HomeMy WebLinkAbout07102002 BSC Minutes
City of West University Place
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Building & Standards Commission
Municipal Building, Bill Watson Conference Room
3800 UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD
Meeting Minutes
July 10, 2002
MEMBERS PRESENT: James McDaniel, David Kehn, Jorge Jimenez-Marcos, Darryl Friday,
Les Albin, Bryant Slimp and Muddy McDaniel (Muddy McDaniel
arrived at 6:08 p.m.)
MEMBERS ABSENT: James Collier, Patrick O'Donnell,
COUNCIL LIASION: Mike Farley, absent
STAFF PRESENT: Neslihan Bilir Tesno and Dennis Mack,
1. Call to Order. With a quorum, present James McDaniel called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.
2. Citizens who wish to be heard. None.
3. Citizens who wish to address agenda items. None.
• 4. Designation of voting members. James McDaniel stated per the alternate voting schedule that
Darryl Friday is the voting member for the meeting.
5. Meeting Minutes. Les Albin made a motion to approve the April 4, 2002 minutes as amended.
David Kehn seconded the motion. AYES: James McDaniel, Darryl Friday, David Kehn, Les Albin,
and Bryant Slimp. NOES: None. ABSTAIN: None. Motion passed. Minutes approved.
6. Independent Review of Construction Plans. Dennis Mack presented a memo concerning the
changes to plan checking process and proposed amendments to the Code Schedule. He stated that he
would:
1) Add a statement to the Building packet concerning the laws regulating
engineers and a reminder that any violations will be reported to the Texas
Board of Professional Engineers.
2) Recommend an amendment to the Codes Schedule to require the
designing engineer to certify his design on a form provided by the City
of West University Place.
3) Recommend an amendment to the Codes Schedule to require framing
and construction of any structure supporting more than one floor to be
designed and certified by a Registered Professional Engineer (RPE).
4) Require all forms to be recorded at Harris County Deed of Records.
David Kehn stated that if it was a replacement `in-kind' that an engineer seal should not be required.
Les Albin wanted to ensure that a one-story addition to second floor require a RPE. Jim McDaniel
suggested that Dennis go over memo with Jim Dougherty. Dennis Mack recommended placing these
items on the agenda for the next meeting for discussion. Jim McDaniel asked Dennis to return next
• month with a draft of the forms and to rework the memo to include the concerns of the members.
7. Building Standards Questionnaire/Survey. Jim McDaniel passed out an email from the mayor in
regard to the proposed survey. He stated city council wants a succinct statement as to the intent of
3800 University Boulevard • West University Place, Texas 77005-2899 • 713066804441 • www.westu.org
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Building and Standards Commission Minutes
July 10, 2002 Meeting
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• the survey and that BSC is responsible for the preparation, review and presentation to council. Jim
McDaniel asked if all members wanted to pursue issue. Les Albin stated that the members had
previously voted to pursue. Jim McDaniel stated the BSC does not have the unequivocal support of
City Council and does not feel that this commission could put together a survey and statement of
intent that they would approve. David Kehn questioned whether this city or its citizens wanted to
settle for the `minimum standards' or do they want better? Les Albin argued that residents are
surprised to find out the quality of their homes are no different that other cities. Jim McDaniel stated
the objective was to get useful information, would residents really be able to accurately rate the
`quality' of their homes. He requested an abeyance of the issue and that all members return next
month with specific and precise objectives for the survey. Bryant Slimp requested that staff report
on the general survey that was sent out earlier this year, how was it justified, rationalized and how
was it implemented. Michael Ross stated that he would check into getting a report from the
professor in charge of the survey. Jim McDaniel stated that this issue would be placed on the agenda
of next months meeting for discussion.
8. Staff Comments. None.
9. Commission Member Comments.
Darryl Friday inquired about the proposed amendment concerning schedule 40 pipe and purple
primer. Dennis will get with Jim Dougherty to draft the amendment.
10. Adiournment. Les Albin made a motion to adjourn. Bryant Slimp seconded the motion. AYES:
Jim McDaniel, Les Albin, Bryant Slimp, Darryl Friday and David Kehn. NOES: None. Motion
passed. Meeting adjourned at 7:21 p.m.
Attachments:
Memo from Dennis Mack, Chief Building Official, dated July 8, 2002, Re: Foundation plan review
status report.
Email from Mayor Linda Lewis re: BSC Proposed initiated survey and page 1 & 2 of City Council
Special Session minutes from May 20, 2002 meeting re: Survey relating to Building Standards.
(Handed out to all BSC members from Jim McDaniel, Chairman)
PASSED THIS DAY t 002.
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Ja es Daniel, Chairman
ATTEST:
Sal W.I an ning and Development Assistant
ATTACHNiENT TO BSC 7-10-2002 MEETING MINUTES
City of West University Place
@Texas
Memo
To: Jim McDaniel
Chairman Building Standards Commission
From: Dennis Mack, Building Official
Date: July 8, 2002
Re: Foundation plan review process status report
Attached you will find a copy of our permit information packets that are available to all
applicants at our office during normal business hours. These packets explain what
codes the city has adopted and what information is required on a set of construction
plans in order to receive a building permit.
I will be incorporating a statement into this packet that states:
• NOTICE: The City checks all construction documents signed and sealed by a
Professional Engineer for compliance with Texas Administrative Code, Title 22
Examining Boards, Part 6 Texas Board Of Professional Engineers, Chapter 131
Practice And Procedure, Subchapter I Professional Conduct And Ethics, Rule
§131.153 Engineers' Actions Shall Be Competent.
(a) Engineers shall practice only in their areas of competence, in a careful and .
diligent manner, and in conformance with standards, laws, codes, and rules
and regulations applicable to engineering practice.
(b) The engineer shall not perform any engineering assignment for which the
engineer is not qualified by education or experience to perform adequately and
competently. However, an engineer may accept an assignment which includes
phases outside of the engineer's area of competence if those other phases are
performed by legally qualified consultants, associates, or employees.
(c) The engineer shall not express an engineering opinion in deposition or before a
court, administrative agency, or other public forum which is contrary to
generally accepted scientific and engineering principles without fully disclosing
the basis and rationale for such an opinion. Engineering opinions which are
rendered as expert testimony and contain quantitative values shall be
supported by adequate modeling or analysis of the phenomena described.
Construction plans signed and sealed by a Professional Engineer that appear
to be in violation of the Texas Engineering Practice Act will be forwarded to the
• Texas Board of Professional Engineers 1917 IH 35 South Austin, TX 78741
(512)440-7723) for their review.
ATTACHMENT TO BSC 7-10-2002 MEETING MINUTES
' In addition to the above under the section for foundations in the Standard Code
Schedule it states:
All foundations for new buildings and foundation repairs shall be designed by a
registered professional engineer ("RPE"), and the work shall be:
a. illustrated in complete plans and specifications signed and sealed by the RPE;
b. based on a soils report from a recognized and reputable firm or agency
(Exception: no soils report is required for a single-story accessory building with
less than 450 sq. ft. of gross floor area); and
c. inspected by an RPE who certifies proper construction, before work proceeds
further.
In order to strengthen the effect of paragraph c I propose we change paragraph c to
require the RPE to certify proper construction on a form composed by the Chief
Building Official. This form will state that the foundation has been designed and
constructed in accordance with all applicable codes and ordinances in effect at the
time of construction.
In addition to providing the form to the City we might want to require the contractor to
have the form recorded with Harris County Property Records.
• Paragraph c to read as follows:
c. foundations shall be inspected by the designing RPE who shall certify proper
construction on a form provided by the Chief Building Official before work
proceeds further. The RPE shall affix his unobscured seal original signature and
date of signature to the original certification form.
Additionally I would like to propose that we take a corresponding step and require all
structural framing to be designed and inspected by an RPE as well. We could add a
sub paragraph d to the Standard Code schedule to read as follows:
d. Structural framing for all new buildings and structural framing repairs
supporting more than one floor and a roof, for all existing buildings shall be
designed by a registered professional engineer ("RPE') and the work shall be:
1. illustrated in complete plans and specifications signed and sealed by the RPE•
2. structural framing shall be inspected by the designing RPE who shall certify
proper construction on a form provided by the Chief Building Official before work
proceeds further. The RPE shall affix his unobscured seal original signature and
date of signature to the original certification form.
•
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ATTACHMENT TO BSC 7-10-2002 MEETING MINUTES
Page 1 of 1
n r1
Main Identity o p
From: Linda Lewis <fiberworks@hotmail.com>
To: <jwmcd42@prodigy.net> .
Cc: <MFARLEY4@HOUSTON.RR.COM>; <marilyng@wt.net>; <gjaxson@swbell.net>;
<bmayarchitect@evl. net>
Sent: Monday, June 24, 2002 8:39 PM
Jim,
At tonight's council meeting, we reviewed procedure for developing the proposed BSC initiated survey.
Agreed upon is that BSC has the responsibility for preparing the survey, reviewing it with staff and, finally,
presenting it to council for final approval. Additionally, council would appreciate having a succinct
statement as to intended purpose of the survey. No funds for this survey have been allocated, nor will they
be until it is given final approval.
Hope this answers any questions you may have. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
L%wdcv Lawid
• Join the world's largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. Click Here
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b/1J/U6
ATTACHMENT TO BSC 7-10-2002 MEETING MINUTES
•
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL SESSION
MONDAY, MAY 20, 2002
MUNICIPAL BUILDING
3500 UNIVERSITY BLVD.
6:30 P.M.
The City Council convened in Special Session in the Municipal Building Conference Room
(3800 University Blvd.) on May 20, 2002, with the following members present: Mayor
Lewis presiding, Council Members May, Farley, Griffin and Jackson. The City Manager,
City Secretary, City Attorney, Public Works Director, Police Captain, Parks and
Recreation Director were also present.
The notice for this meeting was posted in accordance with the Texas Government Code,
Chapter 551, on the 17th day of May 2002 at 4:00 p.m.
Colonial Park redevelopment.
Matters related to the bids received for the redevelopment of Colonial Park, including
• funding, utilities and an agreement with the Friends of West University Place Parks Fund.
Parks and Recreation Director Mark Mailes presented the results of the bids for the
redevelopment of Colonial Park.
Representatives from Reliant Energy-Entex Charles Langford, Stephen Greenley and Tal
Centers were present at the meeting and presented a report regarding the abandonment of
the deep well ground bed that was installed in 1977.
Council Member Griffin asked Mr. Langford why they recently capped the ground bed if
there are no emissions and it is considered dead.
Mr. Langford stated capping was a normal procedure. Entex decided to disconnect this
ground bed from their system and relocate to a new location yet to be determined. The
equipment has been removed from the park and the bed is no longer active and there will
be no reaction from the system. A representative from Entex assured the City Council
that if any part of the anode were left in the ground, they would assume any liability.
The City Council discussed the relocation of the utility lines and who was responsible for
funding.
This item is on the Regular Session for formal consideration.
Survey relating to building standards.
• Matters related to a citizen survey regarding building standards including cost estimates.
ATTACHMENT TO BSC 7-10-2002 MEETING MINUTES
• City Council Special Session May 20, 20
y 02
City Manager Sherman Yehl reported that the Building Standards Commission, at their
May 2, 2002 meeting, voted to request that City Council establish funding for a survey to
solicit selected citizens input on the quality of materials used in the construction of the
homes they have purchased. That request was presented to City Council at the meeting of
May 13.
Surveys are an excellent way to solicit opinions and comments from residents. However,
in order for surveys to be valid, they must be free from bias. In addition to identifying
when to survey, the survey administrator needs to know, in particular, what to ask and
how to ask. The draft survey provided by the BSC, at first review, appears to be very
biased in its format. It is suggested that the survey be redrafted and pretested before use.
Staff estimates the cost between $3,000 - $4,000.
Mr. Yehl stated that the Staff is recommending that council approve a budget of $3,500 to
fund a survey prepared by staff that will solicit valid responses from affected residents. It
is staffs recommendation that should the City Council desire to conduct a survey on
behalf of the BSC that a budget of up to $4,000 be approved and staff authorized to work
with the BSC in preparing a survey instrument.
• Les Albin, a member of the Building an d Standards Commission was present at the
meeting and fielded questions from Council on the intent of the survey.
The City Council agreed to fund the survey but would-like the final draft to be submitted
to Council before distributing and prior to spending money.
Report on tree damage on Werlein and Tangley.
Matters related to a report regarding tree damage in Priority Areas 7B and 8.
Mr. Yehl presented the following status report concerning alleged tree damage due to
infrastructure construction at 2720 Werlein and 3421 Tangley (Priority area 7B and 8).
3421 Tangley - 36" diameter Live Oak. During installation of a handicap ramp on the
south-east corner of Tangley and Sewanee a number of roots were cut or damaged. One
root that measured approximately 3" diameter and several roots less than 1" diameter
were cut. A larger root was also damaged. This is not, in the opinion of the urban forester,
a significant amount of root loss and the tree should not be impacted. However, since we
are going into the summer months, dry weather root stimulation has been scheduled for
May 17, 2002. Construction will continue on the handicap ramp with a few alterations in
design.
• 2720 Werlein -17" & 15" diameter Pecans. During the excavation of the old street and
driveway approaches the contractor damaged tree roots past the zero curb cut line.
Forestry Associates, Inc. inspected the damage and issued the attached recommendations.
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