Starting Monday residents have access to updated information on how to apply for a demolition permit as part of the rebuild of our community.
Deputy CAO Kevin Scoble said in a statement issued Friday the Planning and Development department has put together information packages to guide people and contractors applying for demolition permits. Scoble said they would be available online by July 4.
“With an eye to the future, Administration is working as quickly as possible to create a safe, efficient and effective method of issuing demolition permits, which are required to undertake cleanup, hauling and disposal from fire-affected areas. In the face of the potential safety hazards and logistical challenges presented by the scale of the cleanup needed, we ask that the public continues to be patient while this method is developed,” said Scoble.
He said the lessons learned in Slave Lake have been valuable as RMWB administration plans the cleanup process here in Fort McMurray and the surrounding region. That insight has also meant the RMWB is taking longer to prepare for cleanup, putting more protective meastures in place and ensuring demolition permits cover aspects of safety and also combine demolition/cleanup, debris hauling and landfill disposal to make the process simpler for homeowners and the contractors they hire to do the work.
“We have committed to a 48-hour turnaround of permits on all complete applications, however we may not meet these deadlines immediately, and we will work hard to reach that goal quickly. The permitting and cleanup process being implemented is ultimately expected to speed up the cleanup of the affected areas,” said Scoble.
At the same time the RMWB has made changes to make it easier to remove debris and damaged materials by keeping the landfill open 16 hours a day for now moving to 24/7 to meet the pace of cleanup operations. A third landfill scale has been acquired and will be used solely for debris loads, to speed the process of demolition.
“While we work to develop the best approach for residents to take the next step forward in recovering from this devastating event, we thank you for your continued patience and strength,” said Scoble.
For questions about your permit application or the requirements for applying, you’re asked to contact Planning & Development at 780-799-8695 or current.planning@rmwb.ca.
