L&I Newsletter - December 2021
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L&I annual report card evaluation
The City of Philadelphia recognizes the importance of collecting user feedback to better improve customer experience and internal processes. At L&I we have completed our 4th annual Report Card evaluation to understand from experienced professionals how L+I is performing as a whole and what process improvement opportunities exist for the Department.
Each year, we provide a survey to organizations and associations in the Philadelphia region who represent a large proportion of the industry that does business with L&I. The questions are grouped into report card topics and the average is calculated based on response received for all questions in that topic. Each topic is assigned a letter grade of A, B, C, D or F to understand what areas need the most work. Above you will find our year to year Report Card results.
Outcomes
After reviewing and discussing results with organization stakeholders, the Department has determined the following initiatives over the next year to address concerns heard through our Report Card initiative:
- Continue the Report Card Program, Focus Groups, and regular solicited feedback.
- Continuous improvement of eCLIPSE to include:
- Improvements to the hold process on permits to allow back and forth communication to resolve.
- Expand the use of Project functionality for a single examiner when 3 or more parcels are involved.
- Implement holds on individual trade permits for clearer permit certification process and clarifying website content to distinguish from maintenance / fire protection certification process.
- Enhancements to the license renewal process for bulk renewals.
- Launch new L&I chat to support eCLIPSE needs.
- Permit Wizard to guide applicants through permit requirements, process, timeline, and fees associated with a specific project based on a questionnaire.
- Continue regular Lunch-N-Learn Sessions, webinars, and training sessions.
- Regularly scheduled eCLIPSE training sessions will be broken out into “intro” courses versus Q&A for deeper questions.
- Set up working group of stakeholders to review L&I website content and navigation to identify improvement opportunities.
- Update eCLIPSE instructional videos and create new short videos for specific transactions.
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L&I Information sessions
Space is still available. The Department is offering regular information sessions to assist stakeholders in navigating L&I processes and keeping abreast of code changes. A list of current offerings is provided below.
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ECLIPSE permitting and licensing basics webinar - This 2-hour public training session will cover the basics of filing license and permit applications through the online portal. This webinar is an introductory session intended for new users. This session will be held from 9:00 am - 11:00 am on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 via Zoom. Please register if you are interested in attending this information session.
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ECLIPSE Q&A session - This is a 90-minute open Q&A session intended to address specific permit application questions for users with some experience using eCLIPSE. This session will be held from 9:30 am - 11:00 am on Tuesday, February 15, 2022 via Zoom. Please register if you are interested in attending this information session.
Customers can also sign-up for this and future webinars online under the “Events” section of the L&I homepage (www.phila.gov/li).
Capacity is limited and, in order to accommodate all stakeholders, we need your help. We ask that you only register if you plan on attending the sessions and, if your circumstances change, please cancel your registration.
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Development impact tax regulation
The development impact tax on residential, including multi-family, new construction and improvement projects eligible for real estate tax abatement goes into effect on January 1, 2022.
The tax rate is as follows:
- Fixed values based on construction and use classification for new construction.
- 1% of total improvement costs for alterations and additions.
The tax will apply to all relevant building permit applications received by L&I on or after January 1, 2022.
Important changes to the permit application:
Applications for residential alterations and additions must include a total improvement cost, including the cost of all electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire suppression systems work, and interior finishes.
If your project cost is more than $15,000 but is not eligible for tax abatement, you must indicate in your application (as shown below) to ensure that you are not charged the development impact tax.
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Adoption of 2021 accessibility and 2018 residential provisions of the international codes
We anticipate that adoption of the 2021 accessibility provisions will go into effect on January 1, 2022 and the 2018 residential updates will go into effect in February 2022. To assist stakeholders with the transition, we have prepared documents identifying the significant changes.
We will also offer a 90-minute session to provide an overview of the significant changes to the 2021 Accessibility Code provisions. This session will be held from 9:30 am – 11:00 pm on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 via Zoom. Please register if you are interested in attending this information session.
Look for future offerings on an overview of the Residential Code changes.
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Development in the special flood hazard area
The Department conducted a presentation in November 2021 pertaining to development in the floodplain. The presentation included a look at the newly published “Guide to development in the Floodplain”, review of the flood protection forms, and an overview of policy changes outlined in the updated Code Bulletin on Development in Special Flood Hazard Areas.
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Temporary outdoor dining license updates
Temporary Sidewalk Café Licenses
New legislation about outdoor dining was enacted earlier this month to extend the temporary sidewalk café license until December 31, 2022. In the next couple of weeks L&I will be manually updating individual sidewalk café licenses that have an expiration date of December 31, 2021 with a new expiration date of December 31, 2022.
For more information about temporary sidewalk café licenses, please see Bill No. 210798 and the L&I website.
Streetery Licenses
Another new ordinance, enacted as Bill No. 210776 with an effective date in March 2022, will allow restaurants to set up permanent streeteries in certain authorized geographic areas of the City. These areas are listed on pages 1-2 of the bill (will add section 9-215(3)(a)(i) to the Philadelphia Code).
To have a permanent streetery, restaurant owners will be required to meet all requirements for permanent streeteries (see Bill No. 210776) and obtain permanent streetery licenses when they become available in Spring 2022. Current temporary streetery license holders will be notified when applications for the permanent licenses are available.
No restaurant outside of the authorized geographic area may have a permanent streetery unless a City Council ordinance allowing for the streetery is passed. Restaurant owners who intend to seek such an ordinance are encouraged to get in touch with their district Council Member in the near future.
Temporary Use Permits for Outdoor Dining on Private Property
Temporary use permits authorizing temporary sidewalk café on private property are being extended through December 31, 2022. The amended regulations extending the expiration date can be reviewed here.
New ordinance may impact commercial lease agreements
Bill No. 210917 was recently signed by the Mayor to require commercial lessors to provide certain disclosures before entering lease agreements and provides related protections to tenants. Look out for more information in future editions of the newsletter.
Rental license category
Rental license renewal season is just around the corner. As a reminder, applications for new rental licenses and rental license renewals for more than two (2) units must identify the type of rental the property will be used for. The applicant may select from the following categories:
- Residential Dwellings
- Rooming House / Boarding House
- Hotel
- Assisted Living
- Dormitories
- Other. If "other" is selected, the applicant must enter text that specifies what is meant by "other".
To avoid delays in processing, please read the definitions carefully before making a selection in eCLIPSE.
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Update to the site violation notice roll-out process
L&I inspectors started issuing Warning Notices with the intent to roll-out the Site Violation Notices (SVNs) by April 2022. The Department has postponed the implementation of SVN fines and will now begin assessing fees starting July 1, 2022.
For more information about these Warning Notices, Site Violation Notices, and other L&I violations please refer to the L&I website.
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Tire dealer license
Any business that purchases or sells tires, whether they are new or used will need to have a Tire Dealer License by December 31, 2021. This includes businesses that may already require a motor vehicle repair license.
The license application is now available through eCLIPSE. Visit the website for more information about the Tire Dealer license.
Contact information for permit submissions
Applications for Commercial (CP), Residential (RP) Demolition (DP) and Zoning (ZP) permit applications filed on behalf of an owner who is not a natural person or publicly traded company must include contact information for any individual with more than 49% equity interest in the property. If no individual has such an interest, contact information of two individuals with the largest equity interest in the property must be included with the
application.
Note: This does not impact Trade permits, Minor permits or General permits.
Construction certifications "hold" type in eCLIPSE
Certification information for construction permits may now be found in one location. The construction inspections page of the L&I website includes a list of all permit inspection certifications and the conditions that trigger submission by permit type. Some existing certification forms have been updated and new certifications, such as for Re-Roofing and Special Hazard Extinguishing Systems, have been created.
The list also includes an upcoming "hold" type. You will begin to see these specific hold types on all permits approved after January 1, 2022 and the contractor must upload the certification to the associated "hold". In the meantime, contractors should continue to use the existing "holds" available on the permit job to upload certifications.
Contact the Department using the online help form if the "hold" does not appear in the building permit.
Fire suppression worker specialty license and kitchen fire extinguishing system license
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Fire Suppression Worker - Specialty License: This license is required for the annual inspection of water-based fire protections. Fire suppression workers can apply for this license now, but it is not required until March 15, 2022.
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Fire Suppression Worker - Kitchen Fire Extinguishing System License: This license is limited to those who only perform work on commercial kitchen fire extinguishing systems. Individuals can apply for this license now, but this license cannot be used to perform this work until March 15, 2022. Note: You can continue to work on commercial kitchen fire extinguishing systems if you possess a Fire Suppression Systems Worker License.
Plastic ban is now in effect
Philadelphia’s plastic bag ban is now in effect prohibiting retail establishments from providing single-use plastic and paper bags that do not meet certain requirements. Visit the city website for more information on the enforcement timeline.
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Back issues of the L&I Newsletters are available on the L&I website under Resources.
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