Pennsylvania Permit Extension Law Signed into Law by the Governor
On July 7, 2010, as part of the passage of the Budget Bill, Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell signed the Permit Extension Act (S. B. 1042) into law. The Act grants developers and property owners who had previously secured various development and construction approvals from state or local agencies until July 2, 2013 to initiate construction by extending the life of valid permits. The legislation addresses numerous challenges for property owners and developers in the current economy. The legislation allows for the economy to improve and saves time and money that would otherwise be spent to renew expired permits.
The legislation affects most development approvals and permits that had been issued on or after January 1, 2009. Under the provisions of the Act, the holder of a permit or other approval may request written verification from the issuing agency that a valid permit exists and the date of expiration of that permit. As you might expect, there are some exceptions, most notably with regard to certain approvals issued by Penn DOT and PADEP. Additionally, the methodology for the extensions of permits in the City of Philadelphia varies from other jurisdictions in the Commonwealth.
While the provisions of the legislation are applicable to a broad spectrum of approvals, you should not assume that all development related approvals are covered by its provisions.
Notice: The purpose of this newsletter is to identify select developments that may be of interest to readers. The information contained herein is abridged and summarized from various sources, the accuracy and completeness of which cannot be assured. The Advisory should not be construed as legal advice or opinion, and is not a substitute for the advice of counsel.