BY CRAIG FREILICH
North Country This Week

POTSDAM – The village Code Enforcement Office has issued 76 building permits since April including 18 for commercial projects.

Village Code Enforcement Officer Lisa Newby told the Board of Trustees Monday night that those jobs included the renovation and update of McDonald’s and the interior remodeling of the Sunoco station. Permits were also issued for construction of the new Humane Society 1600 square foot two-story building, the new 2,000 square foot Verizon store next to Taco Bell, and the $7 million renovation of Lawrence Avenue Apartments by the new owner.

A permit was also issued for development of a commercial solar array on Lawrence Avenue.

Residential permits for work such as building decks and roof replacement were issued to 58 applicants.

A total of $87,168 in fees for the permits was collected, $80,193 for the commercial projects and $6,975 for the residential work.

The code office conducted 10 fire safety inspections for businesses during the period, and 269 on residential rental units.

The office issued 44 notices on cars parked on front lawns, 33 notices for solid waste, 10 courtesy notices and 10 warning notices during the period.

Newby said her office is busy at this time of year when students return for school and at graduation, which is when incoming and outgoing students want to dispose of trash.

She also said it was her impression that many landlords had not informed their tenants that parking vehicles on front lawns is a code violation.