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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBuilding Review Board - Minutes - 09/24/1998Council Liaison: Ann Azari IL Staff Liaison: Felix Lee (221-6760) Chairperson: James Brown Phone: 482-6326 (Vi) A regular meeting of the Building Review Board was held on Thursday, September 24, 1998, in the Council Chambers of the Fort Collins Municipal Building, at 300 LaPorte Avenue, Ft. Collins. BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: James Brown, Charles Fielder, Rudy Hansch, Susan Kreul-Froseth, Thomas Hartmann, Allan Hauck, and Bradley Massey. BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: 0 MW STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Felix Lee, Building & Zoning Director Delynn Coldiron, Staff support to Board AGENDA: 1. ROLL CALL: The meeting was called to order by Interim Chairperson Kreul-Froseth and roll taken. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Board Member Brown made a motion to approve the Minutes from the June 25, 1998 meeting. Board Member Hansch seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously and the Minutes from the June 25, 1998 meeting were approved as submitted. 3. ELECTION OF OFFICERS: Board Member Kreul-Froseth was nominated as chairperson. She declined due to scheduling conflicts. There was some discussion regarding nominating Board Member Hansch for chairperson; however, he also declined due to scheduling conflicts. Board Member Hauck was nominated. Although Board Member Hauck would be available to attend the meetings, he mentioned that appointment of a more long-term Board Member as chairperson might • • BRB Sept. 24, 1998 Page 2 make more sense. Kreul-Froseth asked Board Members Brown and Fielder if they were interested. Brown mentioned that he was. Hansch made a motion to nominate Brown as chairperson. Fielder seconded the motion. There were no other nominations. The motion passed unanimously. Kreul-Froseth asked if there were any Board Members interested in the vice chairperson position. Board Member Fielder expressed an interest. Kreul-Froseth made a motion to nominate Fielder as vice chairperson. Hansch seconded the motion. There were no other nominations. The motion passed unanimously. 4. CONTRACTOR LICENSE UPDATE: Felix Lee provided Board Members with an overview of the new framing contractor's license that is scheduled for implementation on January 1, 1999. Through observation and feedback from field personnel, Lee found that staff is spending more and more time correcting basic framing problems. Lee also found that an entire subcontractor "framing" trade has evolved and, up to this point, has been unregulated. These were some of the reasons that precipitated implementation of the framing license. The Contractor License Ordinance defines anyone who does construction for a fee or any other form of compensation, or as a trade, as a contractor. Actual employees of a contractor are exempt from this. The Ordinance makes it is clear that anyone who does structural work on a home that is not an employee of the general contractor, is defined by the Ordinance as a contractor and; therefore, is regulated. This is another issue that prompted Lee to implement a framing license. Lee mentioned that the most logical place to put the framing trade is in a D-2 category which would allow for any kind of structural work on a home. A framing applicant can apply for and receive approval for another license category if he/she has the associated qualifications. Lee met with the President and Legislative Affairs representative of the Homebuilders Association and discussed logistics surrounding implementation and testing for the framer's license. Staff has designed a test specifically on framing issues. As with other contractor licenses, an applicant will have the ability to obtain an exam waiver as long as he/she has adequate experience. Also as with other contractor licenses, only the construction supervisor designate would have to provide the technical qualifications and/or test. Lee spoke with a representative from the Colorado Department of Labor and it is very clear that there is a distinction between employees and independent contractors. This was another factor in Lee's decision to implement the framing license, due to the large number of independent framing contractors that are currently being utilized by general contractors. There has been some feedback that the target implementation date of January 1, 1999, is too soon. Staff will do everything possible to facilitate implementation. Lee will look at mitigating factors associated with individuals who are not able to obtain their license by the implementation date. One issue of concern that has been expressed is the fact that framers BRB Sept. 24, 1998 Page 3 are unable to attend testing sessions during the normal work day. Staff has scheduled an after-hours session to accommodate this. Staff has also developed a study guide which is available as a customer handout to allow applicants ample time for study/review. Board Members discussed this issue. There was a question on how staff planned to enforce this. Lee answered that initially the framing contractor was going to be listed on the permit. However, after talking with the President of the Homebuilders Association, it was determined that this was not practical since framers move so frequently. Staff will require that the construction supervisor have available a current licensing card as is done with all general contractors. In addition, staff will issue employee identification cards for all framing employees. Any framing employees who are not able supply inspection personnel with adequate licensing information will be prohibited from continuing construction until proper licensing has been obtained. . There was a question regarding companies with multiple crews and whether or not only one person would have to test. Lee answered that only one person is required to test and be designated as the construction supervisor. The Ordinance states that the construction supervisor must provide reasonable attendance on job sites, but does not require that they be on all job sites full time, or at the time staff does inspections. There is the potential that large companies would need to designate more than one construction supervisor to assure adequate supervision as required by the Ordinance. It was mentioned that it appears that the general contractors are not in attendance on job sites enough due the number of framing problems that are occurring and that this may be part of a bigger issue. Lee answered that staff has begun to crack down on this; more re -inspections fees are being issued, etc. Lack of adequate supervision from the general contractor is one issue that precipitated the need for the framing license. In addition to this, other trades such as plumbing, mechanical, electrical, etc., are all licensed even though there is a general contractor on the job who is responsible for the overall construction. They all are required to provide some sort of qualifying documents in order to obtain the license. The framers are really no different. There was a question regarding commercial framing. Lee mentioned that this has not proved to be an issue at this time, so staff is concentrating on conventional wood frame construction. There was a question regarding liability insurance. Lee mentioned that all framing contractors will be required to carry their own liability insurance, in addition to that of the general contractor. There was some discussion about the multiple layers of independent contractors that have evolved in an effort to avoid paying worker's compensation insurance, etc., and that this might cause some difficulty in trying to control this issue. Lee mentioned that he is aware that there are issues related to practicality, etc., and that staff is committed to addressing these issues. 5. OTHER BUSINESS: None. Meeting adjourned at 1:27 p.m. • BRB Sept. 24, 1998 Page 4 Felix Lee, Building & Zoning Director