Rincon wants to take a look at how much to charge for inspectors who have to take another look at construction sites.
City council members are weighing a new set of fees for re-inspections called by the builder or developer. City planner LaMeisha Hunter said the city has a set number of inspections based on the size of the building and inspectors are getting called out frequently.
An inspection for a certificate of occupancy is four inspections in one, she said.
“It’s taken up a lot of time,” Hunter said.
The county has a re-inspection policy to deter builders from repeatedly calling out inspectors.
“If someone has a question about code, we won’t charge them for that,” Hunter said. “That’s what we’re there for.”
Inspectors are doing about 15 inspections a day and can’t get to all the inspections they are called for or need to do, Hunter said.
“We have been abused by the builders and the developers,” council member Levi Scott said. “We need to let them know there is accountability.”
Council member Lamar Crosby said he likes the idea of being consistent with a county policy. Builders and developers he has talked to want a similar set of fees and rules to follow.
“This is a step in that direction,” he said.
Council members tabled adding a construction inspector position until their next regular meeting after wanting to see how much the position would cost and how it would be funded in the budget.
“I’m concerned about what’s happening to people and their property,” Scott said. “This is an important move and I think we need this person.”
Council member Reese Browher said he wasn’t against the position, but he wanted to see how much it would cost first.
“When we look at a new position, we need to have the numbers in front of us,” he said.
Council member Paul Wendelken said he backed the position if the numbers bear it out and if there was enough work for that person.
“We’re creating just out of the blue,” he said.
The majority of the funding could come from fees, Crosby said.
“Nothing precludes us from approving the job description,” he said. “We still need to take a step.”
