Officials in Holmes Beach have responded to calls from residents to provide more transparency in the building department.
Holmes Beach Mayor Bob Johnson released statistics at a May 28 commission meeting that detail activity by the building department for the past 10 years. He also directed building official Jim McGuinness to create a report of problems within the department.
Johnson’s stats include home construction projects from 2005 to 2014 and year-to-date information through May 27.
The permit data shows a high of 21 permits in 2012 for construction of single-family homes and a low of six in 2008. Duplex units show a high of 38 permits in 2006 and a low of 12 in 2012.
Data also includes permit numbers for up to 49 percent improvements that peak at 26 in 2013 and 24 in 2014.
The total number of dwelling permits — duplex, single-family and 49 percent improvements — shows an upward trend from a low of 24 permits in 2008 to highs of 56 in 2013 and 53 in 2014.
Previous to 2008, total permits were 51 for the high in 2006 and a low of 29 in 2005.
Johnson said the stats show a 52.3 percent increase in building department activity in the past three years during a “time of key personnel turbulence.”
McGuinness had been on the job as superintendent of public works for 65 days by the May 28 meeting, when he presented his “60-Day Progress Report.”
He listed “critical areas observed for improvement” that have contributed to “confusion,” “vagueness” and “distrust” between the building department and the community, including:
• Procedural errors that impact permit applications, key documents, plans reviews, inspections, stop work orders and certificates of occupancy.
• Lack of documentation in the permitting and plans review process. McGuinness called this item a “significant deficiency in the department and a liability to the city.”
• Insufficient staff to support the workload.
• Untimely plans review and permit turnaround.
McGuinness offered as a solution to retrain staff in Florida Building Code specifications and procedures. Bi-weekly staff meetings have been instituted to ensure proper training is followed, he said.
There also will be no more verbal plan reviews — written documentation is now required.
McGuinness said interviews are underway to hire two more licensed building inspectors with various certifications and an additional plans reviewer.
To ensure timeliness, McGuinness said spreadsheets have been created for the purpose of tracking time of major and minor building permits and plans under review.
In addition, the city is in the process of instituting a comprehensive software system to track all building department business — computerizing the paperwork and eliminating antiquated filing systems.
“Many of the above conditions are a result of a historical lack of committed long-term leadership in the department. When I took on this job, I made a long-term commitment to the city,” said McGuinness.
A detailed report of building department statistics is available at www.holmesbeachfl.org/Cities/COHB/mdocuments.asp, under the PDF link titled “07 – Building Department Update – 5.28.15.”