Building & Zoning

Jeffrey A. Bergstrom
Building Official and Fire Marshall
Office: (302) 322-9813
Fax: (302) 323-2144
jbergstrom@newcastlecity.delaware.gov

Marika Levine
Building & Code Secretary
220 Delaware Street
New Castle, DE 19720
Office: (302) 322-9801
Fax: (302) 322-9814
mlevine@newcastlecity.delaware.gov

City of New Castle Zoning Map with update approved at the July 14, 2020 Council Meeting

Building Department:

• Enforces the City’s zoning, building, subdivision, floodplain, coastal zone, sediment and erosion control and fire codes and regulations.
• Accepts applications for the various permits issued by the City, reviews plans and approves permits for construction and building alteration, including earth moving operations in the floodplain.
• Provides code interpretation, field verification of code compliance, including notification of apparent code violations, and prosecution as required for non-compliance of City Codes and regulations.
• Enforces Historic Area Commission actions and reviews matters concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act and FEMA’s Community Rating System (for flood insurance matters).

All work performed in the Historic District, residential or commercial, requires prior approval of the Historic Area Commission.

Forms

• Subdivision Form
• Building Permit Application (Buildings located within the Historic Area must fill out both the Building Permit and the Historic Area Commission Review Application )
• Historic Area Commission Review Application

The EPA Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule (RRP) Program

The EPA Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program Rule (RRP) is a federal regulatory program aimed at protecting children against the hazards associated with disturbing Lead-based paint during renovation, repair and painting activities. This program calls for workers to be trained by an EPA Accredited Training Provider to use lead-safe work practices and requires companies to be EPA-certified and became effective April 22, 2010. The rule applies to renovations performed for compensation in pre-1978 residential housing and/or child-occupied facilities. Child occupied facilities are defined as any pre-1978 residential, commercial or public facility where children under the age of 6 are regularly present, (i.e. elementary schools, day care centers, pediatric hospital wards, etc). Under the rule there are other obligations which Certified Firms must perform. The rule also requires that consumers be given an EPA publication on lead-safe work practices, entitled “Renovate Right.”

The rule covers any person who performs renovation for compensation, including: Construction and renovation contractors, Window replacement contractors, Electricians, Plumbers, Painters, and other specialty contractors, Property managers and their staff, Handymen and the rule also applies to Landlords who perform repairs themselves (rent is considered to be compensation). Homeowners doing work on their personal residence are not covered by the rule.

To learn about the RRP go to: www.epa.gov/getleadsafe

Additional information on lead is also available at www.epa.gov/lead or from the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD.