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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01082004 BSC Minutes City of West University Place A Neighborhood City ® Recycled Paper Building & Standards Commission In The Public Works Building Lunch Room 3825 Milton Street Meeting Minutes January 8th, 2004 MEMBERS PRESENT: Bryant Slimp, David Flame (arrived at 6:18 p.m.) John Ayres, Dr. Peter Benjamin, J. Denis Powers, Brian Hoogendam, Muddy McDaniel and Kevin McMahon. MEMBERS ABSENT: Darryl Friday COUNCIL LIASION: Mike Woods (Absent) STAFF PRESENT: Annette Arriaga, Dennis Mack and Ron Wicker [Call to Order.] With a quorum, present Bryant Slimp called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. 1. Notices, Rules, Etc. Bryant Slimp stated that the next scheduled Building and Standards Commission meeting will be on its regular scheduled time, February 5, 2004 in the Bill Watson Conference Room. He also wanted to advise BSC of the Goals and Objectives set by West University's City Council was listed in the Village News. The same Goals and Objectives that BSC had reviewed previously. 2. Meeting Minutes. Kevin McMahon made a motion first to approve meeting minutes from the December 4th, 2003 BSC meeting as corrected. John Ayres seconds the motion. AYES: Bryant Slimp, David Flame, John Ayres, Dr. Peter Benjamin, J. Denis Powers and Kevin McMahon. NOES: None. ABSTAIN: Motion passed. Minutes Approved. 3. Matters Relating to the Building Standard Commission Recommendations and Status Report. Bryant Slimp asked Dennis Mack the status of the Purple Primer, PVC Schedule 40 and the Final Fence Draft. Dennis advised BSC that the Final Fence Draft was going to go to City Council Monday, January 26, 2004. Purple Primer has already been taken care of It is listed under the International Plumbing Code, 2000 Ed., and noted in our Standard Code Schedule. Dennis Mack stated that he did in fact receive a four-page draft of the complaint form from the State. The form needed to be filled out in detail and Dennis Mack stated that he would get that out as soon as possible. 4. Foundations. Bryant Slimp stated that Les Albin generated information on foundations to be presented to BSC. Les Albin put together an analysis for the foundation design for new homes in the City of West University Place and passed out a handout to BSC to view. He talked about the builder's pressure to cut costs and still build a good quality home. Normally bids always go to the lowest bidder. The lowest cost firms usually make the lowest cost recommendations. Les Albin wants for the Building and Standard Commission to create administrative changes and code changes to force builders to use good building practices and construct high quality houses in West University. Builders will tend to use the lowest alternatives in materials and methods while building in West University to meet the current building standards. Les Albin stated that in order to establish good building practices the BSC and Development Services should: 3800 University Boulevard 0 West University Place, Texas 77005-2899 • 713.668.4441 9 www.westu.org Building and Standards Commission Minutes January 8th, 2004 Page 2 of 3 1. Establish standards for soils tests, 2. Register the soils labs, and require West University registration for Architects and Designers. 3. Require structural plans and the associated calculations be sealed and submitted to the CBO by a Professional Engineer. 4. Require a copy of the builder's contract with the subcontractors be submitted and placed in the Development Services for the project file. 5. Have the City send the structural and foundations engineering package to be reviewed by a third party TLPE using a method similar to the system currently used for Energy Conservation. 6. Require minimum pad thickness of 48 inches on new construction 7. Require soils testing and certification by soils lab to the CBO. The city staff should verify that a qualified representative of the soils lab or engineer is present on site for the various stages of the pier work, the foundation structure work and require that the Engineer is present to observe the entire pour. 8. Provide a minimum checklist to the Engineers to complete. 9. Verify that the Pier letters were submitted, and make sure they address all of the checklist items Les Albin stated that the paper work on each new home should allow for written assurance that the structure would have a better life, with a minimum life of fifteen years. Les Albin added that the foundation problems don't happen often but that the Rosa Kym's home case is a very good example of what can go wrong under the current system used by the Development Services Department. The City cannot tell a builder how to build a foundation but the City can provide adequate guidelines to make sure that the foundation was done correctly. Les Albin stated that if the City had stricter rules and procedures Development Services and the Chief Building Official could plug all the current weaknesses with respect to foundations. He added that the City does not have meaningful standards in this area. Bryant Slimp stated that a general guideline like the guidelines that Les Albin has drafted up could set the tone and provide a work outline for future BSC actions and recommendations to the City Council. BSC will look at this further and recommend actions to strengthen the integrity of foundations rules and procedures. Les Albin stated that the work needs to be done properly not only administrative procedures but also with good construction codes. Bryant Slimp asked for Dennis Mack to help BSC on this foundation code and procedure matter and amend the draft letter of January 8`h. Bryant Slimp requested that this be put back on next month's agenda. No motion made. 5. Old Stock Houses. Ron Wicker the Public Works director indicated that there are a lot of problems and issues that are coming up for the Zoning and Planning Commission. All committees ZBA, ZPC, BSC and City Council will be initially involved and we would like the input of all Commissions. Ron Wickers referred the BSC to his handout from the CRM Volume 17, No. 7 Supplement, and Local Incentives for Historic Preservation. Ron Wicker wants BSC to look at the handout and he stated that this was something that won't happen in a month or too but there are interesting concepts and we can get some type of definite direction that the City wants to move Ron Wicker added that we need some sort of criteria for Old Stock Housing. The City doesn't have a definition of Old Stock Housing and added that the City needs to look at that. Bryant Slimp said BSC needs to define the definition of Old Stock Housing and come up with a definite definition. Also, there are special things that BSC needs to look at for example, what category of home are we looking at? What year are we looking at for? Example 1930 or 1970? How do we define the word, old? Bryant Slimp asked BSC to offer any suggestion on the word, historic? Remodel verses additions? Bryant Slimp requested that Old Stock Houses are put back on next month's agenda. No motion made. 6. Update Flood Study by Denny Powers. J. Denis Powers a BSC council member passed out information on the Poor Farm Kilmarnock Regional Study to each of the BSC members. He stated that the Poor Farm and Kilmarnock Regional Shady nears completion and is scheduled for a Public i Building and Standards Commission Minutes I January 8th, 2004 Page 3 of 3 meeting that is scheduled on Thursday, February 5~", 2004 at Pin Oak Middle School at 4301 Glenmont. Denny Powers stated that the Kilmarnock Regional Study nears completion and will present a summary of their findings and residents will have the opportunity to review the analyses and ask questions. J. Denis Powers stated that since Allison a study group was formed to help the residents of West University Place and to assist in the research and identify West University's flood related problems. J. Denis Powers is in the group that helped gather information from the West University area. City Council had Claunch and Miller do a report and Claunch and Miller completed that report in December of 2001. Claunch and Miller found other alternatives such as detention ponds and explored conceptual options for Poor Farm Ditch. In June of 2002 they made another report and stated that it would cost an estimated 3.8 million dollars. Then in 2003 there was no money in the budget. It went back to City Council in June of 2003 and nothing has been done. The estimated cost would be about 4.9 million dollars and that would include West University, Houston and South Side Place. J. Denis Powers stated that he had all the calculations for the study and he stated that it should provide a 100-year flood plan. The Public Meeting is to educate and find out if the citizens are supportive on the flooding issues in their neighborhood. 7. Studs and Materials. Dennis Mack stated he requested information from the ICC, International Code Congress, in regards to what is the required stud size and spacing of the first story of a three story single-family building and can two 2X4's nailed together replace each of the 3X4's or 2X6's and be spaced 16" on center instead of using 3X4 or 2X6's spaced 16" on center? Dennis Mack stated that he is still waiting for another interpretation from the IRC, International Residential Code Council. Dennis Mack stated sometimes they may say one thing but in writing it may be interrupted differently. Bryant Slimp requested that this be put back on next month's agenda. No motion made. 8. First Floor Elevations verses Survey Benchmarks Dennis Mack stated that he recommends the ordinance to be amended for foundations to include the foundation to be 1 foot based above flood elevation. To find out what the level is and set it a foot above that level. Dennis Mack recommendation, to amend the current ordinance- All foundations to be I foot based above flood elevation Dennis Mack added that the City has hired surveyors and they will set vertical and horizontal Survey markers through out the city. Bryant Slimp requested that this be put back on next month's agenda. No motion made. [Adjournment.] J. Denis Powers motioned first to adjourn. David Flame seconds the motion to adjourn. AYES: Bryant Slimp, David Flame, John Ayres, Dr. Peter Benjamin, J. Denis Powers and Kevin McMahon. NOES: None. ABSTAIN: Motion passed. Meeting adjourned at 7:56 p.m. PASSED THISAcd_DAY OF-MaLh , 2004. Bryant limp, Chair an ATTEST: ~J Ms. Annette R. Arriaga Development Services Secr tar