Steinbach City Council has now given final reading to its updated Building Bylaw.

The Bylaw was first adopted in 1977 when the late A.D. Penner was Mayor. In March of this year, council gave first reading to amendments. Final reading was then given at Tuesday's council meeting.

There are no major policy changes but Deputy Mayor Cari Penner says a few tweaks stand out. One change is the addition of Outstanding Work Orders to building permit issues. For example, a permit may be refused if information submitted is incorrect or if that individual has failed to pay fees owing or has an existing Outstanding Work Order.

"Outstanding Work Orders to building permit issue requirements will be given because if someone has an Outstanding Work Order that they simply cannot continue with the building permit," explains Penner. "We needed to have that control to ensure that buildings are completed."

Penner says the city does not have a lot of problems with buildings not being completed.

"But when we have then we've been frustrated by the fact that they are asking for building permits and yet there are Outstanding Work Orders," says Penner. "We need to make sure that we have everything available to us to make sure that buildings are completed and then they have occupancy permits after that."

The Building Bylaw also now specifies sign permits requirements for development, specifies the setting of permit fees and other fees and the City's authority to charge and collect them, adds the requirement for an occupancy permit for all buildings and clarifies the penalty provisions.

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City Updating 41-Year-Old Building Bylaw