Building Permits & Construction Protocol

Building Permit Conditions

These permit conditions are intended to highlight important building-related rules and regulations. They do not represent a comprehensive list of building laws. For additional information, please refer to the appropriate Village and County building ordinances.

GENERAL

• After a permit has been issued, it shall be unlawful for any person to modify or alter any plans without the prior written approval of the Village Manager.
• Work under any Village permit shall begin within 6 months and must be completed within 12 months after the permit is issued, unless an extension is granted in writing by the Village Manager.
• A permit may be revoked by the Village Manager if work has stopped for 30 days.
• It shall be unlawful to continue work when a permit has been suspended or revoked or when a stop work order has been issued.
• The Village may examine the work and the building as often as necessary and may order any change in the work necessary to comply with Village regulations.
• The Village must be notified 48 hours in advance of required building inspections.
• Construction noise levels must conform to Montgomery County regulations.

PRIVATE PROPERTY SITE MANAGEMENT

• The building site shall be kept clear of all rubbish, including trash and construction related debris.
• The location and screening of all dumpsters and portable sanitation facilities shall be approved by the Village and noted on the site plan. No dumpsters or sanitation facilities shall be located on the public right-of-way.
• Any required erosion and sediment control plan and/or tree protection plan must be maintained throughout the course of the permitted work.
• Dust associated with demolition must be controlled by metered water spray. Dust associated with stone cutting must be controlled by a wet saw.

PUBLIC PROPERTY SITE MANAGEMENT

• No person shall store or allow an accumulation of refuse, excavation or construction debris, or any construction materials on any public right-of-way including, but not limited to, streets, sidewalks, curbs, gutters and grassy areas. Accumulation of mud or dirt must be removed from the public right-of-way daily.
• Any repair, alteration, modification to or closure of any street or sidewalk that prohibits the free passage of vehicles or pedestrians shall be clearly marked with barricades, safety barriers, or both and may not exceed ten (10) days unless specifically authorized, in writing, by the Village Manager.
• No vehicles may be parked on Village sidewalks, driveway aprons or on any area between the curb and/or gutter and sidewalk.
• Construction vehicles must park on the building site or on the side of the street directly in front of the building site, whenever possible.
• No construction trailers or other equipment shall be parked or stored on Village streets or in the Village right-of-way between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
• Standards and Specifications for Storm Drain Inlet Protection

  Definition: A filter constructed around a storm drain inlet.

  Purpose: Storm drain inlet protection is used to filter sediment laden runoff before it enters the storm drain system.

  Conditions where Practice Applies: Storm drain inlet protection is a secondary sediment control device and is not to be used in place of sediment trapping devices unless approved by the appropriate approval authority.

  Design Criteria: Storm drain inlet protection shall be used when the drainage area to an inlet is disturbed and the following conditions prevail:

  1. It is not possible to temporarily divert the storm drain outfall into a sediment trapping device;
  2. Watertight blocking of inlets is not advisable; and
  3. Drainage area is less than 1/4 acre for curb or standard inlet protections and 1 acre for elevated or yard inlets. For yard inlets, the total for inlets in series must be 1 acre or less and the contributing drainage area must have slopes flatter than 5%.

  Maintenance: Maintenance requirements for storm drain inlet protection are intense, due to the susceptibility to clogging. When the structure does not drain completely within 48 hours after a storm event, it is clogged. When this occurs, accumulated sediment must be removed and the geotextile fabric and stone must be cleaned or replaced.

  Construction Specifications:

  1. Standard Inlet Protection (Elevated or Yard Inlet)
     1. Excavate completely around the inlet to a depth of 18" below the notch elevation.
     2. Drive 2" X 4" construction grade lumber posts 1' into the ground at each corner of the inlet. Place nail strips between the posts on the ends of the inlet. Assemble the top portion of the 2" X 4" frame using the overlap joint shown on Detail 23A. The top of the frame (weir) must be 6" below the adjacent roadways where flooding and safety issues may arise.
• I have read the above requirements and am aware that not following them could lead to a stop work order, fines or revocation of my Village Building Permit.

To complete the consent form accepting the previous conditions see the Building Permit Conditions form below. To apply, see the other related items.

Construction Site Protocol To Be Followed

By The Property Owner/Owner’s Agent and Contractors

The following standards are required either by Montgomery County or by Section 5 of the Village of Chevy Chase. They are meant to be reminders about the importance of being considerate to adjoining residences during your construction period.

Noise Control Abatement

Montgomery County ordinances govern construction noise. Construction may not start until 7am on weekdays, and until 9am on weekends and holidays. Noise is to stop at 9pm. A noise disturbance is any sound that is unpleasant, annoying, or loud; abnormal for the time or location and detrimental to health, comfort, property or the conduct of business. With regard to building noise, some examples are: hammering, the use of power equipment, loud language and digging. To report noise disturbances outside regular business hours, call the police non-emergency line at 301-279-8000.

Street Safety

Montgomery County ordinances govern street safety. At no time should the homeowners or construction vehicles be parked

• within 15 feet of a fire hydrant
• within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection
• within 30 feet in front of any flashing signal or stop sign located at the side of a roadway
• in front of a private driveway except with the consent of the owner or occupant of the premises.

Portable Construction Toilets

Montgomery County ordinances govern the placement of “Porta-Johns”. These should be placed on the owner’s property and not on the municipal rightof-way. This is normally no closer than twelve feet from the curb.

Construction Site Etiquette

Section 5 of the Village of Chevy Chase and its residents expect the construction site to be generally free of construction waste. This means that the owner will either have a dumpster for the waste, or will have the waste regularly removed from the site. No construction vehicle can remain on the street overnight. No dumpster will be allowed in the street or public right-of-way. Contractors using heavy equipment and dumpsters within Section 5 of the Village of Chevy Chase must pay strict attention not to damage the roadways, curbs and aprons within the neighborhood. Any damage to the streets, including oil and paint spills, is the responsibility of the property owner. The Section 5 Building Permit Inspector will examine and photograph the block or blocks of roadway surrounding a construction area at the time a building permit is granted. Once a job is complete, an-approved contractor will visit the street areas to determine whether repairs are needed or the homeowner’s bond can be released.

Garbage on the Site

Montgomery County ordinances govern. All personal garbage must be bagged in a covered trash can. It may not be thrown on the ground, as it will attract pests and create a general health hazard in a residential community. This garbage may be picked up by Montgomery County Sanitation & Recycling, Co., Section 5’s trash hauler, if placed in trash bags. Some examples are coffee cups, plastic bottles, bags, food remains and so on.

Use of Montgomery County Sanitation & Recycling, Co., to Remove Construction Materials

Section 5 of the Village of Chevy Chase contracts with Montgomery County Sanitation & Recycling, Co., for waste removal. Construction materials are forbidden to be part of the Tuesday and Friday weekly pickup. A homeowner may make arrangements with Montgomery County Sanitation & Recycling, Co., for a special collection. The homeowner is responsible for the cost of that special collection.

Protection of Right-of-Way Trees

Prior to construction commencing, a building permit holder or his/her agent must install a fence or other barrier around all right-of-way trees that may be affected by the construction. A tree “may be affected” if any work will be done or construction traffic (including, but not limited to, vehicles, machinery, and construction workers) may come within 3 feet of the drip line of the tree. The fence or barrier must surround the tree at a distance of at least 3 feet from the trunk of the tree. If the tree is located within 3 feet of a sidewalk, a curb or the paved surface of a road, the fence or barrier is to be truncated so that it runs along the edge of the sidewalk, curb or road.

Section 5 residents who want to file a complaint, or have further questions about Montgomery County ordinances, should call the Montgomery County Environmental Protection Office at 240-777-7770.