Certificate of Occupancy question

[Jambar]

I have been the owner of an auto body shop for twelve years, that has a large lot used for when cars need to be towed after an accident.
In January of 2014 I was told by the county that my auto body shop did not have the correct Certificate of Occupancy because there had been an additional room built onto it. (This room was built before I bought the shop.) I hired an architect and am submitting the all the required applications and paper work to obtain the correct CO, but this does take time. In the meantime I am no longer allowed to use the lot for the towing business. This has resulted in almost no work for the past few month. It has been a financial hardship. In addition I have to pay all the architect and lawyers fees to obtain the correct CO. Can I request to have the towing business back even while I work on the CO? Everything else in my auto body shop is in correct order. Thank you

 

[army judge]

I have been the owner of an auto body shop for twelve years, that has a large lot used for when cars need to be towed after an accident.
In January of 2014 I was told by the county that my auto body shop did not have the correct Certificate of Occupancy because there had been an additional room built onto it. (This room was built before I bought the shop.) I hired an architect and am submitting the all the required applications and paper work to obtain the correct CO, but this does take time. In the meantime I am no longer allowed to use the lot for the towing business. This has resulted in almost no work for the past few month. It has been a financial hardship. In addition I have to pay all the architect and lawyers fees to obtain the correct CO. Can I request to have the towing business back even while I work on the CO? Everything else in my auto body shop is in correct order. Thank you

Sure, you can always ask. What you're seeking is either an exemption or a variance.

I suggest you discuss this with YOUR elected city alderperson or city council person (whatever they call it in your city), or the mayor.
You can also ask how to go about requesting an exemption or variance by discussing it with the city building department, city inspection department, or permits department - or whatever it goes by in your city!

 

[disagreeable]

A bulldozer seems expedient when the issue is time sensitive.

 

[rosebar]

I am so ready to do that, but it would be illegal.