HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Council Action Form dated August 9, 2005 T
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ITEM # 9�q
DATE August 9. 2005
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: ORDINANCE REVISIONS TO PLUMBING REGULATIONS
ADDRESSING CLARIFICATION OF ROLES FOR PLUMBING
INSPECTOR, BUILDING OFFICIAL, PLUMBING BOARD OF
APPEALS, AND THE APPEALS PROCESS AND SUPERVISION OF
APPRENTICE PLUMBERS
BACKGROUND:
City ordinance sections 21 .202, 21.302, and 21.303 address the licensing and registration
of plumbers in Ames, along with the appropriate level of supervision for apprentice
plumbers. In the current ordinance, the plumbing inspector conducts the registration and
licensing process. The proposed changes direct the building official to assume these
administrative tasks rather then keep them as an assignment of the plumbing inspector.
The current ordinance allows apprentice plumbers to be supervised by a journeyman
plumber, and the proposed changes also allow for supervision by a master plumber.
City ordinance sections 21 .402, 21.403, and 21.404 address the appeal of a plumbing
inspector's decision. The current ordinance sets the process for the appeal of a plumbing
inspector's decision to be forwarded directly to the Plumbing Code Board of Appeals. The
proposed ordinance change would direct the appellant to make an appeal first to the
building official when dealing with the decision of a plumbing inspector. Should appellants
seek further relief, they would then, after receiving the decision of the building official, be
able to appeal their decision to the Plumbing Code Board of Appeals. The proposed
change also reduces the number of days the appellant has to make an appeal from the
present 15 day period to the proposed 10 day period. The time for the building official to
give the appellant written notice of the date and time of the hearing by the plumbing board
is proposed to change from the existing three days to five days.
The Building Board of Appeals met on June 7th and has agreed to the proposed changes.
No objections to these changes have been registered by other plumbers in the community.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. The Council may choose to accept the proposed changes outlined above and adopt the
attached amendment to the City's Plumbing Code ordinance.
2. The Council may choose to modify the proposed Plumbing Code ordinance changes.
3. The Council may choose to reject the proposed changes to the Plumbing Code
ordinance.
1
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
The proposed changes clarify the roles and responsibilities of the plumbing inspector,
building official, and Plumbing Board of Appeals. By utilizing the building official for this
administrative task, the plumbing inspector will be free to concentrate on providing in-field
services. By adding the building official as a step in the appeal process of an inspector's
decision, the appellant may find faster relief than the existing ordinance can provide,which
directs the first step in the appeal process to go to the Plumbing Code Board of Appeals.
Both the Plumbing Code Board of Appeals and the city manager recommend Alternative
#1 accepting the proposed changes outlined above and adopting the attached
amendments to the City's Plumbing Code ordinance.
COUNCIL ACTION: