HomeMy WebLinkAboutBuilding Review Board - Minutes - 08/29/1996BUILDING REVIEW BOARD
REGULAR MEETING
August 29, 1996
1:00PM
II Council Liaison: Ann Azari II Staff Liaison: Felix Lee II
Chairperson: Mike Sutton 490-2161(w) 484-1849(h)
The regular meeting of the Building Review Board was held on Thursday, August 29, 1996, in
the Council Chambers of the Fort Collins Municipal Building. The following members were
present: Brown, Cotterman, Kreul-Froseth, Sutton, Meleski, Hansch, Fisher.
Board members absent: none
Staff members present: Felix Lee, Building & Zoning
Elain Radford, Building & Zoning
The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Sutton.
The June 1996 minutes were approved with corrections. No meeting was held in July 1996.
APPEALS: None
OTHER BUSINESS:
ANNUAL ELECTION OF OFFICERS:
Annual election of BRB officers takes place each August.
By-laws have no restrictions on officers serving more than one term.
Michael Sutton was re-elected to serve as Chairperson.
John Meleski was elected to serve as Vice Chairperson.
' PRINCIPLES AND POLICIES PRESENTATION:
Board voted to see the Planning Department's presentation at the September meeting. Board
members requested the opportunity for input regarding this presentation for the City Structure
Plan. Felix Lee will make arrangements for this presentation and will inquire on behalf of the
BRB regarding the opportunity for input.
MAYOR AZARI, COUNCIL LIAISON, TO ATTEND BRB MEETING:
Scheduled for: October 31, 1996
Lunch: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Meeting: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
NEW BRB MEMBER AND STAFF SUPPORT INTRODUCED:
Dick Fisher, new BRB member
Elain Radford, B&Z Licensing Administrator
STAFF ITEMS:
Agenda attachments:
1) 6-Month Planning Calendar - is the City Council's 6-month schedule for regular
meetings, work sessions, and pending items for discussion.
2) Communication Towers: building communication towers does not fall within our current
categories with the new technology and the shorter band communication systems. TWR
is a company that submitted a packet of who they are and what they do. Usually, private
businesses want to erect these towers.
Felix Lee recommended regulating the building of communication towers within the City
of Fort Collins and to categorize this group of contractors with some limitations. The
new communication towers are smaller and there probably will be more of them.
Local building codes have the requirements concerning building these towers and there
may be some FAA implications. Zoning and Planning are working on some zoning
modifications to more specifically address those structures.
Board member Fisher asked if there are guidelines available to look at.
Felix Lee explained that some places, who do not have the state oversights, do not
regulate or license the building of these structures. License descriptions can be very
general and would allow anyone who held a license to build buildings and anything
else they want. These contractors specifically deal with just the structure itself and the
equipment shed below. They don't want to do anything else - they don't want to build
buildings. Lee recommended Board approval for him to grant a conditional C-1 or B
license, whichever category seems right, that is specific and limited to just towers.
Lee stated that utilities and power poles are generally exempt from most local regulatory
actions in terms of permits and licensing. All utilities are under electrical authority and
contractors who work for them fall under their umbrella.
Lee noted that Zoning regulations now specify a 40 foot height limit. He felt that,
though the B license relates to height, it does not seem fair to require contractors to pass
the B test in order to put up a tower.
Lee went on to say that towers are covered in the Uniform Building Codes, an M-2
occupancy is a tower, and as such there are windload considerations and factors for
shape, etc. He suggested the contractor aspect should be addressed along with some
liability and safety concerns. Felix stated that he feels someone needs to be accountable
through our licensing process.
Board member Brown asked if Felix anticipates enough of these requests in the future to
warrant a specific license category. Felix responded that it would take months to take an
ordinance through Council. In the interim Lee said he would like to have a response
when these companies call him.
Board member Sutton asked if these towers would be as easy to review as was the
one -time -only grain elevator. Lee responded that the Board has the authority to approve
unusual conditions and grant exceptions under hardships. Lee said he feels that, in a
general sense, this is one of those cases.
The Board discussed the need for a discretionary approach on a case -by -case basis.
Board member Cotterman stated he feels that the Board should look at each case
individually.
Board member Meleski stated that steel structures are designed by registered engineers
and are not normally inspected. Lee responded that there is a Special Inspections
provision in the UBC, which requires that the owner/contractor have a third party
qualified to do the actual inspections on the concrete, bolting, etc. as a part of the
permit file. Lee informed the Board that Building Inspection already requires this on
other structures for structural steel bolting, welding, caissons, etc. He further noted
that this is already in place and it could be required that someone qualified looks at all
those aspects of the construction of towers and reports back.
L1
Board member Meleski questioned the inspection of a structure such as the tower at the
new high school.
Lee answered that the Building Inspection department would not inspect a structure like
that, but would require that a qualified person do the inspection and submit a detailed
report for the permit file. He reminded the Board that a Class A license is the category
that already exists to cover high rise buildings, and because it is an unlimited category,
to issue such a license requires proof that they have built these structures.
The Board requested information/research regarding this type situation from places
that currently handle these.
The general consensus of the Board was to have tower contractors come before the
Board on a case -by -case basis with the Building Inspection office informing them
that such structures fall within our unlimited A category, which includes some
qualifications that tower contractors may not have.
INTRODUCTION of audience member:
Kimberly Maevers, Director of Government Affairs for the Home Builder Association of
Northern Colorado, made an impromptu appearance and announced her objectives as follows:
a) To monitor the three cities of Greeley, Loveland, and Fort Collins and the two counties
- Weld and Larimer.
b) To become the liaison for staff, elected officials, and appointed officials to have a single
point of contact to reach HBA members.
c) To help form partnerships and work more closely on issues of mutual concern so the
HBA can become more proactive.
Michael Sutton, Chairperson Felix Leeil3CIding Administrator