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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Construction Trade Advisory & Appeals Board - 03/09/2023CONSTRUCTION TRADE ADVISORY & APPEAL BOARD MEETING MINUTES CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI 1201 LEOPARD STREET-CITY HALL CHAMBERS MARCH 9, 2023, 1:30 PM I. CALL TO ORDER - ROLL CALL: The meeting was called to order at 1:30 pm and a quorum was established with Board Members Dildy and Roulston absent. II. PUBLIC COMMENT: Vee Strauss, Representative from AEP, visited for questions and comments and hopes to have a representative available to attend the CTAAB meetings. III. APPROVAL OF ABSENCES: 1/25/23 Webex Meeting: Board Members Jimenez, Cervantes, and Roulston. Vice Chair Wanzer moved to approve the absences. Board Member Camp Seconded. The Vote: All Aye. The motion passed. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: January 12 and January 25 (Webex). After discussion, Board Member Camp moved to approve the January 25 minutes as amended (adding support of new code adoption and continue public outreach) seconded by Board Member Cervantes. The Vote: All Aye. The motion passed. Board Member Camp moved to approve the January 12 minutes. Board Member Cervantes seconded. The Vote: All Aye. The motion passed. V. BRIEFING: None. VI. DEPUTY BUILDING OFFICIAL REPORT: Luke Fry, Deputy Building Official gave the following reports: Mr. Fry introduced Isidoro Prado, Sr. Compliance Inspector, and Ryan Edwards, Interim Building Inspector Sr. Mr. Fry plans on rotating specific staff members. A board member asked about Compliance Inspectors if it was related to building code compliance or code enforcement. Mr. Fry stated it’s not for code enforcement, it’s all related to building services; construction, permits, etc. • Upcoming significant changes training: Mr. Fry stated they are going to be starting in May; and though May, June, and July, they will be training on significant changes to the code. Each discipline will have an hour-long class twice a week for three months to give everybody in the local community an opportunity to come in and experience the training. They won’t cover every change, there are too many every three years. They are looking for feedback from contractors and the board if we need to add anything and alter training. Chairman Merdes asked about notifications, email blasts, the city will start communicating those events. Please forward to Board Members for goals of outreach, please send to other interested parties. The classes will be held in the DS building and possibly Del Mar. They would like to have one on the island to reach all the stakeholders. • New hires: BOARD MEMBERS: Jared Merdes – Chairman Mike Wanzer – Vice Chairman Garry Camp Ronald Brister Jose Jimenez Paul S. Cervantes Mike Dildy Chad Roulston STAFF: Michael Dice, Assistant Director Luke Fry, Building Official Isidoro Prado, Sr. Compliance Inspector Buck Brice, Assistant City Attorney Ruth Bocchino, Agenda Coordinator They are hiring electrical, plumbing, mechanical, compliance and plan review staff members. They have conducted interviews and made selections. They have had a few resignations, maybe a slow down in inspections. A Board Member asked if Corpus is moving towards combination inspectors. Mr. Fry stated he tried to push that way but there have been a lot of challenges. Plumbing Inspectors have been red tagging in error. Training is required, but not on the field. Mr. Fry stated we do have cross training in place for building finals. Building Inspectors have been trained to complete electrical finals. Overall the feedback has been positive. We are having problems with plumbing. A Board Member asked which trade Mr. Fry received resignations from: electrical. They are trying to hire two more. Board Member Jimenez thanked Mr. Fry for the quick turn-around to do an inspection that was critical to his project and DS responded and took care of the situation. Mr. Fry stated the STAR Program starts live on Monday, April 3. It is a voluntary contractor registration program. The contractors that will get the most benefit of that program are remodel contractors. It is not quite as cut and dry for building new homes. The City Council does not have to approve since it’s voluntary. It is viewed as an enhancement. Hopefully the program will be included in City Council updates. • Department updates: A special meeting will be required for Industrial Amendments. Our attorney, Buck Brice, is working on updates to industrial amendments. Previously, the industrial amendments had a number of qualifying statements as to whether you would need permits, and this is being reworked. Those were not included in the IBC; it will be another set of amendments. This Board will review and hopefully be in support. A Board Member asked if this was related to backflow; yes this is related to backflow but also listed under 105.2, work exempt from permits, so if you are on industrial site, and you meet all the qualifying statements, there are four or five, if that is the case you are exempt from permits entirely unless you are working on or building a building on that site that will house office staff or is regularly occupied; then we would get involved. Mr. Fry stated since backflow was mentioned, he encourages the board to ask for more information. Mr. Fry spoke with Blanca Villanova, and the city is embarking on an enhanced backflow prevention campaign. They have hired an outside inspector (company) from Houston that will be inspecting over 6,000 properties over the next several months. Our CCW only has two backflow investigators, so they are going to get all the commercial properties evaluated to determine if they have appropriate backflow prevention. They are also contacting restaurants who don’t have grease traps and they are requiring that they put a grease trap in. Chairman Merdes asked if this was related to the backflow that we know have expired; Mr. Fry stated yes, it is part of the process. If they need a backflow, they must get one; they also have to have a current inspection and that it is all logged in the database. Chairman Merdes asked if we are charging for delinquencies. Mr. Fry stated that is CCW, not DS. They do have two full time staffers that can and do write tickets. • 1 resignation from member Garry Camp. Board Member Camp stated if his position cannot be replaced, he is willing to submit his application. Board Member Camp would like to see some new blood on the Board. Chairman Merdes stated he really likes working with Board Member Camp. Board Member Jimenez thanked Board Member Camp for his assistance in becoming a member of the Board. Chairman Merdes asked Recording Secretary Ruth Bocchino about details of board vacancies, requirements, what our needs are, and if the Board knows of anyone who could fill the positions. Vice Chair Wanzer wanted to know what the vacancies are and if there are any applications Vacancies will be brought to City Council March 21, 2023. There are no standing applications waiting for appointment. Future Agenda Items: Industrial Amendments discussion; code adoption in August; training; goals:-Mr. Fry stated we are doing 24 total outreach programs. Four compliance inspectors, 24 total meetings, working with Parks and Recreation to go to meetings, nursing homes, what we do, what are the misconceptions, and shine the light on the gray areas regarding the difficulties in permitting. Chairman Merdes stated he recommends reaching out to most of the trade organizations like HVAC and plumbers. They want to know, and they would benefit from the outreach. Supply Houses would have the venue needed. Board Member Camp discussed adjusting the Board to get an AEP representative or someone else on the Board, to change the makeup of the Board. What are the steps? Chairman Merdes stated it would make it more diverse. There were lots of things more topical to the electrical advisory board and disciplines. This Board is all disciplines in one place. We need the utility here and present and who would add value to help the city. Being able to have an open position that is not specific and allow that position to rove and fill as needed, such as another discipline. A public open position that is not titled would be appreciated. Board Member Camp gave an example: architect/engineer. We should have one of each. The Plumbing Board used to have an attorney as a member. How do we go about changing the board? Mr. Fry suggested writing an email to Buck Brice. Members have already expressed what they want during the CTAAB meetings, and it dies. Chairman Merdes stated he would email Buck Brice for one general public position. Board Member Camp discussed the set up of the board and it can be redundant. Supplying a list of trades will get more interest to those who have that skill. Mr. Fry agreed that we do need an architect and utility representative. Board Member Camp stated he appreciates all the input and would follow up with Chairman Merdes. Board Member Camp offered to reapply and discussed quorum. Board Members discussed vacancies and the application process. Chairman Merdes said he has contacts for outreach and needs the particulars to get the process going. When there is a required position, it creates a burden on the board, not having a lot of licensed positions. A Board Member asked about pad mount transformers. Ms. Strauss stated pad mount transformers are a difficult commodity to obtain; it’s a supply chain issue that has been going on for two years and it is still a concern. It’s three-phase pad mounts all the way to single phase, now it is even the bigger ones. They are working through it and trying to pick up a Mexico vendor. It’s a national problem. Transformer materials also make EV cars. It is still a concern they are working through. The 277480 volt is the biggest issue, 8 months to 1.5 years. Smaller pad mounts are a little more successful to obtain but not near the volume needed. Ordering equipment is being done before the job is done. Some buildings are vacant because they don’t have the equipment. Pole mount is not a big issue. Universal nationwide. A Board Member asked Mr. Fry about a new problem: home inspectors stating the home is not in compliance; trying to enforce the new code. How can we fix that problem? Mr. Fry recommend giving them a record of the improved inspection record or the COO. The state is operating under 2018 and we are in 2015 and the 2020 is ready. The home inspector does not trump the city inspector. If proof or evidence from the department that they passed the local building code would be enough for their loan, we are happy to provide any information we can. Board Member Camp stated most of those guys are active in the Homebuilders Association, maybe we can do something through them. VII. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 2:12 pm.