Building department reports record permit volumes and new code-related workload

Mark Burke, commissioner of the building department, presented permit and enforcement workload trends and the department’s recent operational investments. He said permit counts were 8,134 in 2023, 8,445 in 2024 and 8,054 in 2025, with 6,556 permits processed so far in 2026 and a projection of about 8,719 for the full year.

Burke said review times improved substantially from a 2019 baseline (13.61 days) to 7.5 days in 2025 but have crept up in 2026 as the department absorbed a surge of filings around the 2025 New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code and Energy Conservation Construction Code changes. "In 2024, the department generated 3,660,000 in revenue against 4,166,000 in expenses," Burke said, adding that 2025 revenue exceeded expenses by roughly $1.23 million. He noted two state grants totaling $500,000 to support procurement and implementation of the Tyler Technologies permitting system and said the town expects the new system to improve online applications and workflow integration.