By Hank Russell
The East Hampton Town Board has temporarily paused enforcement of the Town Code section that requires updated Certificates of Occupancy (COs) for property transfers.
The resolution temporarily pauses enforcement of Local Law No. 26 of 2023, which amended Town Code Chapter 102-14 to require an updated Certificate of Occupancy upon the transfer of property ownership. The stay applies retroactively from January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2026.
Under the stay, the Town’s Building Department will continue to accept and process applications for updated Certificates of Occupancy. However, property owners who are unable to obtain an updated Certificate of Occupancy during the pause will not be issued violations for failing to do so.
According to a Frequently Asked Questions sheet obtained by Long Island Life & Politics, the law is being paused throughout the rest of the year, which means the building department will continue to process such applications. However, those who cannot obtain an updated CO will not be charged with a violation.
Over the past several months, according to the town, there were comments from the residents about delays in processing updated COs. The Town Board instituted this pause to give the building department time to work through the current backlog of applications.
Many applications require additional review because improvements were made without a building permit. This has been the case in roughly six out of ten applications, which increases the time needed to legalize those improvements and issue an updated CO.
“This temporary pause provides time for our Building Department to address the backlog and continue processing applications,” said Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez. “We have listened to residents and the building community and are committed to improving the application process.”
The Building Department has been under the leadership of Principal Building Inspector Richard Normoyle, Jr. for nearly six months. Mr. Normoyle brings more than 30 years of experience in municipal code enforcement and construction inspection, including service as a plans examiner for the Town of Babylon and leadership roles in special inspection and engineering oversight.
Under his leadership, the town has taken several steps to reduce the backlog and improve the permitting process, including launching OpenGov 2.0, expanding staffing with new positions such as plans examiners and administrative support staff, and retaining outside firms to assist with plans review. The Town has also brought back veteran building official Rich Vacchio, who has more than 30 years of municipal building experience as well, to assist with training and internal operations.
Town officials emphasized that COs remain required for construction projects that require building permits. Residents should also continue to apply for updated COs when requested as part of a real estate transaction.