HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 1/17/2013 (9)Fort Collins
Policy, Planning & Transportation Services
Community Development & Neighborhood Services
281 Nonh Collcgc A\enue
P.O. Box 580
Pun Collins. CO 80322.0580
970.416.2740
970.224.6134- I'a\
(cgovxont
Memorandum Jan. 17, 2013
Date: January 9, 2013 TO: City Council
To: Darin Atteberry, City Manager FROM: Darin Atteberry
Kelly Ohlson, Mayor Pro Tem FYI /sek
Thru: Karen Cumbo, Planning, Development, & Transportation Director A_�
From: Laurie Kadrich, Community Development and Neighborhood Services Director
Ref: Re -roofing inspections end -of -year update
Staff met with several representatives of the roofing industry this past summer (2012). These roofing
contractors presented issues of concern affecting their business. We discussed the number of permits still
needing to be inspected, the inspection process, and how best to provide access to the roofs for the
inspection. The contractors requested that the City re-evaluate its roofing inspections policy to provide
better inspection services, help reduce miles driven by contractors needed to meet an inspector, and
address the concern of liability should a contractor be required to set an access ladder to the roof.
A number of steps were taken by Building Services since that meeting to address these concerns. The
largest change, and the last phase needed to complete the agreed upon actions, is that the building
inspectors now have five trucks capable of carrying extension ladders. Previously no trucks were outfitted
with ladders and ladder racks. Early on in 2012, Ft. Collins was still recovering from two major hail
storms that damaged many thousands of roofs. Since then the number of roofing inspections yet to be
performed significantly dropped from approximately 1,200 to about 120 today. This represents
approximately two weeks from the time an inspection is requested until the roofing inspector notifies the
contractor that an inspection has been schedule.
The City has six building inspectors ready to assist in roofing inspections should another damaging storm
strike. One inspector has an extensive background in roofing and the roofing industry who is assigned to
only roofifig inspections. When a roof inspection is requested, the address is entered into a waiting file.
The inspector can schedule from the waiting file any number of inspections that he can safely perform in
a day, usually no more than thirteen. The inspector notifies the contractor, usually two days before the
planned inspection, that the inspection has been scheduled. If the address is a two-story structure the
inspector makes arrangements to meet the contractor where, between the two of them, they can safely set
and secure the taller and heavier ladder. For all structures less than two -stories the inspector can access
the roof with his own extension ladder.
Feedback from the roofing industry is positive. The contractors state that their concerns were heard, and
acknowledge the City took actions to help reduce miles driven, to develop a more efficient inspection
request/scheduling process, and to help remove the liability and exposure they faced by leaving ladders
unattended and set to access the roofs.