Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutBuilding Review Commission - MINUTES - 07/31/2025Building Review Commission REGULAR MEETING July 31, 2025 – 9:00 AM Council Chambers, City Hall 300 Laporte Ave •CALL TO ORDER Chair Richards called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. •ROLL CALL o Commission Members Present – Eric Richards (Chair) Bob Poncelow Casey Roberts Jeffrey Schneider Ronnie Zimmerman o Commission Members Absent – Shaun Moscrip (Vice Chair) Gabe Dunbar o Staff Members Present – Marcus Coldiron, Chief Building Official Shar Manno, Manager Customer Support Madelene Shehan, Assistant City Attorney Melissa Matsunaka, BRC Admin o Guest(s) – None •AGENDA REVIEW Chair Richards reviewed the published agenda. •COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION ON ITEMS ON OR NOT ON THE AGENDA None. •CONSENT AGENDA REVIEW No items were pulled from consent. •CONSENT AGENDA 1.CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF MAY 29, 2025. The purpose of this item is to approve the minutes from May 29, 2025 regular meeting of the Building Review Commission. Commissioner Poncelow moved, seconded by Commissioner Zimmerman, to approve the Consent Agenda. Yeas: Poncelow, Roberts, Schneider, Zimmerman, and Richards. Nays: none. THE MOTION CARRIED. • DISCUSSION AGENDA 2. ECO RETAINING WALLS – REQUEST FOR A NEW LICENSE AND SUPERVISOR’S CERTIFICATE WITHOUT REQUIRED EXAM AND PROJECT VERIFICATIONS Mr. Mark Roe of ECO Retaining Walls, Inc. is requesting a new Class C1(DR) license and supervisor’s certificate to be issued without a passing International Code Council (ICC) testing certificate of the code year required for a new license or reinstatement of a license and project verifications for retaining walls as opposed to full new commercial builds. STAFF: Shar Manno, Manager Customer Support, Community Development and Neighborhood Services Marcus Coldiron, Chief Building Official, Community Development and Neighborhood Services Mark Roe, Eco Retaining Walls, and Joel Sandoval, Eco Retaining Walls, introduced themselves. Chair Richards outlined the hearing process. STAFF PRESENTATION Shar Manno, Customer Support Manager, outlined the request for a variance to the required exam and project verifications required for a new Class C1(DR) license and supervisor’s certificate. She discussed the Code requirements related to evidence of a passing score on the applicable written examination and project verifications. She discussed those submitted by Mr. Roe, which were deemed insufficient. Additionally, she noted that Mr. Roe has 14 active permits and issued a 30- day temporary on June 26, 2025, which expired on July 26, 2025. Manno stated staff is recommending approval of Mr. Roe’s request for a variance based on the application verification materials received that demonstrate that Mr. Roes does have the experience necessary for a C1(DR) Limited (to retaining walls only) license and supervisor’s certificate. She outlined the items for the Commission to consider. APPLICANT PRESENTATION Mark Roe, Eco Retaining Walls, stated the reasons for requesting a variance to the exam requirements of the Class C1(DR) license and supervisor’s certificate, specifically that the company does not build full structures and the testing covers all aspects of codes required for full structure builds for both residential and commercial. He noted his experience building retaining walls and seeks a limited variance that is limited to their scope of work. Joel Sandoval, Eco Retaining Walls, stated the reasons for requesting a variance to the project verifications requirements of the Class C1(DR) license and supervisor’s certificate, specifically that the company has a specialized scope of work. He discussed that the company exclusively builds retaining walls. (**Secretary’s Note: Vice Chair Moscrip joined the meeting at this point.) COMMISSION QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION Commissioner Roberts and Commissioner Schneider discussed whether there will be any fencing or structures on top of the retaining walls, as part of the scope of work, if the Commission approves this request for variance. They discussed that a permit does not need to be pulled for fencing that is six feet or less in height. Mr. Sandoval noted that they do not install fencing as part of their scope of work. Commissioner Richards asked Mr. Roe to discuss Mr. Roe’s role and process at the job site, under the supervisor’s certificate. Mr. Roe noted that he is responsible for submitting the permit application, holding a pre-structure meeting, meeting with the crew onsite, and supervising the job per the plans and specifications. Mr. Roe discussed his strict testing for reinforcement walls and compaction. Commissioner Poncelow expressed his concern about having fourteen jobsites under one supervisor. Mr. Roe explained that the fourteen permits are on one job site, one project, and each permit is for one wall each. Assistant City Attorney Shehan noted that Commissioner Moscrip arrived after the staff and applicant presentations. The Commission discussed whether Moscrip had enough information to vote on the matter and the result of abstention, if any. Commissioner Poncelow moved that the Building Review Commission grant the requested variance to waive the written examination requirement under City Code Sections 15-157(c) and 15-158(c)(1) with respect to Mr. Roe’s application for a Class C1(DR) license and supervisor’s certificate. This variance is limited to allowing the issuance of a Class C1(DR) license and supervisor’s certificate solely for the installation of retaining walls that may be built under such license. The Commission finds that: granting this variance will not be a substantial detriment to the public good or substantially impair the intent and purposes of Chapter 15, Article V; and Mr. Roe has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Commission that they possess other qualifications not specifically listed in City Code Chapter 15, Article V, which the Commission has determined qualify them to perform in a competent manner the installation of retaining walls authorized under a Class C1(DR) license and supervisor’s certificate. Commissioner Zimmerman seconded. Yeas: Poncelow, Roberts, Schneider, Zimmerman, Moscrip, and Richards. Nays: none. THE MOTION CARRIED. Chair Richards encouraged Mr. Roe to continue working with staff to finalize his paperwork. • OTHER BUSINESS Chief Building Official Coldiron provided an update on the 2024 Building Code Adoption and Amendments. • ADJOURNMENT Chair Richards adjourned the meeting at 9:24 a.m. Minutes prepared by and respectfully submitted by Melissa Matsunaka.