Proposed building code requires inspections

Inspections will be required of all new construction and work valued at more than a threshold amount on existing structures under the new building code ordinance proposed by the Fairfield City Council Property Committee.

During Monday?s meeting of the Fairfield City Council, property committee chairman John Revolinski said the new ordinance is modeled after the existing one, but now requires inspections.

?We?ve tried to be realistic about what we exempt, also be realistic about what we can do with limited personnel of our own, so the way this basically schematically would work out is the owner, once they realize they need a permit ?, they?re going to get to select who it is that they have do the work and the inspecting as long as it?s somebody that is certified with the state,? city attorney John Morrissey said. ?The only thing that they won?t get to make a choice about is the person issuing the zoning permit and who?s going to follow up on doing the zoning compliance inspection, and that?s our own code enforcement officer Tom Baker.?

The proposed ordinance also modifies the fee structure for permits and outlines exemptions from inspections. Under the proposed ordinance, under $1,500 worth of electrical work on existing structures and under $3,000 worth of plumbing, structural or mechanical work on existing structures would be exempt.

?Basically we want people to not feel that it?s onerous to repair things that they would ordinarily repair without somebody over their shoulder,? Morrissey said.

Revolinski said electrical inspections have already been mandated by the state and plumbing inspections are in the foreseeable future.

Councilwoman Martha Norbeck said the inspections constitute a public safety issue and can help protect property owners.

The proposed ordinance will be discussed at a property committee meeting at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 8 at city hall before it is brought before the council for passage. Public input is welcome at the meeting.

For the complete article, see the Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009, printed edition of The Fairfield Ledger.