The Office of Buildings proposed permitting process and office restructuring was taken up in the Community Development/Human Resources (CDHR) and Finance Committees on October 11th and October 12th. Ordinances 11-O-1290 and 11-O-1291 unanimously passed out of CDHR Committee on October 11th. Ordinance 11-O-1292 unanimously passed out of the Finance Committee but 11-O-1293 was held in committee at the request of Council member Felica Moore and other committee members who requested additional financial information on 11-0-1293 which would establish an Enterprise Fund. The Enterprise Fund would ensure fees collected for services provided for the development community would remain in the Office of Buildings for technology upgrades and additional training for staff. Commissioner James Shelby and Office of Buildings Director Don Rosenthal ensured the Finance Committee they would have the additional information by Monday, October 17th.
The Council for Quality Growth along with other members of the development community support the entire legislative package and expressed concerns about letting the other ordinances go to the full City Council without the Enterprise Fund ordinance. Members of the development community asked CDHR Chair Joyce Sheperd and Finance Chair Yolanda Adrean to hold the other ordinances until Ordinance 11-O-1293 passes out of committee so the entire legislative package can be presented as a whole. CDHR Chair Sheperd and Finance Chair Adrean agreed to hold the legislation from consideration of the full City Council until Ordinance 11-O-1293 passes. The Council will continue working on this issue on behalf of our members. You can view all the ordinances for the building permit reform package at the links below.