§ 8-112. Sinkhole remediation permits.

The following requirements shall apply to all sinkhole remediation permits:

(1)

Applicability. For all sinkhole or ground settlement remediation that occurs after the effective date of this division, a sinkhole remediation permit shall be obtained from the county building department prior to any remediation work being started.

(2)

Any additional building permits that may be required by this chapter or the Florida Building Code in conjunction with the remediation work shall be obtained separate from the sinkhole remediation permit.

(3)

The sinkhole remediation permit shall be valid for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of issuance. Extensions of time, in no more than ninety-day increments, may be issued by the county building official or his/her designee in his or her discretion based upon just cause.

(4)

Sinkhole remediation may only be conducted under the direction or supervision of a Florida licensed professional engineer.

(5)

The application for a sinkhole remediation permit shall consist of all of the following:

a.

Listing all owner(s) of the land(s) on which the remediation shall be conducted;

b.

Listing of the Hernando County Property Appraiser's parcel identification number(s) of the land(s) upon which investigation shall be conducted;

c.

The license number of the contractor performing the remediation work;

d.

A written report prepared (signed and sealed) by a Florida licensed professional engineer listing all remediation activities anticipated to be conducted in conjunction with sinkhole activity or ground settlement, including quantities of materials anticipated to be used, estimated costs, and proposed means and methods to be used;

e.

The county registration number of the Florida licensed professional engineer directing or supervising the remediation permit (persons not registered with the county at the time of application shall register with the county building department and remit payment of the county's registration fee);

f.

An original copy of the complete sinkhole post-investigation report permitted and prepared pursuant to the preceding section shall accompany the sinkhole remediation permit application;

g.

An explanation prepared (signed and sealed) by a Florida licensed professional engineer is required if there are any differences between the remediation activities recommended in the post-investigation report and those proposed to be actually conducted;

h.

If the above described explanation is required, then an affidavit signed by the property owner(s) shall be submitted with the application indicating that the property owner(s) is (are) aware that the actual remediation to be performed is a deviation from the recommended remediation activities contained in the post-investigation report; and,

i.

Payment of the sinkhole remediation permit application fee to the county building department. The sinkhole remediation permit application fee and fee for subsequent inspections shall be established by the county building official.

(6)

In order for the remediation permit to be considered complete, a post-remediation report identifying all remedial actions conducted shall be submitted to the county building department within thirty (30) days of all remediation actions being concluded. This post-remediation report is in addition to, and not in lieu of, any report which may be prepared in connection with any insurance claim, or pursuant to chapter 627, Florida Statutes, or required under any other applicable state law. The post-remediation report required by the county shall, at a minimum, include all of the following:

a.

Hernando County Property Appraiser's parcel identification number(s):

b.

Property address(es);

c.

Listing all owners of the land;

d.

Hernando County sinkhole investigation permit number;

e.

Hernando County sinkhole remediation permit number;

f.

Listing all date(s) on which remediation activity was conducted and listing the person(s) and their affiliated firm(s) conducting same;

g.

Listing all remediation activities conducted on the property;

h.

Listing all materials, including quantities, used and the cost of all such materials and labor;

i.

If the remedial activity contained in the post-investigation report (per the preceding code section) and the remediation activities actually permitted differ, a written explanation prepared (signed and sealed) by a Florida licensed professional engineer shall be provided to the county building department which describes the differences between the remedial activity contained in the post-investigation report and the remediation activity that was actually conducted;

j.

Total number of pages attached to the post-remediation report; and

k.

The post-remediation report shall be signed and sealed by the Florida licensed professional engineer under whose direction or supervision the remediation work was conducted.

(7)

A copy of the above referenced post-remediation report (sized on 8½" × 11" paper) shall be recorded in the public records of Hernando County within thirty (30) days of its completion, together with recording the sinkhole remediation permit. The cost of recording said documents shall be paid by the applicant.

(Ord. No. 2011-7, § I, 5-10-11)