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Baltimore Village weighs keeping building inspections after state lets towns limit certification to new construction
Summary
Council members, contractors and residents debated whether to retain a certified building department, pursue a "new‑construction only" state certification, or continue using contractor Safe Built as a backup; staff will pursue state clarification and a council work plan.
Baltimore Village council and its service committee spent the largest portion of the meeting debating the future of the local building department and how to oversee inspections for a wave of new residential developments.
Council members presented written guidance from the Ohio Board of Building Standards that, they said, allows a local residential building department to be certified for "new construction only" or for "new construction and alterations," and noted the law change is recent and its precise definitions (ground‑up builds vs. additions) remain unclear. The staff speaker who relayed the written response told the committee she had requested a follow‑up meeting with the state certification official so the village could understand next steps.
"A recent law change now permits the local residential building department to be certified for new construction only," the staff member summarized, and asked to set up a team meeting to explore modifying the village's certification.
Multiple council members and members of the public said they want inspections to provide oversight while limiting costs. One longtime resident told the committee she favored keeping a contracted inspection service because banks' routine draw inspections do not catch many framing and structural problems. Remodeling contractor John Daft said inspections are valuable because building inspectors can see structural elements that a bank or post‑purchase home inspector rarely inspect.
Jeff and staff who met with Safe Built described options the contractor offered if council chooses to offboard: Safe Built could remain as a backup chief building officer on a pay‑as‑used basis, provide a 90‑day phased termination if council ends the contract, or serve in an interim capacity while the village recruits a replacement. Council members were repeatedly warned that a contract termination without an immediate replacement could leave the village out of compliance with state requirements.
"The state is not going to be excited about there being a gap in service if we terminate with them and don't have [a certified] department," a staff member said, urging caution about any immediate termination.
Councilors expressed interest in a middle path: pursue a modification to become certified for new‑construction‑only and then either maintain a small in‑house inspection function or keep Safe Built as a backstop. Members asked staff to schedule meetings with the state certification official, to circulate the pre‑annexation and developer agreement drafts as they become available, and to bring a clearer plan to the next council meeting.
The committee did not take a final vote on certification or contract termination; instead members directed staff to gather the additional state guidance and to present options at the next council meeting.
