Surrey city council decided on Monday to launch a one-year pilot program to introduce a “customer-focused, compliance-based approach” to stop work order enforcement featuring a “more balanced enforcement framework that protects public safety while treating residents fairly and reasonably.” The intention is to improve public education and communication concerning when building permits are required, make the permit process easier to understand and navigate, prioritize voluntary compliance, education, and corrective action before enforcement in cases that don’t involve “immediate life-safety risk.” A corporate report that came
before council states the intent “is not to weaken building safety standards” and that city hall “will continue to act quickly and decisively where there is an immediate and serious life-safety concern.” Building inspectors post stop work orders at illegal construction sites. The pilot program will test two approaches to this with the first “pathway” involving immediate postings where “immediate and serious life-safety concerns” have been observed, a property owner refuses to comply with certain deadlines or work continues after the owner receives a request
to stop. The second “pathway” concerns issuing warning/compliance letters instead of a stop work order, with consideration to first-time offenders and if the construction can be “regularized” through permits. “This pathway facilitates voluntary compliance,” the report reads. “The letter will provide clear instructions to the property owner on how to bring the property into compliance. It will include a phone number and email for staff who will be able to assist, provide resources (including identifying appropriate consultants/professionals), clarify next steps, deadlines, and consequences for failing
to comply.” Last month Mayor Brenda Locke asked city staff to review Surrey’s stop-work orders and building permitting process with the aim to provide council with “more balanced” enforcement that protects public safety “while treating residents reasonably.” “The intent of this motion is not to weaken the building safety standards,” she said before council approved it on April 27. “It is to make sure our system is fair, is understandable and focused on helping people to the right thing before we move to enforcement.” On
April 27, 2022, the City of Surrey launched its Illegal Construction Enforcement Team (ICET) to crack down on unpermitted residential construction in Surrey.
Surrey council, stop-work order, building permits, Illegal Construction Enforcement Team, ICET, Brenda Locke, compliance letters, enforcement pilot
So basically they’re not gonna stop people building illegally unless someone’s about to die? Sounds good I guess.
I feel like a “pilot” just means they’ll do letters instead of actual enforcement and then everyone ignores it. How is that fair to the neighbors who followed the rules?
Wait, isn’t a stop-work order already supposed to be fair? Like if they’re posting it at illegal sites, how do you make that more “balanced”?? Sounds like red tape for regular folks.
“Customer-focused” is just a fancy way of saying call us and we’ll maybe fix it for you. Meanwhile my cousin had a permit and it took forever, so I’m not sure this won’t be a shortcut for people who never got approvals. Also ICET?? That name sounds like a task force that’ll still show up late. I don’t trust it.