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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03032005 BSC Agenda Item 5 AUL Email Page 1 of 2 Annette Arriaga From: Annette Arriaga Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2003 2:30 PM To: Bryant Slimp - BSC (E-mail); David Kehn - BSC (E-mail); Muddy McDaniel - BSC (E-mail); Patrick O'Donnell - BSC (E-mail) Subject: FW: Rot Resistant Materials Applications -----Original Message From: Lalbins @aol.com [mailto:Lalbins @ aol.com] Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2003 9:16 AM To: djfriday @pdq.net; mcdaniel @swbell.netl; jorge @jimenezcompany.com; AArriaga @westu.org Subject: Rot Resistant Materials Applications For Discussion: Rot & Corrosion resistant materials should be considered for the following applications on all new construction and on major remodeling: Exterior Door Jambs Brick Moldings Door Sills Window Sills Facias Frieze Soffits & Ceilings (except where decorative components are not available in rot resistant materials) Siding (except to match existing) Trim Boards All Exterior Deck/Balcony/Porch Components (structural & decorative) Sheathing within 4ft of grade or a deck/balcony/porch Floor Decking on any exterior deck/balcony/porch Floor Decking in interior "wet" areas (bathrooms, utility rooms, kitchens, etc.) Exterior Stairs Exterior Handrails Structural Fence Components Bottom 11" of wood fences Masonry Lintels Other areas for possible application: Exterior Doors Exterior Windows Possible Suitable Materials: Pressure Treated Pine 7/3/2003 L AUEmail Page 2 of 2 f 41110 Mahogany Cypress Aluminum Galvanized Steel Stainless Steel Copper Resin Based Composites Fiberglass UV resistant Plastic Nardi (or equal) products Any other material with equal or better rot/corrosion resistance teel illeg!vtv 1 7/3/2003 RoustonChronicle.com - West.i,ommission halts action on blaze • Page 1 of 4 ' " ' 3A\ NIGHI HoustonChronic.le.cotn 5}IOPP1 March 9, 2005, 10:10PM Printer-friendly format SEARCH NEW !Pick a section West. U. commission E-mail this story ENTER ONUN halts action on blaze S- PRI Section: West. aptooeRy U.Bellaire/MeyerlandlWest Property of two residents affected by gas pipe News ignition . Current stories in West. 1 U.Bellaire/Meyerland/West By ROBERT STANTON Oyu News: Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle • Quiet zone to get loud West University Place officials are taking a wait-and- reception see approach regarding a Jan. 17 fire that destroyed one • Building planned at home and damaged the garage of another. a - Main, University .- > : • Rice's Perry advances ADVERTISEMENT ' in opera competition YOUR CHECK'S IN , ` �v ' • Southside plans for �ti�, , town center HE AIL,, • West U.'s Ballanfant to face no opposition • Shopping center site of n robberies, aggravated ? 'l assault • Bellaire honors city °_.P = a a attorney,prosecutor � \ \ • Yard sale begins new o scholarship fund ' • West. U. commission , ° halts action on blaze pentium m. • Site official offers ,, mediation • Faces In The Crowd: While West University Fire Marshal Al Collins has , ..41r\ Meredith McCord ruled the fire accidental, officials with the city's • Calendar Building and Standards Commission have postponed action on their investigation until all issues surrounding the blaze are resolved. 4 If the commission later finds that the incident constitutes an "aggravated violation" as defined by city ordinance,the contractor may be prohibited from building within the city, Assistant City Manager Ron http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/thisweek/zone09/news/3076149 3/11/2005 HoustonChronicle.com - West.•commission halts action on blaze • Page 2 of 4 Wicker has said. Fire department officials said a backhoe operator accidently struck a natural gas pipe that ignited, sending up flames that ignited the home and garage. The commission voted unanimously March 3 to table further discussions on the fire until the contractor, Robert W. Covington, owner of Covington Builders, and his subcontractor, JTB Services, a demolition firm, iron out all issues related to the blaze. Meanwhile, Building and Standards Commission officials got an earful from two residents impacted by the blaze. The comments came during the March 3 accident review hearing at City Hall. Residents speak out Lou Barragan, a retired railroad company worker, said he was at home with his wife and grandson when he heard his wife scream, "Fire! Fire!" When the family ran from the burning home, Barragan said, he saw a man running toward a pickup truck. "He got in,he took off," he said. "I don't think he came back." Barragan, who lost all of his belongings in the fire, said he was "surprised" that neither the contractor nor subcontractor has checked on his well-being since the fire. "My daughter called them,but they wouldn't discuss anything with her," said Barragan, who, along with his wife, is staying with daughter Georgianna Sadler of Houston. Sadler said neither Covington,the contractor, nor JPB Services,the subcontractor, had notified the Texas One-Call Board of Texas before beginning the excavation work. The Texas One-Call law requires anyone—with a few exceptions such as cemetery operators—to call at least two working days before using mechanical equipment to dig 16 inches or deeper, in order to locate underground utilities. http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/thisweek/zone09/news/3076149 3/11/2005 HoustonChronicle.com - West*commission halts action on blaze • Page 3 of 4 Simon, Covington's attorney, declined to comment on Sadler's allegation, saying only, "We don't know whether JPB made that call or not." Jim Bulgier, owner of JPB Services, could not be reached for comment for this story. Sadler also said the West University Place Fire Department was the last to arrive at the scene, after Southside Place and Houston firefighters had already begun fighting the blaze. West University Place Fire Chief Steve Ross disagreed, however, saying the department's command vehicle arrived at the scene in 3 minutes, and the first engine in 5 minutes, 12 seconds. 'Wall of flames' Gail Rosenthal, another resident, said the garage of her home in the 2700 block of Cason was damaged by the fire. "I was at home on the phone and working on my computer when I heard explosions," said Rosenthal, a 32-year West University Place resident. "I opened the door and saw a wall of flames." Rosenthal said that in the days following the fire,the contractors "went on business as usual as if nothing had happened, with no regards for people's well-being." The Buildings& Standards Commission is expected to revisit the matter once the contractors,the attorneys and homeowners iron out their differences, city officials said. "The fire marshal for the city has ruled it an accident," said Wicker, West U. assistant city attorney. "We're looking to see if there's things that we can do that would minimize a future occurrence like this, but all in all it was an accident." robert.stanton@chron.corn Return to top http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/thisweek/zone09/news/3076149 3/11/2005 a= ... 4: ` www.westuexaminer.com , Family `offended ' asks for accountability By MICHAEL REED tives have received from the par- Robert W. Covington Builders of the two is totally responsible— Staff Writer ties responsible for the two-alarm and JTB Services Inc. pending that goes for CenterPoint as well." fire that destroyed their home. further study. According to the city fire mar- For Lauren Barragan-Davatgar, perhaps the most difficult part of We permit these people to work It was a meeting, she said, she shal's report, the Jan. 17 blaze being displaced by a fire seven in our neighborhood and they've would have attended had she been began when a demolition crew left an entire family homeless." notified. It was also a topic on from JTB Services struck a natu- weeks ago at 2612 Werlein has Barragan-Davatgar's remarks which she has an unwavering ral gas line with a backhoe, caus- more to do with a lingering sense were made Friday, a day after a opinion. ing it to rupture. The fire, which of being brushed aside than it does meeting at which West University "I think JTB and Covington was ignited by a pilot light from a her family's inconvenience or Place's Building and Standards should both have their permits water heater in the rear of the material loss. Commission voted unanimously taken away," she said. "They uninsured house, caused no "I feel offended,"she said of the to table any action concerning the should take responsibility without injuries,but left the family of four lack of attention she and her rela- blaze and the firms involved — hesitating.It doesn't matter which see FIRE,page 16 F• ire from page 1 without a residence. tor's registration by the BSC From the period of March 16, violations by Covington, which review or suspension. Under the city's Building and not because of the fire — but 2004 through Jan. 5, 2005, resulted in five reinspection fees of A single mother of a son who is Development ordinances, because the company has received Covington Builders has been cited between $75 and $240 each, was a freshman at St. Thomas High Covington Builders could face a more than three building violations on five separate occasions for 18 about average for contractors School, Barragan-Davatgar said 90-day suspension of its contrac- in the last 12 months. violations directly under the B&D working in West University Place. that while the bureaucratic process guidelines and 12 other offenses "On the whole, they(Covington has been extremely frustrating for that could also be taken into con- Builders) were not in any worse her and her family, the outpouring sideration. shape than most of the others,"he of support they have received from Although the majority of the said, adding his office usually the community has been"absolute- citations were for relatively minor writes between 30 and 40 repri- ly beyond belief." • infractions from a safety stand- mands a month, Since being displaced, she has point, such as mud left on a road- A suspension of Covington's been welcomed into the homes of way or insufficient trash containers registration by the BSC based on three friends, and her parish at St. at a site, two were for uncovered ordinance violations would have to Vincent de Paul has helped with excavation holes. be prompted at the request of the cost of two hotel stays. One site,3314 Albans Road,was chief building official Dennis "They (the community) have shut down for one day on Jan.5 by Mack after the opportunity for a given us all the support we could Daniel Paripovich, the city's code hearing is provided. imagine — money orders, gift enforcement officer,who wrote the. Mack said he planned no such cards. They've extended great site was "absolutely filthy" and action at this time. kindness," Barragan-Davatgar contained "multiple safety haz- JTB Services, as a subcontrac- said. ards." tor, is the responsibility of its Her son has also stayed with Paripovich said the number of employers and is not subject to friends in the community, but she is concerned about the disruption of his school work and study habits. "I was at school all day meeting with every teacher, trying to make arrangements for testing and homework," Barragan-Davatgar said. Her father, Louis Banagan and his wife have been staying with one of his daughters near West University Place,she said. "I've been really busy trying to balance my son's schedule with itemizing this," Barragan- Davatgar said of the task of putting the family's losses on paper. "I heard at one point JTB wanted an itemized list." She said that since being con- tacted by adjusters for both Covington Builders and JTB Services not long after the fire occurred, she has not heard from either company. At the BSC meeting, Louis Barragan said, "No one has noti- fied me about anything." Of JTB • Services,he said, "You don't even know anything about them." Informed that Robert Covington had told the BSC that he had heard "not first hand"that JTB Service's insurer is taking responsibility for her family's claim, she, sounded bemused. "I believe my attorney (Murray Fogler, who took the case pro bono)has spoken to JTB,and they denied any claims for immediate accommodations or expenses," Barragan-Davatgar said. "They were demanding this list,"she said, "but it seems like I ought to be the one demanding."