Let's first start with news that the City of South Miami is now following Miami-Dade County's Phase 1 as it applies to non-essential business opening. The plan uses a color flag system communicating where we are each day on the continuum of the "
New Normal
."
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT ON THE FRONT LINE
Over the past several weeks, City Hall as a whole has been slowly moving closer to business-as-usual status, with the Building Department leading the way.
But truth be told, the busy staff inside this City department never lost a beat, due to its long-held status as a front-line customer service center.
Deemed an “essential function” as soon as the City declared a State of Emergency in mid-March, administration quickly put in place essential safeguards to ensure responsible interaction with the public.
And though much of the business the public needs to do with the Building Department can be conducted online – including online payments – many other services do require
swift
and direct interaction with staff.
In those instances, customers and employees are all required to use personal protection equipment (PPE), and admittance to office facilities is appropriately metered.
What We Do
The overarching mission of the Building Department is to ensure that members of the public follow the State of Florida building code and in the process, the department collaborates with other City divisions in the enforcement of local codes.
Staff is charged with providing fair, consistent, and equitable interpretation of codes during the review of construction documents submitted for building permits and during field inspections conducted for compliance. The Department also certifies buildings upon completion.
Still, we strongly encourage that business be done online to fullest the extent possible, to minimize contact between our staff and the public.
Online Visits
Please take the opportunity to visit the Building Department
online
. Here you will find multiple necessary forms, such as Building Permit applications, a Driveway agreement, a Special Inspector form, as well as Electrical, Mechanical, and Plumbing permits – just to name a few.
Similarly, on the website, you will find Planning & Zoning resources including applications for Right of Way, Rezoning, Temporary Sign, Tree Removal, as well as a Special Use Application and a Variance Application, among many other online forms.
How to Contact Us
The Building Department is located at South Miami City Hall, Sylva Martin Building, 6130 Sunset Dr., South Miami, FL 33143. Contact staff by calling 305-663-6355 or via
email
. Or visit the Building Department
online
.
