Okaloosa County BOCC — July 15, 2015 — 6-4 Inspections- PBB Annotated

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OKALOOSA COUNTY, FLORIDA SERVICE AREA: PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM: GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT/INSPECTIONS DIVISION PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: The Inspections Division of the Growth Management Department enforces the Florida Building Codes (Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel/Gas, Residential, and Building) and the Fire- Life/Safety codes as mandated by Florida law. The Inspections Division also administers the County’s contractor licensing program as provided in Chapter 489, Florida Statutes, which protects public health and safety by ensuring that all contractors working in our jurisdiction are properly licensed. The Inspections Division receives and reviews permit applications, conducts on-site inspections for compliance with the requisite codes, and provides annual fire safety inspections for existing regulated structures. The Inspections Division provides building permit review services throughout unincorporated Okaloosa County as well as the City of Mary Esther, Town of Shalimar and City of Laurel Hill. The Division also provides Fire/Life Safety reviews for all the independent fire districts north of Eglin Air Force Base as well as Destin - Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS). The Inspections Division’s enforcement of the Building and Fire/Life Safety codes has earned Okaloosa County an Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating of 4 which enables Okaloosa County’s homeowners to receive favorable homeowners’ insurance rates. REVENUE: Pursuant to Section 553.80, Florida Statutes, the Inspections Division operates as an enterprise fund, using building permit application fees as its primary source of revenue. MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS LAST YEAR: Ø Co-sponsored with BIA training session to enable contractors and Inspections staff to receive continuing education credits Ø Upgraded permitting software (with IS) Ø Improved General Liability Insurance Certificates requirements. Ø Implemented credit card payment system PROGRAM GOAL: Inspections Division’s is responsible to protect the public health and safety by ensuring that all regulated construction activities meet or exceed the requirements of the Building and Fire/Life Safety codes while providing customer-friendly service to the development industry by ensuring that building permit reviews and inspections are carried out in a timely, uniform manner and operate independently of the County General Fund. KEY OBJECTIVES: 1. Maintain staffing sufficient to meet the following levels of service: a. Inspections performed the next business day for any inspection requested by midnight of the preceding day. b. Provide twice-per-week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) walk-through review of single-family residences, renovations, additions, pools, and accessory structures. c. Provide plans review within time-frames specified by the Florida Statute d. Maintain ability to respond in times of natural disaster. e. Maintain an ISO rating of 4 or better 2. Maintain revenues and reduce costs where possible to enable the Division to function without subsidy. 3. Replace fax permitting with on-line permitting for permits current issued by fax (with IS) 4. Develop voice transcription-based inspections results to reduce paperwork and increase efficiency (with IS). 5. Generate system postcard notice to contractors when permits are 6 months and 1 day old for payment reminder and schedule inspections (with IS). 6. Online reports that customers can query on their own to lessen public requests for staff. PERFORMANCE MEASURES: Actual Approved Proposed Performance Measures FY14 FY15 FY16 FTEs