Orange County NC Website
Commissioner Gordon wanted to know how many trips this represents and Susan <br />Mellott said 14,000 trips per year and they average 70-100 inspectians a day. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis mentioned Home Depot inspections and Susan Mellat said <br />they have had 68 field inspections to Home Depot and this is a tilt type of construction and <br />required less inspections than Wal-Mart. This does not include erosion control. She said that <br />they have had 78 inspectians at the new Middle School just in the slab work and the footings. <br />Field inspections are trips that are made to the site from the office. With inspectians revenue <br />to budget comparisons they are fairly on target. Attachment 4 {corrected one), Chart A reflects <br />the value of construction and better represents the activity and complexity of the work that they <br />do in the field. The Town of Hillsborough residential is a very small portion of what they do; it <br />is actual 6% of the total valuation of the work that they inspect. Orange County is 80°~ <br />residential -the residential total of work they inspect is 86°~. <br />Attachment 4, Chart B, reflects the commercial valuation and those numbers are much <br />smaller. The Town of Hillsborough is their leader in this with 12°~ of the total valuation within <br />the Tawn of Hillsborough. The commercial aspect of the inspections is 14% of the work that <br />they do. Two percent of that commercial aspect is Orange County. There are no County <br />Buildings in this tally, but churches and other non-profits are included in the Orange County <br />portion because that is the majority of what they inspect. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that in Hillsborough it is mostly commercial and in Orange <br />County it is mostly churches and Commissioner Gordon would like to see this broken out. <br />Susan Mellott said that could be done. <br />Chair Carey asked about tract builders' inspection rejection rate. <br />Susan Mellot said that the tract builders have a 48°~ rejection rate and the local <br />builders have a 16°~ rejection rate. Our homeowners, who compile 52°~ of all the residential <br />permits, which does not mean just building a new home; it could also mean adding a garage, <br />etc, comprise a 19°~ reinspection rate. They provide a complementary inspection as noted in <br />the customer service initiative; if these were not offered, the homeowner reinspection rates <br />would be about 30%. Susan said the reason that tract builders have such a high rejection rate <br />is that they do not do what the original inspectians ask for. <br />Susan Mellott explained that the peak in 03-04 in Chart B represented Sports <br />Endeavor and Patriots Point. <br />John Link mentioned that if they have good numbers on the percent of rejection of <br />inspections with tract builders maybe they could amend the fee schedule to address this issue. <br />Susan Mellott said they get 4 visits free before they even start assessing fees. <br />Susan Mellat then referred to Item D (staffing levels and customer service initiatives). <br />In December 2003, they came before the Board asking for approval for new staff positions, <br />which were granted. The following improvements have been made due to the new staff <br />positions: <br />a} Plans Review - in August 2003 they were giving residential plans 6 weeks turnaround, and <br />9 weeks for commercial plans review. By January 2004, all positions were filled and by mid- <br />March they had accomplished aone-week turnaround an residential plans review and three <br />weeks for commercial and they have been able to maintain that with the current staffing level. <br />b}Inspections are now completed 98% of the time on the day that they are requested. This is <br />up from 63% in 2003 and 42% in 2004. <br />c} Peak Activity/Staffing Responses -working in the Town of Hillsborough and the <br />unincorporated areas of the county, it is a toss of the hat sometimes to determine in the next <br />budget year what their activities will be. They missed it in 01-02 but hit it in 03. They try to <br />anticipate what may come on line next year. They work with the Town of Hillsborough closely <br />because they can impact them pretty severely. As development increases substantially, they <br />may or not be able to handle it. If it stays as it is, they are holding their own. They are <br />thankful for the staff they have. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked her if she tracks complaints. Susan Mellott said they <br />track complaints such as my neighbor is building a garage without a permit and also <br />