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Local business owner asks council to investigate permit fee and inspection delays
Summary
A longtime property owner told council his tenant was charged about $500 and waited weeks for an inspection decision on a small tenant buildout; borough staff said third-party building-code reviews can take up to 30 days and agreed to investigate the specific charge and timeline.
A public commenter, James Mathies, told the council the family's building on 21st Street has long-term tenants and that a recent tenant expanding a small business paid roughly $500 for permitting when similar past permits cost about $50.
Mathies said the tenant waited roughly three weeks for a response from the third-party inspector and that the inspector had requested additional drawings despite no structural changes. He said the tenant left the project because of the delay and the cost, and asked the borough to look into the fee and the review timeline.
A borough official responded that the life-safety building-code reviews are performed by a third-party contractor (referred to in the meeting as Key codes) and that Pennsylvania sets time frames that allow up to 30 days for responses; the official said reviews often take 10–14 days but can take longer when the contractor is busy. The official said a $500 fee would likely be associated with a certificate-of-occupancy or zoning-relief process rather than a simple zoning permit, and agreed to follow up with staff and 'Dave' to confirm details.
Council members asked staff to report back; the borough said it will investigate the specific instance and inform the commenter of findings.
