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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05021996 BSC Minutes BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION MINUTES MAY 2, 1996, THURSDAY • 3800 UNIVERSITY BLVD. REGULAR SESSION MINUTES THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION CONVENED IN THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING, 3800 UNIVERSITY BLVD. , IN THE CITY OF WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE, ON MAY 2ND, 1996 FOR A REGULAR SESSION WITH THE FOLLOWING REGULAR MEMBERS PRESENT: VICE-CHAIRMAN CRAIG DUCOTE, JAMES TODD, JOHN MC INTYRE, JAMES MC DANIEL AND EVELYN PARKS DRAVIS. ABSENT WERE CHAIRMAN CRAIG DUCOTE, ROY HARPER, JIM COLLIER, AND DREW MCMANIGLE. PRESENT FROM THE CITY WERE CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL DENNIS HOLM, FIRE CHIEF TERRY STEVENSON, AND BUILDING SECRETARY SUSAN THORN. HEARING OF RESIDENTS: DR. ARRIGHA, RESIDENT OF 3606 ALBANS SPOKE IN REFERENCE TO A COMPLAINT SHE HAD ABOUT A NEW FENCE RECENTLY CONSTRUCTED NEXT TO HER PROPERTY. SHE STATED THE FENCE WAS RECENTLY CONSTRUCTED ON THE WEST SIDE OF HER PROPERTY AND IT IS LOCATED LESS THAN 6' AWAY FROM HER HOUSE. WHEN THE FENCE WAS CONSTRUCTED NO GRADING OF THE LAND WAS DONE. SHE REVIEWED THE FENCE ORDINANCE AND IT DID NOT MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT GRADING. SHE EXPRESSED HER CONCERNS THAT IF A LOT WAS RAISED DURING CONSTRUCTION A FENCE COULD BE HIGHER ON ONE SIDE. THESE HOUSES SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. IF THEY HAVE RAISED THE LOT A FOOT. THEN ONLY A FIVE FOOT FENCE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE BUILT. SHE STATED SHE HAD SPOKEN TO MR. HOLM CONCERNING THIS IS ISSUE AND MR. • HOLM TOLD HER YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO MEASURE FROM THE LOWEST POINT, HOWEVER THEY DID NOT DO THIS WITH THIS FENCE. THE FENCE IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 6" AND 12" HIGHER THAN HER FENCE. ANOTHER CONCERN DR. ARRIGHA EXPRESSED IS THE FENCE IS VERY CLOSE TO THE EAVES. OTHER CONCERNS DR. ARRIGHA EXPRESSED WERE FENCES THIS HIGH HINDER THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MOSQUITO SPRAYING. SHE ALSO REQUESTED WORK NOT BE ALLOWED ON SATURDAY OR SUNDAYS, PARTIALLY BECAUSE THE COMPANIES ARE CLOSED AND YOU CANNOT REACH ANYONE IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT. DR. ARRIGHA STATED SHE WOULD LIKE THE CITY COUNCIL TO REVIEW THE CURRENT FENCE ORDINANCE AGAIN. • PUBLIC HEARING OF DOCKET N0. 96-03 CONCERNING PROPERTY LOCATED AT 3423 CASON, LOT 4, BLOCK N0. 43, WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE FIRST ADDITION. A REQUEST FOR VARIANCE FILED BY DR. JON REED TO ALLOW THE ADDITION OF A BATHROOM AND CLOSET TO A THIRD FLOOR. DAVID MORRELLI, THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER STATED THE OWNER CURRENTLY USES A THIRD FLOOR ROOM AS A BEDROOM AND WISHES TO ADD A BATHROOM AND CLOSET. MR. MORRELLI STATED APPARENTLY THE CITY DID NOT HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE ROOM. IF THE VARIANCE WERE TO BE DENIED FOR THE ADDITION OF THE BATHROOM AND CLOSET IT WOULD NOT HINDER THE REEDS FROM USING IT AS A BEDROOM AS IT ALREADY IS BEING USED. THE ADDITION WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 7' X 8'. HE STATED THERE CURRENTLY IS NO WINDOW, HOWEVER THERE IS A DORMER ON THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, WHICH POSSIBLY COULD BE ATTACHED TO THE ROOM. MR. HOLM STATED THE HOME BUILDER WHO BUILT THIS HOUSE WAS NOTORIOUS FOR BUILDING OUT THE THIRD FLOOR ROOMS WITHOUT PERMITS. HE FELT CERTAIN HIS PREDESSOR ED BEASLEY WOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED THE BUILD OUT OF THE ATTIC SPACE WITHOUT THE PROPER EGRESS. THIS SPACE PROBABLY STARTED OUT AS A 200 S.F. STORAGE AREA WITH STAIRS CONSTRUCTED TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR ITEMS TO BE CARRIED UP AND DOWN THE STAIRWAY. MR. HOLM STATED HE BELIEVED THE BUILDOUT WAS DONE AFTER THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY WAS ISSUED. IT IS EASY FOR A DESIGNER TO VISUALIZE FLOOR SPACE IN SOME OF THE ATTICS IN WEST UNIVERSITY. • MR. HOLM STATED IN ORDER TO ALLOW THE BUILD OUT OF A THIRD FLOOR YOU MUST HAVE DOUBLE 2' X 4'S OR 2' X 6' FOR THE FRAMING ON THE FIRST FLOOR AND 5/8" TYPE X SHEETROCK THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE. THIS PROVIDES THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF FIRE PROTECTION. THIS ROOM HAS NO WINDOW FOR EGRESS. CRAIG HUGHES STATED IT IS NOT SO MUCH AN ISSUE OF LIGHT AND VENTILATION AS THE ENTIRE HOUSE WAS NOT BUILT FOR A THIRD. JAMES TODD STATED HE DID NOT BELIEVE THE HOUSE WOULD BE ABLE TO HOLD A THIRD FLOOR. DAVID MORRELLI STATED HE WAS WILLING TO DO WHATEVER THE COMMISSION WANTED HIM TO DO IN ORDER TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE EGRESS AND CODE REQUIREMENTS. JIM MCDANIEL STATED IT IS NOT THE FUNCTION OF THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION TO ADVISE SOME ONE HOW TO BRING A STRUCTURE TO CODE. THE COMMISSION CAN ACT ON WHETHER A VARIANCE CAN BE GRANTED BASED ON THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED, BUT THE COMMISSION CANNOT TELL SOME ONE HOW TO BRING THE HOUSE INTO COMPLIANCE. JIM MC DANIEL STATED BASED ON THE FACT THIS HOUSE DOES NOT HAVE WINDOWS FOR EGRESS ON THE THIRD FLOOR, NO 2' X 6' OR DOUBLE 2' X 4' ON THE FIRST FLOOR FRAMING AND THERE IS NO 5/8" TYPE SHEETROCK MADE A MOTION TO DENY THE VARIANCE. THIS MOTION WAS SECONDED BY EVELYN DRAVIS. VOTING AYE: HUGHES, MC INTYRE, MC DANIEL, DRAVIS, & TODD VOTING N0: NONE JIM MC DANIEL AMENDED HIS MOTION TO WAIVE THE FEE FOR A RE-HEARING IF THE APPLICANT/PROPERTY OWNER WERE TO COME BACK TO THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION WITH A PROPOSAL OF HOUSE THE CODE REQUIREMENTS WOULD BE MET. CONTINUATION OF PUBLIC HEARING OF DOCKET N0. 96-01 CONCERNING THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 4126 LEHIGH, LOT 15, BLOCK 20, COLLEGE COURT ADDITION. A REQUEST FOR VARIANCE TO ALLOW THE RE-PERMITTING OF A STRUCTURE. THIS HEARING IS A CONTINUATION OF A HEARING HEjT.D MARCH 7, 1996 AND APRIL 4, 1996. THE PROPERTY OWNER GLADYS WEEKS WAS NOT PRESENT. DENNIS HOLM STATED HE WENT TO THE PROPERTY AND MET WITH FIRE CHIEF TERRY STEVENSON AND ANN WEEKS, MRS. WEEKS DAUGHTER AND MADE A INSPECTION OF THE HOUSE. MR. HOLM STATED HE WOULD NOT RELEASE THE HOUSE UNTIL A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF WORK IS DONE ON THE HOUSE. HE STATED THE BALCONIES ARE NOT UP TO CODE. THE OUTSIDE EXTERIOR STAIRS ARE NOT TO CODE. THE ELECTRICAL GROUNDING SYSTEM IN NOT IN PLACE. HE & TERRY CHECKED EVERY RECEPTACLE IN THE HOUSE AND HALF OF THEM ARE NOT WORKING. THE EXTERIOR SIDING IS NOT INSTALLED TO THE MANUFACTURERS SPECIFICATIONS. NOT SURE IF THERE IS 15 LB. FELT UNDER IT. SIDING WOULD HAVE TO COME OFF BECAUSE OF THIS. THERE ARE OPEN JUNCTION BOXES. THE ATTIC HAS IMPROPER WALKWAYS. THE GUARD RAIL IS NOT TO CODE. TWO BEDROOMS ON THE SECOND FLOOR ARE NOT LEVEL. THAT PART OF THE HOUSE IS SETTLING. ELECTRICAL OUTLETS IN THE SHOWER WHICH ARE OPEN. SOME FIXTURES THERE IS NO WATER. OTHERS HAVE WATER THE FOUNDATION LEVELING THE PROPERTY OWNER PAID FOR IS WORKING. THE HOUSE IS ON A SLAB. THE POWER IS ON IN THE HOUSE. YOU CANNOT TELL WHERE THE CIRCUITS ARE. EQUIPMENT GROUNDING CONDUCTOR IS CONTINUOUS. HE STATED THIS IS VERY HAZARDOUS. THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD NEED TO REMOVE THE SHEETROCK SO A STRUCTURAL ACCESSMENT CAN BE MADE. HE WANTS A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER TO ASSESS EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE. TO GIVE HIS PROFESSIONAL OPINION AS TO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO THE HOUSE IN ORDER TO BRING IT INTO COMPLIANCE. ONCE EVERYTHING IS EXPOSED. THE CONDITION OF THE • MAY 2ND BSC MEETING CONTINUED. FENCE IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 6" & 12" HIGHER. THE FENCE IS ALSO CLOSE TO THE EAVES. HINDER EFFECTIVENESS OF MOSQUITO SPRAYING. YOU TAKE FROM THE LOWEST POINT TO ESTABLISH HEIGHT. THEY DID NOT DO THIS WITH THIS FENCE. WHEN THE POSTS WERE SAWED OFF THEY FELL OVER INTO YARD AND THEY DID NOT PICK THEM UP. THEY ALSO DUG HOLES IN HER YARD AND DID NOT FEEL THEM IN. THE SECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA WAS DOCKET N0. 96-03 3423 CASON JOE GUERROLLOS, DESIGNER. DR REEDS HOME HAS A THIRD STORY ROOM BEING USED AS A BEDROOM. THE CITY WAS NOT AWARE IT WAS THERE. DR. REED WISHED TO ADD A BATHROOM. IF THE VARIANCE WAS DENIED IT WOULD NOT HINDER THE REEDS FROM USING IT AS A BEDROOM AS IT IS ALREADY BEING USED AS A BEDROOM 7' x 8' closet and bathroom. • THERE IS A DORMER ON THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, WHICH IS POSSIBLE TO INCLUDE. MR. HOLM THE~BUILDER IN QUESTION WAS NOTORIOUS FOR BUILDING OUT THIRD FLOOR ROOMS WITHOUT PERMITS. IT STARTED OUT AS A 200 s.f. storage room. a third floor has to have double 2 x 4's or 2 x 6 on first floor and 5/8 type x sheetrock throughout of the house. this provides the maximum amount of fire protection. this room has no window. this room was completed after the certificate of occupancy was issued. hughes stated it is not so much an issue of light & ventilation as the entire house is not built for a third floor. todd stated would the house be able to hold a third floor. Mcdaniel it is not the function of the Building and STandards Commission to tell someone how to bring a structure to code. • advise. The commission can act on whether a variance can be granted based on the evidence presented.but the commission cannot tell you how to do.