Jefferson Parish residents whose homes and businesses were damaged by a Feb. 25 hailstorm won't have to get a parish permit or pay code enforcement fines for unpermitted repairs completed through mid-April, the Parish Council said Wednesday. In an emergency decision, the council waived permitting requirements and fines until April 16 for all demolition, rebuilding, roofing work and other...
Jefferson Parish residents whose homes and businesses were damaged by a Feb. 25 hailstorm won't have to get a parish permit or pay code enforcement fines for unpermitted repairs completed through mid-April, the Parish Council said Wednesday. In an emergency decision, the council waived permitting requirements and fines until April 16 for all demolition, rebuilding, roofing work and other repairs prompted by the hailstorm.
The measure is retroactive to the storm's date, meaning property owners who already started repairs without a parish permit will be included in the new amnesty. The amnesty includes only properties in unincorporated areas of the parish, where most parish residents live.
It is unclear how many property owners will benefit from Wednesday's decision. The storm pummeled wide areas of the parish, particularly in Harvey and Marrero, with hail as large as golf balls. Hail dented roofs in thousands of homes and broke windows in buildings and vehicles. The storm also affected parts of Orleans and Plaquemines parishes.
Councilman Mark Spears, who sponsored the measure to waive permitting requirements in Jefferson Parish, said thousands of residents need to repair their property.
"This would make it easier for those folks to complete their repairs without having to get a permit or worrying about fines," Spears said.
Councilman Chris Roberts also instructed the administration to devise a way to refund permitting fees to property owners who already have obtained a permit for storm-related work. Roberts noted the parish has refunded fees when it has waived permitting requirements after hurricanes.
The measure, however, didn't waive permitting requirements for regular construction and for repairs unrelated to the Feb. 25 hailstorm. Officials warned that property owners doing work that's not related to the storm still will have to get a permit and could face fines if they complete unpermitted repairs.