appendix c: examples of building code … of building code administration ... examples of building...

Appendix C:Examples of Building Code Administrationby Local Governments

86

Appendix CExamples of Building Code Administrationby Local Governments

In order to illustrate the variety oflocal code administration practices,this appendix contains informationfrom interviews conducted withofficials from six cities and counties.The six examples include a large andsmall jurisdiction from each of thethree code regions.

These case examples demonstratethe variety of practices used byjurisdictions across the UnitedStates. The seismic code require-ments, plan review process, enforce-ment and inspection, proceduresand fee schedules vary in each ofthese examples. The informationpresented here is to provide youwith ideas on how to use modelbuilding codes in your locality.

Cities and counties in states thathave adopted a model building codeseem to have an advantage in thatthey can derive support from thestate level. Cities in states with nocodes find it harder to keep profes-sionals in the building industrycurrent with their code. This shouldbe kept in mind as you convinceyour local governments to adopt acode or add seismic provisions. The

lessons provided in the examplesshould help you in this process.

This section also provides an in-depth review of how each jurisdic-tion deals with enforcement, inspec-tion, and review. Without theseelements, the model building codewill be ineffective. The six examplescover this in depth and will provideyou with a starting point in yourarea. This information is critical inhaving a model building code thatsaves lives.

The case study information wascollected primarily through a seriesof interviews. A list of intervieweesis included at the end of this appen-dix.

Carbondale, Illinois(BOCA, Small)

Carbondale is a city of 25,000 peoplelocated in southern Illinois. The cityhas one inspector, who also serves asthe plan reviewer for the city. TheDepartment of Building and Neigh-borhood Services' total annualbudget is $378,000. This officehandles commercial and multifamilyconstruction.

Table C. I Overview of Local Building Code Administration by Local Governments

City/County Population Model Code State Code Requirement # of Inspectors

Carbondale, IL 25,000 BNBC No building code req. 1

St. Louis County, MO 1,001,000 BNBC No building code req. 10

Jonesboro, AK 50,000 SBC Yes, Act 1100 (1991) 2

Memphis/Shelby Co., TN 850,000 SBC Yes, since 1982 21

Pacifica, CA 40,000 UBC Yes, since 1933 2

Clark County, NV 417,000 UBC Yes, Nev. State Fire Marshal Reg. 79

Examples of Building Code Administration by Local Governments

Seismic Code Requirements

The city uses the BOCA NationalBuilding Code (BNBC), whichincorporates seismic provisions.

Carbondale enforces the latestBOCA seismic building codes andstandards. Seismic-resistancestandards have always been re-quired in Carbondale, and the cityhas been involved in a process ofeducating construction and designprofessionals as to the importance ofseismic design, primarily throughcooperation with the media. Themedia has assisted in stressing thepotential danger of noncompliance.Ten years ago seismic provisionswere not taken seriously by contrac-tors, but practice is now muchimproved.

Carbondale's greatest limitationin enforcing building and seismiccodes is the state of Illinois' weaksupport for requiring architects andengineers to stay current with codes.The state has no building coderequirement, although the state doesrequire seismic design of state-funded buildings. The state alsorequires licensing of structuralengineers, who must demonstrateknowledge of seismic design.Carbondale makes sure its architectsand engineers are following therules, but most small cities in Illinoisdo not have the same ability, and thestate is not assisting them.

Plan Review Process

Application must include buildingdetails as well as a site plan showingthe location of the building on thesite, lighting, disabled access,parking requirements, and waterand sewer requirements. Buildingplans are required to be sealed by aprofessional, registered structuralengineer from Illinois. The Depart-ment of Building and NeighborhoodServices distributes the plans toother departments for review andapproval. These other municipaldepartments include the Depart-ments of Water and Sewer, Develop-

ment Services, Fire, Police, PublicWorks/Engineering, and Planning.The plan is checked not only forcompliance with the BNBC but alsofor other requirements, such aszoning, disabled access, electricalcodes, and so forth.

Upon review and approval fromthese departments, the plan is sentback to Building and NeighborhoodServices, and a meeting is scheduledwith the owner of the proposed siteand a representative of each depart-ment. Final approval must be re-ceived from the city council. Once theplan has been approved, a buildingpermit can be issued. The director ofDevelopment Services stamps andapproves the final permit.

A plan review usually takes amonth from submission of thenecessary documents to final ap-proval. Following review, a buildingpermit can usually be issued in twoor three days to one week, dependingon the complexity of the building.

If an applicant wants to appeal adecision, he or she first talks to staffmembers and can then appeal to theBuilding Code Board of Appeals. Theowner must first pay a $15 fee toschedule a hearing. Carbondale usesthe appeals process outlined in theBNBC.

FIGURE C.1 Main corner in downtownCarbondale, Illinois, a city of 25,000people. Carbondale uses the BOCANational Building Code, whichincorporates seismic provisions. (Photo:Planning Services Division, City ofCarbondale)

87

Appendix C

Code Enforcement andInspection

The present plan reviewer hasexperience in the construction trade,has three years toward an engineer-ing degree, and has been certified bythe Council of American BuildingOfficials and BOCA for buildinginspector, building code official, andmaster code official. He is onlyresponsible for nonstructuralreviews. Architects and engineersare responsible for structuralrequirements. If any questions ariseduring the review process, the cityrequests the calculations of thearchitects or engineers for verifica-tion. The inspector states that BOCAis very supportive in answering orclarifying questions, as is the statearchitect's office.

Inspections are scheduled withthe on-site construction managerdepending on the progress of work.The required inspections include:

1. Designated location of building

2. Footing forms and steel

3. Foundation steel and anchor bolts

4. Framing

5. Rough electrical

6. Mechanical

7. Plumbing (by state plumbinginspector)

8. Final inspection

A few rough inspections to check forfire walls, plumbing, electrical, andmechanical requirements may beconducted prior to the final inspec-tion. On larger construction sitesunannounced visits may occur. Thecost of inspections is covered by thebuilding permit fee.

The number of staff members isadequate for the amount of work,except during summer construction.During this busier time, the inspec-tor requests the assistance of hous-ing inspectors in Carbondale.

Fee Schedule

Fees are established by the Depart-ment of Building and NeighborhoodServices. The site plan review costs$25. Building and electrical permitfees vary depending on the valua-tion of the building: $2 for every$1,000 of final construction costs.Plumbing fees are $14 plus $2 forevery fixture in the building.

Additional costs are associatedwith noncompliance or postpone-ment of construction requirements.In order to occupy a building priorto completion of site items, theowner must post a performancebond in the amount of the uncom-pleted items. If building coderequirements are not met, thebuilding inspector can stop work orissue an appearance in court. Courtjudges then set the fines. An ownermay pay up to $500 for a firstoffense. If the violation is notcorrected after the first guiltyfinding, a fine of $500 per day forevery day of violation is set.

St. Louis County, Missouri(BOCA, Large)

The jurisdiction of St. Louis Countycovers the unincorporated area plusseveral municipalities that contractwith the county for code enforce-ment. The county has ten inspectorsper discipline (e.g., building, plumb-ing, mechanical, electrical) and nineplan reviewers in the building codereview section. Two of these nine arelicensed engineers and two arelicensed architects. The supervisorof the building code review sectionis a licensed architect. Other planreview staff members have degreesin engineering or architecture. Theannual budget for the permitdivision (including applicationprocessing and plan review staff) ofthe Public Works Department is$1,780,000.

88

Examples of Building Code Administration by Local Governments 89


St. Louis County's seismic enforce- - ment began with the adoption of the 1987 BOCA Nntionnl Building Code in 1988. The 1993 BNBC was adopted in April 1994. New commercial structures are the projects that are primarily affected by seismic regulations, and single-family homes are exempt.

Missouri has no statewide building code requirement. It does, however, require seismic design in the 47 counties considered most seismically hazardous. The Geologic Hazard Preparedness Act (1990) requires that all new private buildings larger than 10,000 square feet and all new public buildings in the counties must "comply with the standards for seismic design and construction" of the BNBC or UBC.

Plan Review Process

Prior to submitting an application for a building permit, a preliminary meeting with plan reviewers is available. Appliccants can also submit their plans for a preliminary review. This eases the review process, especially for larger projects.

Applications for a building permit are submitted to the Permit Application Center of the Permits Division, which serves as the central point within the submittal process. Four sets of complete drawings are required. The building code reviewer acts as the lead person in coordinating reviews from other review sections within the department. The building reviewer re- leases the projects back to the Permit Application Center, which coordi- nates approvals from outside departments and agencies and awards the permit once all requirements are met. Plan reviewers compute the permit fees based on estimated construction costs. Each plan reviewer has the authority to sign off on permits.

d

The first round of review, which FIGURE C.2 The City o f s t . Louis, as well RS St. Louis c02117~, Missouri, is protected by the BOCA Ncltioiial Building Code. (Photo: St. Lotiis Conveiztioiz c l d

Visitors Cmmission)

results in each discipline's request for revisions, takes about five to ten working days. Once revisions are requested, the process is normally accomplished in three to four weeks, unless the design team is slow in responding.

There are two different appeals processes for someone who dis- agrees with a code requirement or decision. First, all individual plan reviewers have the authority to grant alternative solutions or equivalencies that would provide equal standards. Second, if the problem is beyond the plan reviewer's latitude or expertise, the director and/or the deputy of the Public Works Department can

Appendix C

review the decision. If the problemis not resolved, it is referred to theboard of appeals, an appointed bodyof five citizens, four of whom musteither be licensed professionals orhave construction experience.


Regarding seismic enforcement,structural calculations are requestedand reviewed for compliance.Enforcement is left primarily up tothe structural engineers, who standbehind their calculations anddesigns with their signature. Manystaff are still learning about theseismic requirements, as are designprofessionals in the area. Some ofthe larger firms have experience inCalifornia, so they are familiar withseismic design.

All new entry-level plan reviewstaff members must have at least acollege degree in a related field. Thecounty is in the process of encourag-ing all plan reviewers to becomecertified within the next two to threeyears under the BOCA certificationexams and to work toward theirprofessional licenses. This drive forcertified plan reviewers is due to theinsurance industry's code effective-ness grading schedule, as describedin chapter 6. In addition, staff attendlocal AIA- and BOCA-sponsoredseminars.

The inspection process is acomputerized call-in system inwhich contractors call to request aninspection. Unannounced visits donot normally occur. The types ofinspections conducted includeexcavation (before the pouring offootings), forms of foundations,foundation, rough framing, roughframe-in for each of the disciplines,and a final inspection for each of thedisciplines. There are also specialinspections that are conducted byoutside professionals. These profes-sionals must be certified and ap-proved by the inspection staff.Larger commercial projects requireseveral inspection visits for each

category. Inspection costs arecovered by the application fee.However, if an inspector is calledout for something that is not readyfor inspection, a charge of $25 isassessed. There is also a $500minimum penalty or 1 percent of theproject cost (whichever is greater)when violations occur, such asworking without the proper permit,not following the approved plans, ornot following code. Work load oftenexceeds staff availability, especiallyin inspections.

The department publishes aquarterly newsletter for the public.The newsletter details departmentprocedures, code interpretations,code questions and answers, andenforcement policies. The newsletteris sent to professional organizations,who then distribute them to localmunicipalities and neighboringareas, such as St. Charles, JeffersonCounty, and Arnold. The county istrying to improve standards in theregion.

Unfortunately budget cutting andreorganization have resulted inreduced personnel levels. However,a benefit is that the average qualityand performance of staff haveimproved. The department enjoysstrong support by county govern-ment in its goal of attaining codecompliance.

Jonesboro, Arkansas(SBCCO, Small)

The Jonesboro Department ofPlanning and Inspection has twobuilding inspectors and one planreviewer for a city population of50,000. Jonesboro is in an unusualbuilding boom and has just recentlyadded the second inspector. Thedepartment has an annual budget of$300,000.


The Standard Building Code appliesto all buildings in Arkansas. Codeupdates are determined administra-

90

ExmpesofBilin CdeA miisrain y ocl oer mets9

tively, by the State Fire Marshal. Theimportance of seismic design isunderscored by Act 1100 (1991),which requires that all publicstructures be designed to resistseismic forces, in accordance withthe latest SBC. It establishes zonesmore specific than those in the SBC,is self-updating, and sets forthpenalties for noncompliance. It putsmuch of the responsibility onprofessional engineers, who enforcethe Act by their signatures on plans.

Jonesboro enforces seismicbuilding requirements. The munici-pality is in seismic zone 3. Jonesboroand the state of Arkansas havefound that the state's relatively newseismic requirements have notstifled construction, as manybuilders and designers had feared.New construction has increaseddramatically, and the state hasexperienced none of the problemsanticipated. Today, seismic enforce-ment is taken very seriously and isviewed as a priority. Architects,engineers, and the building enforce-ment officials are making sure thatevery plan approved complies withseismic regulations.

Architects in Arkansas arebeginning to become more knowl-edgeable of seismic provisions andback up Jonesboro officials in theirdecisions. Jonesboro staff memberstry to be alert to stamps by unquali-fied engineers and contact the stateboard if necessary. Jonesboro staffmembers attribute their success totheir reliance on a written codeupon which to base decisions. Thisreduces the use of personal opinionsand political pressure to makeexceptions.

Plan Review Process

An applicant for a building permitmust submit a plan stamped by anarchitect and structural engineer.The structural engineer makes astatement regarding compliancewith building and seismic codes.For single-family homes, duplexes,and triplexes the department does

not need as much detail, and the statehas exempted these residential usesfrom seismic regulations. The depart-ment conducts all plan reviews, aswell as zoning and fire inspections.Training for reviewers and inspectorsis provided by SBCCI's services andcertification programs.

It normally takes four to five daysfor permit approval. Jonesbororecommends that architects andengineers consult with the depart-ment before the application is submit-ted. This reduces problems andspeeds the formal review process.Permits for residential structures areissued within one visit.

If an applicant wishes to appeal adecision, he or she contacts the boardof appeals. The board consists of localcitizens familiar with constructionissues. The board is rarely used forbuilding code appeals, however, sincedisputes arise more often fromelectrical and plumbing problems. Amajor way that building staff reducepotential problems is through theservices of SBCCI. SBCCI has a phoneconsultation service to help deter-mine if a ruling is accurate. Thisservice is independent of the commu-nity, thereby providing professional,objective, and consistent advice.

Code Enforcement and Inspection

One of the inspectors acts as thebuilding official. His or her signaturemust accompany the signatures of

FIGURE C.3 New construction inJonesborofalls under the statewideArkansas Standard Building Code.(Photo: City of Jonesboro)

Examples of Building Code Administration by Local Governments 9 1

92

Appendix C

FIGURE C.4 Aerial view) of downitownMemiplhis. (Photo: Memnphis Conv1ention& Visitors Bureaut)

electrical, plumbing, and mechanicalinspectors on a sheet passed alongwith the plans prior to issuing thepermit.

The inspection process is struc-tured around three scheduled visits.The contractors and/or owner mustcontact the building officials whenthey reach the stages of foundation,framing, and final inspection. Theelectrical inspector also has sched-uled reviews. Unannounced visitsoccasionally occur, typically forprojects involving an untrustworthycontractor or for very large projects.

Fee Schedule

There is no initial application fee. Afinal permit fee based on construc-tion valuation is charged after theplans have been reviewed andaccepted. Jonesboro uses the SBCCIchart for estimating the average costof each building type.

The fees for all building inspec-tions are included in the permit fee.The building officials have authorityto write citations to courts in case ofnoncompliance or postponement ofconstruction. The building inspec-tors use the citation as a last resort,preferring to resolve problems morecooperatively. Stop work orders maybe issued when a project does nothave the proper permit for workbeing constructed.

Memphis, Tennessee(SBCCI, Large)

Memphis and Shelby County Build-ing Departments were consolidatedin February 1984. Since that date, thedepartment has functioned as theMemphis and Shelby County Officeof Construction Code Enforcement(CCE). CCE issues constructionpermits and trade licenses for all ofShelby County's unincorporatedareas and the incorporated areas ofMemphis, Germantown, Arlington,and Lakeland. Its jurisdiction areaencompasses 850,000 residents.

The state of Tennessee has had amandatory state building code since1982. The state uses the latest versionof the SBC and supports a staff ofplan reviewers and inspectors. Thestate allows local governments toadopt and implement the SBCthemselves, provided that the locallyadopted version is not more than sixyears old.

CCE operates under the Divisionof Planning and Development, whichis a joint city/county division. CCE isfunded totally by fees for permits,licenses, exams, and reinspection fees.The fiscal year 1990-91 budget totaled$5,684,324, including personnel,operation, and maintenance. Thedepartment is staffed with 123employees, including clerical, fieldinspectors, plan reviewers, supervi-sors, and administrators.

___] CCE has six plan reviewers,eighteen building inspectors, threesenior building inspectors, and onebuilding chief. There are twelvemechanical inspectors with onesenior and chief. Plumbing andelectrical units both have eighteeninspectors, two seniors, and a chief.CCE reviews 143 plans per month.


Memphis enforces seismic buildingcodes and standards. Obtainingseismic provisions was a four-year-long struggle. Seismic codes wereadopted in Memphis in April 1990

I :

92 Appendix C


and gave professionals and thecommunity a one-year grace periodto comply According to the buildingofficial, the added costs have provento be minimal, as projected byNERiRP reports. The buildingdepartment has had numerousseminars to train engineers, archi-tects, and contractors about theseismic regulations. W Tith the 1994Standard Building Code, Memphiswas brought up to a seismic zone 3designation.

Implementation of seismic designhas been a slow process, involvingthe training of builders, designprofessionals, and department staff.In some ways the community still isresistant to seismic design, whichmakes it difficult for the city/countyto be able to expend resources fortraining. But much progress hasbeen made over the past few years,and seismic design is becomingmore widely accepted.

Plan Review Process

The first step in the process forobtaining a residential buildingpermit is to present an application,two copies of the site plan, and onecopy of the floor plan to the clerkspecialist A. This clerk calculates thepermit fee (based on square foot-age), verifies the proper zoning,enters the information onto thecomputer, and then refers theapplication and plans to the planreviewer. The plan reviewer checksfor proper zoning, legality of the lot,setback requirements, building coderequirements, and subdivisionrequirements. The plan reviewerthen approves or rejects the permitapplication. With approval by theplan reviewer, the clerk issues thepermit and routes the applicant tothe cashier.

An application for a permit for acommercial building is required tobe accompanied by four completesets of plans; one set of specifica-tions signed, sealed, dated, anddrawn to scale by an architect orengineer who is licensed by the state

of Tennessee; and a plans review fee.The application is entered by theclerk specialist A. The plans are givento the clerk specialist B, who routesthe plans to the Building PlansReview Section, building inspector,city or county fire department,Plumbing Section, Mechanical SafetySection, city traffic engineer, andpublic works or the county engineer.A copy of each review is returned tothe clerk specialist B. The clerk copiesthe reviews of each section, and thetotal review is mailed to all partieslisted on the application (i.e., owner,architect, and contractor). It normallytakes one to three weeks to receive apermit, depending on the size of thejob. The staff levels in Memphis/Shelby County are usually adequatefor the workload. The load varies,however, and it is not always possibleto plan ahead.

If someone wishes to appeal abuilding code decision or has otherrequests, he or she may contact thebuilding official. Problems areusually settled without requiring aformal meeting of the board ofappeals, although that mechanism isavailable if needed.


M1\emphis/Shelby County seeksStandard Building Code (SBC)certification in plan reviewers andbuilding inspectors, but it is notmandatory The building inspector,however, must be certified. The citycannot afford licensed engineers asplan reviewers, though it would bedesirable.

The Office of Construction andCode Enforcement has a monthlyvolume of 4,170 inspections. Thebuilding inspection process is initi-ated by a call from the contractor orowner. Memphis conducts reinspec-tions on every job (foundation, slab,final, etc.) every month to check onprogress. The inspections are coveredby the application fee. Permits andinspections are programmed on amainframe computer, which gener-

93

Appendix C

FIGURE C.5 The City of Pacifica, Cali-fornia, is located close to the San AndreasFault, in an area that was severely shakenby the great San Francisco Earthquake of1906. (Source: U.S. Geological SurveyProfessional Paper 1527, 1992)

ates monthly management reportsregarding permits, inspections, andfees.

Memphis/Shelby County seeks towork with applicants by schedulingpredesign conferences and offeringother services. No new proceduresare enforced without advance noticeto practitioners.

If noncompliance or postpone-ment of construction occurs, thedepartment has standard actions itmay take. The first step is to issue acourtesy citation, which cites thespecific code violations and date ofabatement. It requires abatementwithin thirty days or else a sum-mons to court will be administered.Generally this achieves compliance.

The building official says that thenews media have been very helpfulin getting accurate information outto the public. The building depart-ment has developed a workingrelationship with the media, whichhas helped to reduce the potentialfor negative publicity. The depart-ment has worked at developing aprofessional, open process andcooperative relations with the publicand the building community. Theseaspects are very important in thispotentially contentious field.

Pacifica, California(ICBO, Small)

Pacifica has one plan reviewer andtwo building inspectors for apopulation of 40,000. The BuildingDepartment's annual budget isapproximately $300,000. Staff levelsare adequate for the work load,although the summer constructionseason can get quite busy.


Seismic provisions have been part ofthe code since Pacifica's incorpora-tion in 1956. Seismic design andenforcement are among the highestpriorities facing the building depart-ment, because Pacifica is located inseismic zone 4 and is quite close tonumerous active faults.

California has had seismicprovisions since the 1933 LongBeach earthquake. Currently, thestate uses the UBC and has refinedthe code over the years to reflectpractices and experiences in Califor-nia.

Plan Review Process

The process of seismic enforcementstarts with plan review. To receive abuilding permit one first mustsubmit plans and documents to theplanning, engineering, and buildingdepartments. The planning depart-ment checks for compliance withzoning ordinance regulations. Theengineering department reviews for

94

Examples of Building Code Administration by Local Governments 95

off-site issues, such as setbacks and sidewalks. The building department handles reviews of plumbing, electrical, structural, and mechanical elements. Once all approvals are received, the building official signs the building permit. The average time to receive permit approval is three weeks.

If an applicant wishes to appeal a decision, she or he first talks with the building official. There is a board of appeals, but its power is limited. The building official has the final word on code compliance.


When the building permit is issued, applicants are given a job card that details the inspection process and schedule. The owner must schedule at least twenty-four hours ahead of when they wish to be inspected. Building inspectors occasionally conduct unannounced visits on large projects.

specific inspections for seismic compliance, such as the nailing schedule and hold-down systems. Staff training concentrates on ensuring that the building official, reviewers, and inspectors are knowledgeable about seismic provisions. Field staff also work at educating contractors on the pur- poses behind the code provisions.

The initial permit fees cover inspections, except for reinspections: the third visit on the same issue requires an additional fee. Stop work orders are administered when someone is working without a permit, and these can result in a charge of ten times the initial permit fee. Some lenience is given to homeowners, who may be unaware of the permit requirements.

The only formal training requirement for plan reviewers and inspectors is certification from ICBO. Staff reviewers are also recommended to have engineering training.

During construction there are

Fee Schedule FIGURE C.6 Large parts of Las Vegas fall under the jurisdiction of the Clark County The building Official sets the pennit

fees using the un!f0r771 Bui'diilg Code's V e p s Conum7tion and Visitors Azlthority) Department of Building. (Photo: Las

(UBC) Chapter 3 fee schedule. The Uniform Administrative Code sets the fees for plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits. The en,$neering reviewers set their own fees based on a n hourly rate.

Clark County, Nevada (ICBO, Large)

The Clark County Department of Building regulates construction in the unincorporated areas of the county, a jurisdiction with a population of 417,000. It includes many areas adjacent to Las Vegas, including the huge hotels on the Las Vegas Strip. Clark County is one of the most active construction areas in the country, with growth continuing at about five percent per year.

Including direct supervisors, the county has seventy-nine building inspectors and fourteen plan reviewers, several of whom are engineers and architects. The department's approximate annual budget is $10,000,000, including a $500,000 plan review contract to supplement staff. The department consists of the Pl,m Check Division, Inspection

Appendix C

Division, and Permit ApplicationCenter.


The county adopted the ICBOUniform Building Code approximatelyforty years ago and has always usedits seismic provisions. Clark Countyis in seismic zone 2 and integratesseismic and structural reviews.Seismic provisions and dynamicloads, such as wind and snow, areevaluated in the structural analysis.Staff members are familiar withseismic enforcement through planreview and inspection. The depart-ment also is involved with state andnational seismic committees.

Nevada has adopted the 1991UBC as the statewide code. Theyallow local amendments to be morerestrictive than the state code, butnot less restrictive. Most localitiesused some version of the UBCbefore the state adopted the UBC.

Plan Review Process

The process for receiving a buildingpermit is as follows. First an applica-tion must detail the scope and typeof construction activity, identify theprincipal design professional for theproject, and include site plans. TheDepartment of Building managesthe review and distributes copies toeach department, such as planning,fire, and public works, to make sureit meets county code requirements.

Plan reviewers are continuallytrained so as to remain abreast ofcurrent building code and enforce-ment policies. Checklists, supervisorcritiques, and inspection classes area few of the ways reviewers areaudited.

The amount of time it takes to geta permit approved varies by the sizeof the project. Single-family dwell-ings take approximately three weeksfrom the time the application issubmitted to the final permitapproval. Commercial projects cantake about four to six weeks. The

numerous large hotels of Las Vegastake much longer to obtain a permit.

Plan reviewers have permissionas part of their assignment to sign allpermits, after which their supervi-sors critique. The director getsinvolved when problems arise orwhen there is a need for complexinterpretations.

Problems or complaints regardingpermit denial are first handledadministratively. One of the twodesignated plan check supervisorsfirst tries to resolve the problem. Ifunresolved, it goes to the director ofthe Department of Building, whoserves as the building official.Finally, the applicant may file acomplaint with the board of appeals,which is appointed by the countycommissioners to make interpreta-tions of the code and grant appeals.


Inspections are scheduled as re-quired by the Department of Build-ing and the code to check on differ-ent phases of construction, such asfoundation, slab, framing, roofing,sheathing, and so on. The inspec-tions are arranged after the buildercontacts the department to notify itof the readiness of the construction.Inspections must be conductedbefore further construction cancontinue. Certain projects requirecontinual or special inspection. Ifrequired, the owner of the site/project must hire an outside inspec-tor or testing agency that has beenpre-approved by the Department ofBuilding. This organization con-ducts all required inspections anddeals with structural requirementssuch as concrete, steel, masonry,soils, and grading issues. The ownerof the site/project pays directly forthird-party inspection services.

The Department of Building willsometimes conduct unscheduledinspection visits, most commonlyfor large projects that require suchattention. Inspection costs by the

96

97Examples of Building CodeAdministration by Local Governments

department are covered by thepermit fee.

Although the department'sWorkload has increased substan-tialily, the department has incorpo-rated methods for adjusting to theseheavy loads, such as hiring moreplan checkers and using third-partyinspectors. The approved third-partyinspector agencies total about fiftyfirms with about 350 certifiedinspectors.

Fee Schedule

Clark County's permit fee scheduleis slightly less than ICBO's guide.The fee schedule is based on thevalue of project construction. Theplan review fee is 65 percent of thebuilding permit fee derived from thechart. Fast-track projects or projectsrequiring phased design and con-struction are charged a higher costfor plan review. Subsequent reviewof resubmitted plans requires anadditional fee. The building permitfee is charged upon issuance of thepermit. The fees are only used tofund the services for which they arecharged. The funds are placed in anenterprise fund and do not go intothe countys general account.

Noncompliance or postponementof construction require additionalcosts. The Department of Buildingdoes not usually charge for addi-tional reinspection on the same issueuntil the third visit. This charge is$45. If a "red tag" or stop order isissued, an investigation is conductedand the owner is charged a feeranging from $120 to $2,000. Thecharge is based on the cost of workat completion of the investigation.The department also can cite aproject as a misdemeanor. Finally,the department can file a complaintwith the contractors board if acontractor has abused his or herposition.

INTERVIEWS

Carbondale, Illinois:Steve Larson, City of Carbondale (Spring

1994)

St. Louis County, Missouri:Da-ve Casl, Building Permit Division,Department of Public W1Torks, Clayton

(Spring, 1994)

Jonesboro, Arkansas:Joe D. Tonlinson, Department of Planningand Inspection (Spring 1994)

Memphis, Tennessee:Terry Hughes, Building Official, Mlemphisand Shelby County Construction Code

Enforcement (October 16,1991; Spring

1994); Wiflliarn AWalmsley, Director of

Engineering, Department of Commerceand Insurance, Division of Fire Prevention,

Nashville (M/ay 7,1991)

Pacifica, California:Steve Branvold, Plans Examiner and

Building Official (Spring 1994)

Clark County Nevada:Robert Weber, Director, Department of

Building (Spring 1994%

Appendix C

Survey Instrument

The following pages reproduce aform used by the Illinois EmergencyManagement Agency to surveycommunities' building code prac-tices in southern Illinois. Such aninventory is an essential first steptoward targeting municipalities orregions for code adoption or im-proving code enforcement. The datacan also be used to help encouragethe state to adopt a statewide code.

The Illinois survey, which wasaccomplished by a graduate studentassistant over the course of onesummer, began with the identifica-tion of 300 municipalities andcounties in the area of highestseismic hazard. Using the IllinoisMunicipal League directory, amaster list was created of theaddresses, contact phone numbers,and populations of all relevantjurisdictions. Most of the surveyswere completed by telephone.Counties were surveyed first, so thatthey could also confirm the list ofcities, towns, villages, and town-ships within the county. Thisensured that all jurisdictions wereadequately identified. Whereavailable, the building inspector wassurveyed. In jurisdictions withoutbuilding codes, the mayor or cityclerk was surveyed. In small com-munities, where no telephoneresponse was received after severaltries, the surveys were mailed out,using systematic survey procedures.The data were analyzed usingspreadsheet software.

The survey concluded that 78percent of the municipalities havenot adopted building codes. Fortu-nately, most of the larger municipali-ties, where most of the new con-struction is occurring, are coveredby codes. Still, municipalitiesencompassing 31 percent of thepopulation of southern Illinois are

not protected by building codes. Ofthe communities that have codes,most have adopted the most recentversion; but some have not; andseveral communities have a codebut no building department toenforce it.

By use of the spreadsheet data-base, the data could be sorted byvarious characteristics, providingthe Emergency Management Agencywith an easy way of identifyingcommunities with adoption orenforcement deficiencies. The datawere sorted in nine different ways:(a) addresses of all communities, (b)municipalities without buildingcodes, (c) municipalities withbuilding codes, (d) code updatingmethods of municipalities, (e)building permit use in municipali-ties with codes, (f) municipalitieswith codes but no building depart-ments, (g) types of constructionregulated by municipal buildingdepartments, (h) building depart-ments' plan review standards, and(i) building department staff compo-sition.

Copies of the full report, Seismic-ity and Building Code Use in SouthernIllinois, by Lisa C. Morrison, October1995, may be obtained for the cost ofcopying by contacting the Depart-ment of Urban and Regional Plan-ning, University of Illinois atUrbana-Champaign, (217) 333-3890.

98


Southern Illinois Building Code Survey: Survey Form

Opening:

My name is I. 1 am conducting a survey on building codes in Southern Illinois forthe Illinois Emergency Management Agency.

a. Could you direct me to someone with information about (jurisdiction's)building codes?

b. Can I take a few moments of your time to ask you about building codes in(the jurisdiction)?

The Siurvey:

1. Jurisdiction:

2. Has (jurisdiction) adopted any building codes?

(If yes, continue. If no, go to 3.)

a. What is the name of the building code in use?

b. V/hat was the year of the last revision?

c. How are the building codes updated?

d. Is a building permit required prior to construction?

e. Ilf yes, is a licensed architect or engineer's seal required on an applicant's

construction document to obtain a building permit?

3. a. Does (jurisdiction) have a code enforcement authority or building

department to regulate building codes?

(If yes, continue. If no, go to end.)

b. What is the department name?

What is the department address?

'99

100 Appendix C

What is the telephone number?

c. What types of construction does the department regulate (residential, commercial,

etc.)?

d. Is a plan review by the building department required for obtaining a building

permit?

If yes, who performs the review?

If yes, does the reviewer have any of the following?

BOCA Certification ICBO Certification

Professional Engineer's License SBCCI Certification

Professional Architect's License Other Certification

e. During construction, who ensures compliance with the building code?

f. How many staff members are employed by the building department?

g. How many of the following does the building department have?

Architects Certified Planners

Engineers Field Inspectors

4. (If no to 2 and 3) Is new construction regulated in any way?

5. a. Could I have you name?

b. Title?

c. Mailing Address?

d. Phone Number?

Closing:

That completes our survey. Thank you for your time.

appendix c: examples of building code … of building code administration ... examples of building...

Documents