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Home My WebLink AboutVII (A) Request to Amend the Budget for Additional Plans Examiner/Inspector Position for the Community Development Department Building Division Agenda 4-01-2003 Center of Good Li Item VII A Mayor Commissioners S. Scott Vandergrift .i's , .'.�` Danny Howell, District t ]� Scott Anderson, District 2 City Manager tea lir Rusty Johnson, District 3 Jim Gleason ) :� �� Nancy J. Parker, District 4 STAFF REPORT TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND BOARD OF CITY COMMISSIONERS FROM: JIM WASHINGTON, BUILDING OFFICIAL DATE: March 25, 2003 SUBJECT: ADDING THE POSITION OF PLANS EXAMINER ISSUE Should the Honorable Mayor and City Commission consider adding the position of Plans Examiner to the Building Division of the Department of Community Development? BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION The construction of Single-Family Residences (SFR) has steadily increased over the past years, as has the number of inspection performed by this division. In 1999, 226 SFR were built. The following years depict a steady increase: 2000 - 269 SFR, 2001 — 277 SFR, 2002 - 305 SFR. The continuing growth of our city increases the number of sheds, fences, pools, screen enclosures, residential renovations, and miscellaneous construction. The aforementioned does not address the Commercial projects that entail many revisions and their initial review requirements. During the past 12 months, the Building Division has completed 10,398 inspections ranging from simple fences to multi-story facilities. This breaks down to about 40 inspections a day for each of the three inspectors. Since this is an impracticable amount of inspections for someone to do correctly in the time allotted, the Plans Examiner and Building Official assist the Inspectors daily. To facilitate the commercial construction, many inspections have to be "broken-down" into several "partial" inspections adding to the inspection load. The Insurance Service Office's Building Code Effectiveness Grading System, which has a direct effect on our insurance rating. recommends less than 20 inspections a shift and would prefer less to insure the quality of inspection. Staff conducted a survey of cities with similar populations and noted that when comparing workload to workforce, we are not staffed equally to most. The addition of the position Plans Examiner would provide assistance in both the plan review and inspection areas. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff respectfully recommends approval of the additional Plans Examiner position within the Building Division of the Community Development Department. City of Ocoee• 150 N Lakeshore Drive•Ocoee, Ilorida 34761 phone: (407)905-3100• fax:(407)656-8504 •www.ci.ocoee.Fl.us SYNOPSIS FOR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE&TOWNHOUSE LOT DEVELOPMENT Currently there are 1,015 SFR lots under preparation in 8 subdivisions. A subdivision with 127 SFR Lots is at the final development review and 5 subdivisions with a total of 1,704 SFR lots are at the preliminary stage. In addition,there are 106 Townhouse lots being prepared and 496 Townhouse lots in preliminary plan review. The lots listed below do not have individual building permits except for a few"models"that have been issued. The Preliminary lots could be under construction within a year. SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES Currently under construction ForestBrooke 62 Lots Avanti/West Groves 512 Lots Forest Ridge 57 Lots Prairie Lakes PUD Tract"E" 66 Lots Wellington Place 40 Lots Windstone 122 Lots Orchard Park,Phase III 65 Lots Windsor Landing 91 Lots Currently at Final Development Review McElroy Place 127 Lots Currently at Preliminary Development Review Devon Cove 11 Lots Meadow Lakes 175 Lots McCormick Woods 272 Lots Magnolia Ridge 594 Lots Westridge PUD 245 Lots Battaglia Property 136 lots Wines 99 lots Eagle's Landing 97 lots Ocoee Commons 75 lots TOWNHOUSES Currently under construction Prairie Lakes PUD Tract"F" 106 Lots Currently at Preliminary Development Review Prairie Lakes Reserve 194 Lots Westyn Bay Townhouses 172 Lots Ocoee Commons 130 lots Center of Good L Mayor �b - - tpjne Commissioners S. Scott Vandergrift ;,_ny,,,. - " � Danny Howell. District 1 n � � ` Scott Anderson, District 2 City Manager j �� Rusty Johnson, District 3 Jim Gleason -fir l�yC�'bi. f�1 NancyJ. Parker, District 4 MEMORANDUM TO: JIM WASHINGTON, BUILDING OFFICIAL A,, FROM: SHERRY SEAVER, PERMIT & INSPECTIONS COORDINATOR`? DATE: MARCH 25, 2003 SUBJECT: INSPECTION INFORMATION MARCH 2001 -FEBRUARY 2003 MARCH 2001 1028 MARCH 2002 950 APRIL 2001 987 APRIL 2002 871 MAY 2001 987 MAY 2002 814 JUNE 2001 865 JUNE 2002 781 JULY 2001 775 JULY 2002 756 AUGUST 2001 881 AUGUST 2002 762 SEPT 2001 684 SEPT 2002 798 OCT 2001 897 OCT 2002 957 NOV 2001 741 NOV 2002 856 DEC 2001 720 DEC 2002 863 JAN 2002 860 JAN 2003 1006 FEB 2002 891 FEB 2003 984 TOTALS 10,316 10,398 (Increase by 82) If you have any questions, please let me know. City of Ocoee• ISO N Lakeshore Drive• Ocoee,Florida 34761 phone:(407)905-3100• fax: (407)656-8504 •www ci.ocoee fl us STAFF City Number of Number of Number of Number of Inspectors Plan Examiners Assistant Building Clerical/Support Officials` Staff Apopka No Response No Response No Response No Response Aventura No Response No Response No Response No Response Bonita Springs Lee County Lee County Lee County Lee County Casselberry 1 -- 0 I Clermont No Response No Response No Response No Response Cooper City 4 4 2 3 Fort Walton Beach 2 I 0 1 Greenacres No Response No Response No Response No Response I Iialeah Gardens No Response No Response No Response No Response Jacksonville Beach No Response No Response No Response No Response Miami Lakes No Response No Response No Response No Response Naples 7 2 Yes 2 New Smyrna Bch. 2 including B.O. 2 noel Insp& B.O. 0 3 North Port 10 3 0 5 -- - Ocoee 3 I 0 3 Oviedo 5 2 pt/Deputy B.O. I 3 Pinecrest 3 ft/2pt 4 pt 0 4 Safety Harbor No Response No Response No Response No Response Seminole 3 3 Yes 2 St. Cloud No Response No Response No Response No Response Tarpon Springs 2 I No 3 Temple Terrace No Response No Response No Response No Response Winter Garden 5 2 0 2 f/lpt OPERATIONS City Average Number Average Number Average Number These services are of Inspection of SFRIPermits of Comm2 Permits contracted out to per Month per Month per Month County/Private Apopka No Response No Response No Response No Response Aventura No Response No Response No Response No Response Bonita Springs Lee County Lee County lee County Yes—County Casselberry 330 15 7 No Clermont No Response No Response No Response No Response Cooper City 743 4 I As Needed Fort Walton Beach 280 I I No Greenacres No Response No Response No Response No Response !Iialeah Gardens No Response No Response No Response No Response Jacksonville Beach No Response No Response No Response No Response Miami Lakes No Response No Response No Response No Response Naples 1772 7 I No New Smyrna Bch. 711 10 3 Yes—Comm Only North Port 3300 130 Not enough to avg No Oviedo 1000 30 S7 million value No Ocoee 850 26 2 Yes Pinecrest 1175 5 4 per year Some Services Safety Harbor No Response No Response No Response No Response Seminole 260 4 2 No St.Cloud No Response No Response No Response No Response Tarpon Springs 895 2I 3 No Temple Terrace No Response No Response No Response No Response Winter Garden 1972 63 16 No I Single Family Residence. i.e.new homes 2 Commercial, i.e. new buildings .3 ; S/ i^ _. PLANS EXAMINER MAJOR FUNCTION This is technical plans examination work ensuring compliance with codes, ordinances and regulations governing construction and maintenance of residential, buildings, structures and facilities. The work is performed with supervision from the Chief Plans Examiner within the framework provided by the approved codes, ordinances, and departmental policies. ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES Reviews building plans, architectural plans, and blueprints to ensure compliance with applicable codes. Confers with contractors, architects, engineers, owners, and others regarding compliance and interpretation of building, zoning, fire, handicap, and other codes and ordinances being enforced by the City. Inspects work for compliance with appropriate codes and construction specifications . Confers with supervisor on questions of technical interpretation of codes . Reviews and passes on plans for building construction and alterations after verifying contractor' s licenses and issuance of building permits . Assists with building inspections as required. Calculates fees required for new construction including impact fees . Prepares and maintains technical records and reports . Provides advice and assistance to other departmental personnel on technical and administrative problems. Provides assistance to the general public on requirements for making applications for construction or alterations . Prepares reports to supervisor on any matters in dispute and number of plans received. Performs other assigned duties as required. MINIMUM OUALIFICATIONS Knowledge, Abilities, and Skills Knowledge of plans and specification review. Knowledge of civil and structural engineering. Considerable knowledge of the practices, methods, and materials as applied to building construction. Thorough knowledge of the Florida Building Code, fire codes, mechanical codes, and electrical codes . Ability to read and interpret construction drawings and to recognize deviations from such plans in building construction and installation processes. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by the work. Ability to communicate effectively, clearly, and concisely, both orally and in writing. Adopted PLANS EXAMINER MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - Continued Minimum Training and Experience High School graduation and five years experience as an Architect, Engineer, Inspector, Plans Examiner, Contractor, or Superintendent of construction or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Necessary Special Requirements State certification as a Plans Examiner or the ability to become State certified within three year after date of hire. Possession of an acceptable Florida Driver' s License. Adopted