- Location
- Longmont, CO
Just wondering if you guys have to obtain a "Work in the Right-of-Way" permit for every job you do? The way our city ordinance is... any contractor has to get a permit if they are in the street, curb, gutter, sidewalk, or alley.
There are obvious concerns that should require a permit. For example, blocking a lane of traffic, shutting down a street, working in an alley, can all be understandable.
But, it's the rule that if you are simply parked at the curb... you must have a permit.... that bothers me. It's not rational at all.
A permit must be filed in person and signed off. It is a $40 dollar permit.
I got approached by a city guy (for the first time in nearly 9 years of doing business in my town) and he asked me if I had a Work in the Right-of-Way permit. I didn't. And I never get one unless I'm going to block a lane (for a long period of time), a whole street, alley (for a long period of time), etc... Pretty much I get one when it is really necessary.
I looked at my records and I think I did 300 jobs in my town alone. This would have been $12,000 dollars in permits!
Sure customers have to absorb that cost, but for some of the smaller jobs, that $40 dollars could add on nearly 30% more. Why would a customer pay 30% for a small job if the next guy in line won't even think of getting a permit, to charge less?
I could go on and on abou this...
This is sort of a rant... But, does anyone else have do do such a thing?
There are obvious concerns that should require a permit. For example, blocking a lane of traffic, shutting down a street, working in an alley, can all be understandable.
But, it's the rule that if you are simply parked at the curb... you must have a permit.... that bothers me. It's not rational at all.
A permit must be filed in person and signed off. It is a $40 dollar permit.
I got approached by a city guy (for the first time in nearly 9 years of doing business in my town) and he asked me if I had a Work in the Right-of-Way permit. I didn't. And I never get one unless I'm going to block a lane (for a long period of time), a whole street, alley (for a long period of time), etc... Pretty much I get one when it is really necessary.
I looked at my records and I think I did 300 jobs in my town alone. This would have been $12,000 dollars in permits!
Sure customers have to absorb that cost, but for some of the smaller jobs, that $40 dollars could add on nearly 30% more. Why would a customer pay 30% for a small job if the next guy in line won't even think of getting a permit, to charge less?
I could go on and on abou this...
This is sort of a rant... But, does anyone else have do do such a thing?
