Utilize C.T. Male Associates’ Code Enforcement Officials to Reduce the Burden on Your Municipality’s Building Department

As building codes become more complex and staffing limitations increase, the availability of technical support for large, time-consuming projects can greatly assist a municipality with keeping development projects on budget and on schedule.

As described in the Technical Bulletin (see link at the end of this article) issued by the New York State Department of State, Division of Building Standards and Codes regarding the provisions of 19 NYCRR §1203.2(e) with respect to contracted-for services for the principal part of an Administration and Enforcement program of the Uniform Code by a local government, by utilizing local third-party Code Enforcement Officials and plan reviewers, municipalities can reduce the burden on their local building departments and increase the level of quality assurance for plan reviews. This third-party compliance method also benefits the builder or developer by providing an expedited plan review process, which in turn benefits the local jurisdiction with tax revenue sooner realized from more-quickly completed projects. Engage the team at C.T. Male Associates to provide building code support services and see how your municipality can benefit.

By using third-party contracted-for services, the municipality remains the public officer for the Authority having jurisdiction, which issues permits, issues certificates of occupancy/compliance, and which settles all code interpretations when differences arise between the design professional and the third-party plan reviewer. Similar to the Town Designated Engineering (TDE) process used to advise municipalities on engineering and planning matters, fewer plan reviewers are needed by building departments as a result of third-party consultants conducting extensive plan reviews. Using this model, building departments need only audit plans for quality assurance.

For substantial or technically-complex projects, consider utilizing C.T. Male Associates’ team of professionals as an extension of your municipality’s resources – to perform technical review of the project design (from schematic design through design development) and to provide advice on more complex technical issues. When alternative project methods or materials are introduced and must be judged on a performance basis, our technical staff can provide assistance with code analysis and interpretation for compliance. Our licensed architects and engineers can also provide specialized discipline reviews for issues ranging from hazardous materials and combustible dust, to the fire-resistance of archaic materials. Our available scope of services includes not only the plan review of construction documents, but also inspection services, state variance application support, review and oversight of special inspection testing, and more restrictive local standards consulting.

C.T. Male Associates’ team of Code Enforcement Officials have assisted numerous local towns, cities and county governments that rely upon contracted-for services as part of their administration and enforcement program, giving us extensive experience with a wide range of building types. This experience allows us to best serve our clients’ interests by extending to the public, protection from the hazards of fire and inadequate building construction. With the updated version of the Uniform Code and Energy Code forthcoming in 2020, engage these services now to help your local municipalities prepare for this transition.

Please contact C.T. Male Associates’ Rich Campagnola, R.A., A.I.A, Code Enforcement Official, at 518-786-7412 or [email protected], if you have questions or would like additional information regarding assistance with enforcement of the Uniform Code.