[Added 9-17-2018 by L.L. No. 5-2018]
The Village of Ossining seeks to encourage new businesses to come to the Village and prosper. To accomplish this goal, the Board of Trustees believes it is important that these new businesses obtain necessary information from the Building Department about code requirements. This article institutes a new change in commercial occupant permit, whereby the new business owner and the Village, through its Building Department, can communicate to ensure that the business operates in compliance with both state and local codes.
Prior to occupying any commercial space within any building in the Village of Ossining, a change in commercial occupant permit must be applied for and approved by the Building Department. If you are proposing a new store or business within the Village of Ossining, whether it involves a purchase or lease of a storefront, commercial space, or portion of an existing building, plans may be required to be presented to the Building Department for the utilization of such commercial space/building. Plans may be required even if there are no proposed alterations or renovations. A permit and plan may be necessary so that Building Department personnel can confirm that the proposed business is permitted under the Zoning Code and that the intended use of the space/building complies with the New York State Fire Prevention and Building Code (Uniform Code), the New York State Energy Construction Conservation Code (Energy Code) and the Village of Ossining Code.
A. 
The application for a building permit, and its accompanying documents, shall contain sufficient information to permit a determination that the intended work is in accord with the requirements of the Uniform Code, Energy Code and the Village Code.
B. 
The form of the permit and application therefor shall be prescribed by the Director of Code Enforcement, Building Inspector or his/her designee. The application shall be signed by the owner of the building or his authorized agent, the owner of the new business and shall contain at least the following:
(1) 
Full name and address of the owner and, if by a corporation, the name and addresses of the officers; if by a partnership, the names and addresses of the partners; if by a limited-liability company, the name and address of the managing member;
(2) 
Identification and/or description of the land on which the work is to be done;
(3) 
Description of use or occupancy of the land and existing or proposed building (legal survey);
(4) 
Description of the proposed work;
(5) 
Two sets of plans and specifications for the proposed work; and
(6) 
The required fee.
C. 
The Director of Code Enforcement, Building Inspector and/or Assistant Building Inspector may waive the requirement for plans and specifications when the work to be done involves minor alterations.
D. 
The applicant shall notify the Director of Code Enforcement, Building Inspector and/or Assistant Building Inspector of any changes in the information contained in the application during the period for which the permit is in effect. A permit will be issued when the application has been determined to be complete and when the proposed work has been determined to conform to the requirements of the Uniform Code, Energy Code and Village Code. The authority conferred by such permit may be limited by conditions, if any, contained therein. Amendments, if any, to the application or to the plans and specifications accompanying the same shall be filed with the Building Department prior to the commencement of such change of work.
If the Director of Code Enforcement, Building Inspector and/or Assistant Building Inspector finds after reviewing the proposed changes in commercial space that the proposed changes do not substantially conform to the requirements of the Village Code, Chapter 270, he/she shall refer the application to the Planning Department for referral to the Planning Board and/or Zoning Board of Appeals.
The penalty for commencing work without obtaining the required change in commercial occupant permit shall be $1,000 or three times the cost of the permit, whichever is greater.