Building
The City of North Pole requires building permits for construction of residential, multi-family, commercial, industrial and institutional projects within its city limits (see map below in Supporting Documents). Obtaining a building permit starts with submission of the appropriate permit forms, project plans and payment of permit fees. Large and complex projects require engineered drawings prepared by architects or engineers licensed in the State of Alaska. The Building Department conducts review of the project plans, issues the appropriate permits, conducts inspections throughout the project and upon successful completion of the project issues a Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Completion depending upon the type of project.The State of Alaska requires Fire Marshal Permits for multi-family, commercial, industrial and institutional projects. The City does have a Fire Marshal and DOES NOT issue Fire Marshal Permits. The State of Alaska’s Fire Marshal Office conducts plan review and issues Fire Marshal Permits for multi-family, commercial, industrial and institutional projects within the city limits. Questions concerning Fire Marshal Permits should be directed to the Interior Alaska State Fire Marshal Office: 907-451-5200
Building Codes
The City Of North Pole has adopted the following national codes with amendments and adopted storm water management codes. The links below will take you to the amendments for each of the building related codes adopted by the City and related sections of the Municipal Code that affect construction.
- 1997 Uniform Administrative Code
- 2018 International Building Code
- 2015 International Residential Code
- 2015 International Mechanical Code
- 2020 National Electrical Code
- 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code
- 2018 International Fire Code
- 1997 Uniform Code for Abatement of Dangerous Buildings
- 2018 International Fuel Gas Code
- 2018 International Energy Code
- Construction Site Storm Water Runoff
- Post-Construction Storm Water Management
- Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
- Projects that do not require permits
- Building Permit forms
- Storm Water Permits
- Excavation Permits
- Zoning Permits (obtained through FNSB)
- Estimating Permit Fees-2016 Edition
- Plan requirements: Residential projects
- Plan requirements: Multi-Family, Commercial, Industrial, Institutional projects
- Fire Marshal Permit
- Right-of-Way Obstruction Permit
- Standard Foundation Details
- Design Guidelines for Streets and Drainage
- Building inspection requirements
- Guidelines for satisfying energy efficiency requirements
- City Authorities
Web Links
CONTACT INFORMATION
Building Official
Danny Wallace
Director of City Services
City_Services@northpolealaska.org
Tel: (907) 488-8593
Fax: (907) 488-3002
Projects that do not require permits
Projects that do not require building permits
The City of North Pole has adopted the 1997 Uniform Administrative Code, with amendments, by reference. The Uniform Administrative Code identifies those projects that do not need Building, Electrical, Mechanical or Plumbing Permits. Permits are required for all construction within the city limits other than for the projects and activities identified in the links below.
Click on the links below to see a list of project that do not require permits:
Building Permit
Electrical Permit
Mechanical Permit
Plumbing Permit
The City of North Pole has adopted the 1997 Uniform Administrative Code, with amendments, by reference. The Uniform Administrative Code identifies those projects that do not need Building, Electrical, Mechanical or Plumbing Permits. Permits are required for all construction within the city limits other than for the projects and activities identified in the links below.
Click on the links below to see a list of project that do not require permits:
Building Permit
Electrical Permit
Mechanical Permit
Plumbing Permit
Projects not requiring a Building Permit
Within the City of North Pole, the following projects do not require a Building Permit. (1997 Uniform Administrative Code, Section 301.2.1)
Within the City of North Pole, the following projects do not require a Building Permit. (1997 Uniform Administrative Code, Section 301.2.1)
- One-story detached accessory buildings used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses and similar uses, provided the floor area does not exceed 200 square feet.
- Fences not over 6 feet high.
- Oil derricks.
- Movable cases, counters and partitions not over 5 feet 9 inches high.
- Retaining walls which are not over 4 feet in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless supporting a surcharge or impounding flammable liquids.
- Water tanks supported directly upon grade if the capacity does not exceed 5,000 gallons and the ratio of height to diameter or width does not exceed 2:1.
- Platforms, walks and driveways not more than 30 inches above grade and not over any basement or story below.
- Painting, papering and similar finish work.
- Temporary motion picture, television and theater stage sets and scenery.
- Window awnings supported by an exterior wall of Group R, Division 3, and Group U Occupancies when projecting not more than 54 inches.
- Prefabricated swimming pools accessory to a Group R, Division 3 Occupancy in which the pool walls are entirely above the adjacent grade and if the capacity does not exceed 5,000 gallons.
- Roof projects that do not affect or change the frame or structure of the building. For example, reshingling a building does not require a permit, but replacing the roof will require one.
Projects not requiring an Electrical Permit
Within the City of North Pole, the following projects do not require an Electrical Permit. (1997 Uniform Administrative Code, Section 301.2.3)
Within the City of North Pole, the following projects do not require an Electrical Permit. (1997 Uniform Administrative Code, Section 301.2.3)
- Repair or replacement of fixed motors, transformers or fixed approved appliances of the same type and rating in the same location.
- Temporary decorative lighting.
- Repair or replacement of current-carrying parts of any switch, contactor or control device.
- Reinstallation of attachment plug receptacles, but not the outlets therefor.
- Repair or replacement of any overcurrent device of the required capacity in the same location.
- Repair or replacement of electrodes or transformers of the same size and capacity for signs or gas tube systems.
- Taping joints.
- Removal of electrical wiring.
- Temporary wiring for experimental purposes in suitable experimental laboratories.
- The wiring for temporary theater, motion picture or television stage sets.
- Electrical wiring, devices, appliances, apparatus or equipment operating at less than 25 volts and not capable of supplying more than 50 watts of energy.
- Low-energy power, control and signal circuits of Class II and Class III as defined in the Electrical Code.
- A permit shall not be required for the installation, alteration or repair of electrical wiring, apparatus or equipment or the generation, transmission, distribution or metering of electrical energy or in the operation of signals or the transmission of intelligence by a public or private utility in the exercise of its function as a serving utility.
Projects not requiring a Mechanical Permit
Within the City of North Pole, the following projects do not require a Mechanical Permit. (1997 Uniform Administrative Code, Section 301.2.4)
Within the City of North Pole, the following projects do not require a Mechanical Permit. (1997 Uniform Administrative Code, Section 301.2.4)
- A portable heating appliance.
- Portable ventilating equipment.
- A portable cooling unit.
- A portable evaporative cooler.
- A closed system of steam, hot or chilled water piping within heating or cooling equipment regulated by the Mechanical Code.
- Replacement of any component part of assembly of an appliance which does not alter its original approval and complies with other applicable requirements of the technical codes.
- Refrigerating equipment which is part of the equipment for which a permit has been issued pursuant to the requirements of the technical codes.
- A unit refrigerating system as defined in the Mechanical Code.
Projects not requiring a Plumbing Permit
Within the City of North Pole, the following projects do not require a Plumbing Permit. (1997 Uniform Administrative Code, Section 301.2.2)
Within the City of North Pole, the following projects do not require a Plumbing Permit. (1997 Uniform Administrative Code, Section 301.2.2)
- The stopping of leaks in drains, soil, waste or vent pipe, provided, however, that should any concealed trap, drain pipe, soil, waste or vent pipe become defective and it becomes necessary to remove and replace the same with new material, the same shall be considered as new work and a permit shall be procured and inspection made as provided in this code.
- The clearing of stoppages or the repairing of leaks in pipes, valves or fixtures, nor for the removal and reinstallation of water closets, provided such repairs do not involve or require the replacement or rearrangement of valves, pipes or fixtures.
Storm Water Permits
The City of North Pole is responsible for permitting all construction-related ground disturbances of 1 acre or greater within the city limits on private property funded by the private sector, including private development where all or part of the project will be transferred to the City at a later date (i.e. roads and associated right?of?way within new subdivisions). Sections of the North Pole Municipal Code related to storm water permitting can be accessed at the links at the bottom of this page.
You must obtain a Storm Water Runoff Permit if your construction activity will result in a ground disturbance of one acre or larger, or result in a ground disturbance less than one acre but will be part of a larger common plan of development or sale that will collectively disturb more than one acre. In addition to a permit you must submit a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) meeting the following requirements:
You must obtain a Storm Water Runoff Permit if your construction activity will result in a ground disturbance of one acre or larger, or result in a ground disturbance less than one acre but will be part of a larger common plan of development or sale that will collectively disturb more than one acre. In addition to a permit you must submit a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) meeting the following requirements:
- Conform to the most recently issued State of Alaska Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Construction General Permit.
- Conform to the most recently issued DOT&PF Alaska Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan Guide.
- Conform to any additional standards adopted by the City of North Pole necessary to ensure that construction site operators practice adequate erosion, sediment, and waste control.
- Develop SWPPP by a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control or a Professional Engineer registered in the State of Alaska.
- Meet the design criteria that BMPs used during construction shall be designed to handle the two?year, six?hour duration storm event without failure of the BMPs and without any degradation to water quality of the receiving water.
- Include a copy of the Notice of Intent submitted to the EPA.
- Include a signed statement that any land clearing, construction, or development involving the movement of earth shall be in accordance with the SWPPP.
- Include the name(s) and address(es) of the owner or developer of the site, and of any consulting firm retained by the applicant together with the name of the applicant’s principal contact at the firm.
- Include payment for the SWPPP Plan Review and Site Inspection fees.
- Complete and submit a Storm Water Runoff Permit Application.
Fire Marshal Permit
The State of Alaska Fire Marshal issues Fire Marshal Permits in the City of North Pole. The Building Department DOES NOT issue Fire Marshal Permits. Any fees associated with a Fire Marshal Permit are paid to the State Fire Marshal’s Office NOT the City. The Fire Marshal’s Office in Interior Alaska can be reached at 907-451-5200.
Fire Marshal Permits are issued for commercial, industrial, institutional and multi-family projects, not residential projects. Not all commercial, industrial, institutional and multi-family projects require a Fire Marshal Permit. The determination of projects that require a Fire Marshal Permit is made by the Fire Marshal’s Office.
The City of North Pole will not issue a building permit for a commercial, industrial, institutional or multi-family project without either a Fire Marshal Permit or an official notification from the Fire Marshal to the Building Department that the project does not require a Fire Marshal Permit.
To expedite your commercial, industrial, institutional or multi-family project, the Building Department can begin its plan review of a project simultaneously with the Fire Marshal’s plan review. The Building Department will not begin its plan review of a project without payment of the plan review fee.
State of Alaska Division of Fire and Life Safety (Fire Marshal)
Foundation Details
The Building Department makes available a series of Standard Foundation Details (SFD). The Building Department provides these details as pre-approved foundations that builders can use for their projects. The Standard Foundation Details are not the only foundations allowed in the City of North Pole, but by incorporating them into your project you are assured that they will be approved in the plan review process. Soil conditions can affect the foundation that will be acceptable for your project regardless of the Building Department’s approved Standard Foundation Details.
The City of North Pole wants to acknowledge the City of Fairbanks Building Department for the generation of Standard Foundation Details numbers 1 through 8.
The City of North Pole wants to acknowledge the City of Fairbanks Building Department for the generation of Standard Foundation Details numbers 1 through 8.
- SFD-1: Crawl Space-Concrete Block
- SFD-2: Crawl Space- 6 inch Poured Concrete
- SFD-3: Crawl Space-All Weather Wood
- SFD-4: Daylight Basement-Concrete Block
- SFD-5: Daylight Basement-6 inch Poured Concrete
- SFD-6: Full Basement-All Weather Wood
- SFD-7: Full Basement-Concrete Block
- SFD-8: Full Basement-6 inch Poured Concrete
- SFD-9: Monoslab--Slab on Grade
- SDF All: 1 through 9
Building Inspection Requirements
Building Inspection Guidelines
Residential, Multi-family, Commercial, Industrial and Institutional projects require many of the same inspections. The link below provides a summary of the common inspections required by each type of project. The Building Department provides these guidelines to assist builders determine the inspections their project may require. The inspector assigned to a project may require fewer or more inspections than those in the guideline based upon the individual project.
Special Inspections
The 1997 Uniform Administrative Code (Section 306) and individual building codes mandate special inspections required for projects. Special inspections more typically apply to multi-family, commercial, industrial and institutional projects than they do for residential projects, but a residential project may involve work requiring special inspections. The permit applicant is responsible for any costs associated with mandated special inspections. The permit applicant must provide the Building Department with the credentials of the special inspector prior to the inspector’s performance of any special inspections. The permit applicant also must provide the Building Department with the inspection reports generated by the special inspector.
Residential, Multi-family, Commercial, Industrial and Institutional projects require many of the same inspections. The link below provides a summary of the common inspections required by each type of project. The Building Department provides these guidelines to assist builders determine the inspections their project may require. The inspector assigned to a project may require fewer or more inspections than those in the guideline based upon the individual project.
Special Inspections
The 1997 Uniform Administrative Code (Section 306) and individual building codes mandate special inspections required for projects. Special inspections more typically apply to multi-family, commercial, industrial and institutional projects than they do for residential projects, but a residential project may involve work requiring special inspections. The permit applicant is responsible for any costs associated with mandated special inspections. The permit applicant must provide the Building Department with the credentials of the special inspector prior to the inspector’s performance of any special inspections. The permit applicant also must provide the Building Department with the inspection reports generated by the special inspector.
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