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Item 5.2. <br /> <br />River <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />TO: <br /> <br />Mayor and City Council <br /> <br />FROM: <br />DATE: <br /> <br />Stephen Rohlf, Building and Environmental Administrator <br />January 26, 2004 <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Consider Contracting for Apartment Inspections <br /> <br />As discussed with the Council on several occasions, the Building and Environmental <br />Department is facing an incredible workload. The tremendous increase in building activities <br />is due largely to recent projects by D. R. Horton and Centex Homes. Staff is trying to avoid <br />hiring another building inspector to deal with the increased workload because it is <br />anticipated to return to more normal levels when the projects for these two contractors get <br />built out. <br /> <br />Typically construction activities slow down in the winter, which gives the Department time <br />to do inspections on apartments. A rash of home starts this past fail, however, has made the <br />winter of 2004 a non-typical time. In short, the city's Building Inspectors can't keep up with <br />building inspections and do apartment inspections both this year. Staff explored the <br />following options to deal xvith this issue: <br /> <br />License apartments in 2004, but don't inspect them this year. In past discussions, <br />every-other-year inspections have been considered. This option requires an amendment to <br />City Code, which now calls for annual inspections. A lot of problems can arise in two years <br />and staff is not sold on this option. <br /> <br />Turning apartment in.qpections and licensing over to the Fire Department. Staff has <br />also discussed this option in earnest. A great deal of an apartment inspection is fire related <br />and it is very common for fire departments to do the inspection and licensing. Bruce West, <br />Fire Chief, has indicated that he would need additional help if his Department were to take <br />over apartment inspections and licensing. Staff is looking into this option for 2005. <br /> <br />Hiring a temporary employee to deal with apartment inspections and licensing. <br />Finding someone qualified on a temporary basis is questionable. <br /> <br />Contract for apartment inspections in 2004. Attached is a proposal from Top Notch <br />Home Inspection for this service. Cliff Skogstad (Top Notch Home Inspection) is the <br /> <br /> <br />