Building Inspection Department Procedures
Under The COVID -19 Exposure Period
– Effective March 23, 2020
For: City of Sturgeon Bay, Town of Sturgeon Bay, Town of Sevastopol, Town of Egg Harbor,
Town of Jacksonport, Town of Liberty Grove and the Village of Ephraim
(Door County Inspections LLC)
To reduce the exposure to the public and municipal personnel the following Building Inspection Department procedures are in effect until further notice.
Office Hours/Permit/Plan Submittals:
City of Sturgeon Bay office hours will continue as normal on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 8-10 a.m. as well as Egg Harbor (12-1 p.m.) and Liberty Grove (8:30-10 a.m.) on Thursdays. However, owners and contractors are encouraged to use the blue plastic drop-box container inside the front entrance foyer of the Sturgeon Bay City Hall to drop-off plans and permit applications to reduce their exposure to City Hall and the other municipal buildings listed above.
Permit application requests and plans are encouraged to be submitted by email to (binspector@sturgeonbaywi.org or brett@doorcountyinspections.com) or by Fax to (920) 746-2905. Plans and permits can also be sent by mail to: Building Inspection Department 421 Michigan St. Sturgeon Bay WI 54235.
The Building Inspection Department is suspending all non-essential interior inspections such as furnaces and air conditioners until normal operations resume. Additionally, the Building Inspection Department is suspending interior complaint inspections of non- life-safety issues until normal operations resume.
The request for construction inspections is mandatory at all times by
calling (920) 495-1863 with the following added procedures:
Inspections For Occupied Properties
We will not conduct inspections at properties where people are suffering from respiratory troubles that suggest Influenza, COVID-19 infection or if any resident in the home is susceptible to immune system disorders or situations that may put them in a higher-risk of infection of COVID-19. Such susceptibility may include, but are not limited to: pregnancy, those over 60, an existing compromised immune system, those experiencing or those who recently experienced sickness, or those who have traveled from outside of Door County since March 9th, 2020.
If so, staff will schedule an inspection 8 to 12 weeks from the date of request. The owner or contractor may be asked to submit photos in place of a site inspection depending on the type of inspection. Staff retains the ability to adjust those inspections as deemed appropriate by the inspector.
Where appropriate inspections are scheduled, priority will be given to projects that impact the immediate usability of currently occupied spaces. Inspectors will provide 30 minutes advance notice of arrival to the property so the area needing inspection can be cleared. One individual may accompany the inspector for the inspection if desired, but social distancing of at least 6 feet is mandatory to protect not only the occupants but also the inspector. Children and pets shall remain in a fully separated space away from the inspector for the duration of the inspection. Failure to clear the area under construction or maintain adequate distance from the inspector will result in a failed inspection, a re-inspection fee due and the inspector leaving the site immediately.
Inspections For Un-Occupied Construction- Residential and Commercial
Inspections will proceed as normally requested with a day prior request notice by owners or contractors. Only one site personnel may accompany the inspector for the inspection if desired. Social distancing of at least 6 feet is mandatory to protect not only the site personnel but also the inspector. Failure to follow these procedures will result in a non-inspection. A re-inspection fee will be required to be paid prior to a re-inspection being scheduled Photo submittals are not approved for new construction inspections at this time and work is to remain uncovered for the inspection.