HomeMy WebLinkAbout20100315 - 2009 Annual Report for Building Department
2009 Annual Report
City of Hastings Building Safety Department
Commentary from Tom Bakken – Building Official
When a Fire Department saves lives in a burning structure that makes big news. When there are
no fires to buildings, no structural collapses, no one hurt from stairway falls, these are not news
breaking stories. Whether in our homes, offices, schools, stores, factories, or places of
entertainment, we rely on safe structures that surround us everyday. The public need for
protection from disaster due to fire, structural collapse, and general deterioration underscores the
need for modern codes and their administration.
Most aspects of building construction – electrical wiring, heating, sanitary facilities – represent a
potential hazard to building occupants and users. Building codes provide safeguards. Although no
code can eliminate all risks, reducing risk to an acceptable level helps.
When a tragic earthquake of magnitude 7.0 struck Haiti in January of 2010, entire areas of the
hilly, coastal cit of Port-au-Prince lay in ruins. Approximately 3.5 million persons out of a total
population of around 9 million have been affected in a country roughly the size of Maryland. The
devastation left 217,000 – 230,000 estimated people dead, 300,000 injured and 1,000,000 people
homeless. All types of buildings failed. Both the poor, in ramshackle housing, and the rich lost
their homes. The 30 second movement brought down hundreds of thousands of structures around
the city, whether built of unreinforced concrete, stone, concrete block, or wood. Eight hospitals
were destroyed or significantly harmed. The shipping port was damaged, blocking shipping of
relief supplies. The airport with its one runway and lack of paved roads, whether clear of
obstructions or otherwise, hampered relief efforts. One building that had very little damage was
the U.S. Embassy Building. This building was built to the 2003 International Building Code with
emphasis on construction for an earthquakes area. The building sustained very little damage and
is being used as a safe shelter during the relief efforts.
In Chile they experienced one of the most powerful earthquakes to strike the earth in more than a
century. The comparatively low death toll was widely attributed to the countries meticulous
planning and preparation. While the death toll rose steadily to more than 700, it remained a small
fraction of the tally from a far less powerful earthquake last month in Haiti that claimed at least
220,000 lives. Earthquake scientists, building engineers and political scientists in Chile and the
United States agreed that even though a half million homes were damaged during more than 120
seconds of shaking, the fact that so many Chileans survived was a testament to the nation’s
enactment and the enforcement of stringent building codes.
This should serve as a wake up call to those in design professions and building professionals to
follow proven building codes. Modern building practices allows countries to build almost
wherever they choose, if they do not neglect the laws of building safety, and ensure the
construction and maintenance of their vital infrastructure.
Stories like the U.S. Embassy in Haiti and the experience in Chile help reinforce my belief that
being involved in the code adoption process and enforcement at a local level makes a difference
in people’s lives. Even though building codes are only minimum standards, most buildings in
America are designed to exceed requirements. People assume they are safe when they enter a
private home or public building and that’s the way it should be. If we save even just one life in
Hastings because of our commitment to code enforcement, the rewards are worth the efforts.
2009 Building Department Permit Activity
With the economy affecting almost every citizen of Hastings, the entire state of Minnesota, and
the nation as a whole, we saw another year of lower construction activity in 2009 than in previous
years. The value of projects being done in Hastings has steadily dropped since 2005 with 2009
being the lowest in recent memory. As the chart shows permits are being approved but the
activity mirrors the nation’s economy.
Year Construction Value Permit Fees Permit Numbers
2005 66,606,810.85 1,136,991.01 2,668
2006 55,751,288.22 1,313,782.04 1,984
2007 61,188,036.06 828,373.52 4,667
2008 18,604,989.41 294,370.04 1,529
2009 11,506,852.53 183,648.64 1,117
With State Aid to cities in Minnesota reduced, budgets are being tightened; tax dollars and
incoming revenues are being scrutinized more than in the previous years. Even though the
Hastings Building Safety Department already has a lean staff and budget, the lower amount of
construction activity has allowed us to use our man hours in other vital areas. Homes being
foreclosed on are still a problem as we had 129 dwellings affected in Hastings last year. These are
homes either already empty or in the process of being foreclosed on. These foreclosed homes can
create quite a problem for cities to maintain their accountability and livability.
We made a list of the different foreclosed homes and put them on a map of the different quadrants
of the city. The next step was to decide which homes were in immediate need of inspections
because gas or electric utilities had been shut off. (We used the disconnection notices from
Centerpoint and Xcel Energy to cross reference homes on the counties foreclosed home list.)
These homes got priority inspections to verify the disconnections and confirm if the home was
vacant. We then needed to decide if the water supply should be disconnected to prevent freezing
and bursting water lines in the home. After the priority homes were checked we then inspected
the others by quadrants and to make sure the structures were secured and the property being
maintained. Inspectors used door hangers to notify immediate neighbors next to the foreclosed
homes that the homes are vacant, and asked their assistance in keeping a vigilant eye on the
vacant home, contacting the police or the building department in case of maintenance issues or
suspicious activities. The inspectors also checked property maintenance issues on other properties
as well while in the different neighborhoods.
In 2009 we started having the inspectors help with mowing lawns of vacant homes when we were
unsuccessful getting the persons or business listed as property owner to keep the sites maintained.
In the past years these jobs were hired out to independent contractors. The Finance Department
then sought payment from the properties owners. If payment was unsuccessful, the properties’ tax
was assessed. With input from the Finance Department we felt this provided cost savings to the
city by not having to pay a contractor and cutting down on resources that the billing process
required. Inspectors Ron Langer and Terry Renlund came up with the idea and graciously
accepted the added roles.
Building Safety Inspections
In 2009, 2,136 documented building related inspections were performed. These inspections
consist of plumbing, mechanical, or various building project visits. This number does not include
many onsite consultations with homeowners or contractors that as inspectors with various
construction backgrounds, we provide as an additional service. Many times these type visits help
prevent potential issues or problems with projects as they progress or sometimes help with project
complaints between a property owner and a contractor.
The entire staff of inspectors handle plan review duties, Ron Langer and I doing the majority of
the commercial project reviews and inspections. Ron Langer and Terry Renlund do most of the
residential project plan reviews and inspections.
Property Maintenance
The Property Maintenance Inspector Dawn West had another busy year inspecting properties for
ordinance violations. With the help of building inspectors Ron Langer and Terry Renlund they
dealt with violations at 169 different properties in Hastings. Many of the properties were cited for
multiple violations. Long grass/weeds and illegal autos (expired tabs – inoperable) were the
majority of the issues cited. Fortunately only one case went to court to gain code compliance.
Trash houses continue to come to our attention every year. Last year we investigated a few tips
with two cases needing the most attention. One was a condo in an apartment type building that
had huge amounts of trash and rotting food that was affecting the lone inhabitant’s health in
addition to smells affecting the neighboring units. It took awhile to get cooperation from the
owner but with the help of the Police and Dakota County Social Workers it was cleaned up and
damaged areas repaired.
The other important case is a single family home that we’ve been working on for awhile. The
family’s home is in a safer condition after a lot of help but they still have a ways to go. It’s to the
point where the Social Worker is closing their case, but the Fire Inspector and Building Safety
Department will continue to work monitor the situation on a regular basis as they still have a
garage filled with an enormous fire load and issues inside the home yet.
Rental Housing Licensing
Dawn West handles the rental licensing of the current 632 properties in Hastings. Some of the
632 properties have multiple units in each building. The increased amount of foreclosed and
vacant homes the last few years has created more rental properties to be licensed. Al Storlie, the
Hastings Fire Inspector, assists Dawn with inspections on properties that house three dwelling
units or more. He also accompanies Dawn on various one and two unit properties when she
requests his assistance. Renter complaints are not uncommon resulting in more inspections than
the regular bi-annual inspection. The Finance Department has worked with our department to
help coordinate billing of the licenses so landlords know when to expect their notices.
The Department of Building Safety Moved
The move of our offices on the second floor of City Hall was completed in early 2009. We moved
from the north end to the south end of the Building/Planning area. With all department employees
chipping in we moved the remnants left from the Engineering Department out to storage and
saved whatever we could use. Nicks and holes were patched and the walls were given a fresh coat
of paint. Desk, shelves, and filing cabinets were moved to the new area. The move will allow
both the Building and Planning Departments to expand as needed. Quarters were pretty cramped
before the Engineering Department moved to their new building shared with Public Works.
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10 Annual Spring Clean Up
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On April 25, 2009 the city’s 10 Annual Spring Clean Up Day was held at the Public Works
building. With a joint agreement from Dakota County they had workers on hand to collect
hazardous waste saving county residents the typical drive to the Eagan facility. It was another
success although traffic was not as steady as prior years. I think the economy was a factor in the
turn out but we still got rid of a lot of waste that we know was properly disposed of. Once again
we had positive feedback from the public on the event.
Building Safety Department Notables
Building Inspector Terry Renlund has finished his Building Inspection Technology schooling as
of December 2009. He will be testing for his Building Officials Certificate in the spring of 2010.
When he gets certified that will make all three of Hastings’s inspectors Certified Building
Officials.
I am currently serving on the State Code Advisory Committee for the National Green Building
Standard and the International Energy Conservation Code. The State of Minnesota Department of
Labor & Industry is hoping to adopt these codes in the next year or two. The awareness and the
demand for energy efficient building components are ever increasing and the advancements in
technologies are producing some exciting products. Our department plans to stay on the leading
edge of any changes that can contribute to a more efficient built environment.
I was a board member of the 10,000 Lakes Building Officials Association (10K) in 2009. I will
be secretary of the organization in 2010 and the President in two years. The monthly meetings
have been beneficial to help stay abreast of what other cities are doing and problems or issues
they encounter. The 10K organization sponsors and provides contractor, inspector, and design
professionals with educational opportunities statewide. 10K volunteers to build handicap ramps
for residents and are the sponsors of the roadside cleanup of Highway 95 from Highway 61 going
north for 3 miles. The members volunteer to clean up the roadside two times a year in the spring
and fall.
In Summary
In 2010 it will be interesting to see how the statewide economy affects Hastings. Will we see new
construction of residential and/or commercial buildings activity improve? Will the high inventory
of foreclosed homes be reduced by sales or will the market increase? There are a lot of variables
that no one can predict accurately. February of 2009 was the low point for permits and units being
built as reported by the Twin Cities Builders Association. As of February 2010 the market has
seen six consecutive months of year-over-year gains in the number of permits issued. Before the
current string of gains, the local market saw year-over-year declines in monthly permit numbers
for more than three years. Hopefully this is a sign that the economy will slowly improve and we
see an increase in building activity in Hastings. Based on the number of calls we’ve been getting
inquiring about permits and projects I believe we will see an increase in building activity from
2009.
As administrative leader of the Building Safety Department I’m proud to say that we currently
have the best staff I’ve been associated with in the 10 years that I’ve worked in Hastings.
Everyone works together well and they are all great public servants that understand that customer
service is the key to our success. With the great communication we have enjoyed with the other
departments it makes working for the City of Hastings a truly satisfying experience. I’m
optimistic that 2010 will be a year of exciting new projects and growth for the Hastings area.
Respectfully Submitted,
Tom Bakken