HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-28-2025 Public Works & Property Vacation Committee Minutes SignedOFFICE OF THE CI1'Y CLERK
BI ANCA L. T IR A DO , C ITY C LERK
P U BLI C WORKS & PROP E RT Y YACAT IO
Co mmittee Me mb e rs Prese nt:
Co mmittee M embe rs A bse nt:
Other Co uncil Prese nt:
O th e rs Prese nt:
P rese nt e rs :
Age nd a:
M AY 2 8 , 2 025 4 :2 5 P.M .
S he il a N iezgod s ki , Oph e lia G oo d e n-
Ro d ge rs , Troy Warn e r, Carl Littre ll , Jaso n
Pi o nte k
Dr. Oli ve r Dav is
Cann eth Lee , R a ch e l To m as M o rgan , Ka re n
L. White ,
Bi a nc a L. T irad o , M atth ew e al , Marga re t
Go tsc h, Bo b Pa lm e r
J e nn a T hro w, Ra nd y James
Di sc uss io n -Propose d Rev is io ns to th e
Building D ep artm e nt O rdin anc e
Please note the attached link for the meeting recording:
https://docs.southbendin.gov/WebLink/browse.aspx?dbid=0&mediaid=395777
Co mmittee C hair S he il a iezgo d s ki call ed to o rd e r th e Public Wo rk s a nd Prop e rt y Vacati o n
Co mmittee m ee tin g a t 5 :2 5 P.M.
Building Ordinance Discussion
Co mmittee C ha ir N iezgo d s ki stated th a t Je nn a Thro w and R a nd y Jam es have bee n wo rkin g o n
upd atin g th e bulding sec ti o n of th e M unicipal Co d e.
Rand y Jam es , Building Co mmi ss io ner, Building De pa rtm e nt , w ith offices a t 125 So uth L afaye tt e
Bo ul evard , S uit e l 00 , So uth B e nd , I 4 66 01.
Je nn a T h row, C it y A tt o rn ey, Legal De pa rtm e nt , w ith offices o n th e twe lth (12 th) fl oo r of th e
Co unty -C it y Building , So uth Be nd , IN 46601 .
T he ir prese ntati o n revo lve d a bo ut p ro pose d rev is io ns to th e Building D e partme nt O rdin an ce ,
w hi c h are int e nd ed to impro ve cl a rit y, increase effi c ie nc y, and a li g n w ith s tate stand ard s by
Matthc1r Neal
D EPu1Y O1Y 0.ERK / D IRECTOR O F POLICY
INTE GRI TY I SER VIC E I ACC ESSIB ILIT Y
Man;arct Colsc h
D IRECTOR O F 5PEOAL P ROJECTS
EXC ELLE NCE ACCOUN TAB ILIT Y INNOVA TI ON INC LU SION EMPOW ER MENT
455 County-City Budding 1227 W Jefferson Blvd I South Bend , Indiana 46601 I p 574 .235.9221 I f _ 574.235 .9173 1 www.southbendin.gov
J crrv OF SOUTH BEND I OFFI CE OF THE CITY CLERK
pro m oting e nh anced reve nu e , pro cedures, and d efi niti o ns to s upp ort th e De partm ent 's o perati o ns
and e nfo rce m e nt capa biliti es.
Be low is a s ummar y of key c ha nges th at we re pr ese nt ed in the mee tin g:
To pi c o ne (1 ): Permit Fee A dju stm e nt s -T he ord in ance in creases pe rmit fees to acco unt fo r
infl a ti on and ge nerate reve nu e necessary to s upp o rt staffi ng, s usta in o perati o ns an d fu nd other
D e partm e nt program s. A m ar ket an a lys is co m pa rin g pe rmit fees ac ro ss Indi an a s hows th at , takin g
int o co ns id erat io n th e pro posed fee in c rease , So uth Be nd w ill re m a in co mp eti tive w ith o th er
muni c ipa liti es , w hil e avo iding undu e burd e ns o n a ppli cant s .
Carl Littre ll as ked if th e fees ar e chang in g fo r th e Co unt y as we ll as th e C it y.
Rand y Jam es sta te d th at th e ch ange is fo r th e C it y a nd Co unty ex ce pt fo r M ishawak a, Walke rt o n,
and New Carli s le .
To pi c two (2): A lig nment w ith State Defi niti o n s -De finiti o ns have bee n upd a ted to a li g n w ith
th e Rul es of the F ir e Preventi on and B uildin g Safe ty Co mmi ss io n, e nsurin g co ns iste ncy in
int e rp re tati o n and e nforce m ent. By ad o pt in g th ese stand ardi ze d de finit io ns, th e o rdin anc e
minimi zes a mbi g uiti es th at can lead to in co ns iste nt enfo rce m ent and admini stra ti ve in effic ie nc ies
and fac ilitates coo rdin ati on bet wee n a nd am o ng local and s tate age nc ies.
Co un cil C ha ir N iezgo d s ki as ked if th ere w il I be a n e mb edded link to th e new te rm s.
A tt o rn ey Je nna T hrow stated th at if it is d efi ned in o ne of the publi cati o ns it wo uld have the
m ean ing bu t if it is not defin ed , th e n it wo uld have th e o rdinaril y acce pte d m ea n ing .
Top ic t hr ee (3): In spec ti o n Pro toco l E nh an ce m e nt s -T he rev ise d pro toco ls defi ne th e ro les a nd
res p o ns ibiliti es of in s pec t o rs , o utl i ne in s pect io n tim e lin es , and set c lear ex pecta ti o ns for permit
ho ld ers , as we ll as inclu d in g m eas ures to imp rove co mmuni cati o n bet wee n in s pecto rs and
co nt racto rs. T hese enh a nce me nt s s ho uld im prove co ns is te ncy, effic ie ncy , a nd co mpli an ce .
Co un c il C hair iezgo d s ki as ked w hat ha pp e ns if a co nt rac to r co ntinues to wo rk aft er be in g fi ne d .
R a nd y Jam es Sta te d th at he can iss ue a sto p wo rk o rd er if it is a safe ty co nce rn o r he ca n iss ue
c it ati o ns if th e wo rk has bee n co mpl eted but no t in co mpli a nc e .
To pi c fo ur ( 4 ): Sto p Wo rk Ord er and Cease a nd Des ist Capa bility -T he o rdin ance str e ngth en s
e nfo rce m e nt m eas ures by fo rm a ll y a uth o ri zing sto p wo rk o rd ers a nd cease a nd des ist directi ves.
T hi s provisio n grants th e Building Co mmi ss io ne r th e a uth o rity to h a lt co n stru cti o n ac ti v iti es that
v io la te reg ul ati o ns , w hi c h e nsures immedi ate co mpli an ce and miti gates safe ty ri s ks .
To pi c fi ve (5): Aba nd o ned Co nstruc ti o n Pro j ec ts -T he o rdinanc e c reates a new proce dure t o
a ddress sta ll ed or aband o ned co nstru ctio n p ro j ec ts , whi c h is d es igned to p reve nt in co mpl ete
proj ec t s fro m beco ming lo ng -te rm safe ty hazard s o r co ntributing to urb an bli g ht. T hi s structured
a pp roach to e nfo rce m e nt a nd reso luti o n creates criteri a fo r id enti fy in g a bando ned p roj ects and
o utlin es st ep s fo r sec urin g s it es , no ti fy in g res po ns ibl e pa rti es, a nd , if necessa ry, e nfo rcin g
co rr ecti ve ac ti o ns .
EXC ELLEN C E ACCOUN TA BILITY INNOVAT ION IN C LU SION EM PO W ER M ENT
455 County-City Bu1ld1ng 1227 W Jefferson Blvd. I South Bend, Indiana 46601 I p. 574.235.9221 I f. 574.235.9173 1 www southbend1n.gov
... c nY OF SO lJT1-I BE D I OFFI CE OF T l I E C IT 'r' C L E RK
To pic s ix (6): Ex pa nd e d In s pe ction a nd In ves ti gati o n A uthority -U nd e r Sec . 6-4.8 , the Building
Co mmi ss io ne r is grante d th e a uthority to in s pe ct a ll co n structi o n , regardl ess of w he th e r a building
pe rmit has bee n o bt a in e d . T h e pro v is io n c la rifi es tha t th ese in s pe cti o n s d o no t impose s tricte r
re quire me nts th a n s ta te reg ul a ti o n s but se rve to uph o ld ex isting safe ty a nd co ns tru c ti o n s tand a rd s ,
including F ir e Preve nti o n a nd Building Safe ty Co mmi ss io n 's rul es.
Co uncil C ha ir N iezgod s ki as ke d a bo ut th e la ng uage in M uni c ip a l Cod e Sec ti o n 6 -4 .9 , a nd
s pec ul a te d th a t it was b ased up o n th e new s ta te law.
J e nn a T hrow co nfirm e d th a t is th e lan g uage in M uni c ip a l Cod e Secti o n 6 -4 .9 be in g u sed in th e
new s ta te law w hi c h is a p a rt o f to pic e leve n ( 11 )
To pic seve n (7 ): Building De moliti o n Proc ess A li g nme nt with ID E M -T he o rdina nce rev ises
d e moliti o n pro ce dures to a li g n with s ta te law a nd Indiana D e pa rtm e nt o f E n v ironme nta l
M anagem e nt (ID EM) reg ul a ti o ns . T hi s e n s ures co ns is te nc y in ha ndling hazard o us m a te ri a ls , s ite
re m e di a ti o n , a nd co mpli a nce w ith e n v iro nm e nt a l s ta nd a rd s , s tre amlining th e d e m o liti o n p ro c ess
fo r g reate r effic ie ncy a nd reg ul a to ry a dh e re nce .
Ra nd y J a m es sta te d th a t ID EM m e t wit h him eve n (7) years ago to di sc uss a ddin g a link to th e
ID EM a ppli cati o n as pa rt of the Buildin g De par tm e nt 's co mme rc ia l co nst ru c ti o n a pplic a ti o n
p ac ke t. A t th a t tim e , Ra nd y di scu sse d w ith ID E M a bo ut ma kin g cha n ges to Muni c ip a l Cod e 6 -
6 .4 .
Co un c il C ha ir N iezgod s ki c la irifi ed th a t R a nd y J a m es a lr ead y h a d the co n ve rsati o n w ith ID E M
a bo ut upd a tin g M uni c ip a l Cod e 6-6 .4 , a nd th a t ID EM ha d bee n a d v ised .
To p ic e ig ht (8): Co nt rac to r Reg ist ratio n Refo rm s -T h e o rdina nce st rea mlines th e reg is tra ti o n
p rocess b y re mov in g th e re quire m e nt fo r co nt rac to r reg istrati o n boa rd s , cl arify in g bac kgro und
c h eck p rocedures , a nd refi ni ng exam ina ti o n req ui re m e n ts . T he esse nti a l ve ttin g p rocess re ma in s
intac t w hil e re dunda nt ove rs ig ht board s a re e limin a ted . Bac kgro und c hec ks a nd tes tin g
re quire m e nts ar e now cl earl y d e fin e d , w hi c h e n s ures th a t onl y qu a lifi e d co ntracto rs rece ive
reg ist ra ti o n a pp rova l.
To pic nin e (9): P rocess a nd A dminis t ra ti ve U pd a tes -T he o rdin a nc e includ es key a dmini strati ve
upd a tes, s uc h as rev ised reco rd-kee pin g re quire m e nts , s tre amline d a ppea l pro cesses, a nd
e nh an ced mec ha ni s m s for publi c access to pe rmit a nd c o mpli a n ce in fo rm a ti o n. Va ri o us
p roce du ral c ha n ges imp rove th e d e pa rtm e nt's a bility to e nfo rc e co mpli a nc e , e nha n ce
tran s pa r e nc y, a nd mo d e rni ze o p e rati o na l p rac ti ce , w hi c h includ e di g it a l fi lin g o pt io ns t o in c rease
effi ci e ncy an d re du ce pa pe rwo rk burd e n s.
Co mmittee C h a ir N iezgod s ki as ke d a bo ut re m ov in g re dundant ove rs ig ht board s.
Je nna T h row s ta te d th a t to pic e ig ht (8) cove re d th e c ha nge fro m th ese re dun a nt overs ig ht board s
to a n examine r th a t has to m ee t ce rt a in qu a li fica ti o n s .
To pic te n (10): Re fin e m e nt of M e chani cal, E lec tri ca l, a nd Plumbing R eg ul a ti o ns -The o rdina n ce
re fin es a nd cl a rifi es me ch anica l, e lec tr ical, a nd plumbing line ite m s to e ns ure co n s is te nc y a nd
EXC ELLE NC E ACCO UNTABILIT Y INNOVA TI ON INC LU SION EMPOW ER MENT
455 County-City Bu1ld1ng 1227 W Jefferson Blvd. I South Bend, Indiana 46601 I p 574 235 .9221 I f. 574 235 .9173 1 www southbe nd,n .gov
CITY OF SO lfrI-1 B E DI OFFI CE OF T H E CIT Y C LERK
ease of e n fo rc e m e nt. T h ese re fin e me nt s e limina te o utd a te d la ng u age , reso l ve ambig uiti es, and
a li g n techni cal require m e nt s w ith indu str y sta nd ard s.
To pi c e leve n (11 ): A dju stme nt s to A ddress H EA 100 5 -T h e o rdin a n ce c o nt ain s a dditi o na l
se cti o n s to address new re quire me nt s c o ntained in HEA 100 5, effec ti ve Janua ry 1, 2 026,
pe rt a inin g to th e use of pri vate pro v id e rs to p e rfo rm ce rt a in pl a n rev iew and in s pec ti o n se rv ices.
C iti ze n M e mbe r Carl L ittre ll sta te d th a t h e no ti ce d th e Ho use E n ro ll e d Ac t 100 5 (H EA 1005 ) does
no t a ll ow th e a rc hit ec t , th e e n g in ee r, o r th e owne r of th e building to co nduc t th e ir own in s pe cti o n .
Je nn a Throw ve rifi e d th a t is co rr e ct a nd it has be a n ind e pe nd e nt pe rso n a nd c a n 't be e mpl oye d
b y th e build e r.
Co mmittee C ha ir iezgo d s ki th a nke d bo th prese nt e rs and th e Co mmittee fo r th e ir time and hard
wo rk .
Co mmittee C ha ir N iezgod s ki as ked Je nn a Throw w he n th ey wo uld be read y to fil e.
Je nna T hro w sta te d th a t th ey c o uld be ready to fil e w ithin a few m ee tin gs.
W ith no furth e r bu s in ess, Co mmittee C ha ir S hi e la N iezgod s ki a dj o urn e d th e Publi c Wo rk s a nd
Prop e rt y Vaca ti o n Co mmittee m ee tin g a t 6: 13 P.M.
Res p e ctfully S ubmitted ,
J/d~-
S h e il a N iezgo d ski , Co mmittee C h a ir
NOTI C E FOR H EARI NG AN D S IG HT
IM PA IRED PER SO NS
A u xili a ry A id or Oth e r Se rvi ce s may be Av ail a ble
upon Request at No C harge.
Pl ea se g iv e Re a sonable A d va nce Requ es t
wh e n Po ss ibl e
EXC ELLE NC E ACCO U NTA BILIT Y INNOVATI ON INC LU SION EM POW ER M ENT
455 County-City Building 1227 W Jefferson Blvd . I So uth Bend, Indiana 46601 I p 574 .235 .9221 I f. 574.235 .9173 1 www .southbend 1n.gov