify builders if permit status changes to a violation.
What happens next: Staff will continue quarterly coordination with the Home Builders Association, maintain closer inspector familiarity with TCO units and continue follow-up inspections. The presentation was informational; no committee action was taken.
