Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Permits And Inspections topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Community development speeds permits, waives electrical fees and begins placarding damaged buildings
Summary
Rolla community development staff expanded inspection hours, waived electrical permit fees and issued temporary placards to inform property owners about limited‑entry and next steps while processing a sharp rise in permits, the director said.
Dawn, Rolla’s community development director, said the department has streamlined some permitting and inspection processes to move recovery work more quickly while still enforcing building codes.
To avoid holding up businesses and homeowners, Dawn said the department has issued permits when a qualified engineer or contractor is on board and will accept some documentation after initial permitting, provided inspections occur during reconstruction. The city has waived electrical permit fees for the immediate recovery period and reported issuing 64 electrical permits in the past three days — a count that typically represents more than a month of permit activity in ordinary months.
Staff expanded office hours and added personnel to handle the volume; community development is coordinating with public‑works and finance staff to process and track inspections and permits. Dawn said the department may hire or contract outside inspection resources if demand requires it, and that any outside‑inspection costs would be passed to the contractor or homeowner who uses that service.
Inspectors and other staff began posting informational placards—temporary notices that warn of potential safety issues and explain next steps—at damaged commercial and residential properties to help owners understand inspection findings and decide whether safe limited entry is possible. Dawn said the placards are intended initially as educational notices and that do‑not‑enter placards or formal enforcement actions will follow more severe structural determinations.
Council members were urged to direct residents approached by contractors to ask for business licenses and proof of insurance; community development is checking licenses and insurance at permit intake and will partner with finance to verify commercial activity when necessary.
