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Yarmouth reviews inspections and health budgets; staff cite rising permit activity and short-term rental compliance gains
Summary
Deputy Building Commissioner Tim Sears and Assistant Health Director Barry Lewis reported high permitting volumes, increased use of OpenGov permitting, and a modest rise in short-term rental inspection compliance to 53% as of Jan. 1; no votes were taken on these departmental budgets.
Deputy Building Commissioner Tim Sears told the Finance Committee on Jan. 14 that much of the Building Inspections budget increase reflects contractual salary obligations and specific union provisions—such as two pairs of boots (up to $700) for inspectors—that prompted internal fund shifts.
Sears reported departmental activity levels, saying the office handled about 3,500 permits and 2,025 additions in one cited line and that the department issued roughly 7,800 permits last year, which he described as the third-highest annual total (noting 2024 and 2018 had higher totals and over 8,300 inspections). He said the town’s wastewater project has generated inspection work, but that fees contractors would normally pay have been waived for that project. Sears also credited the third year of OpenGov online permitting for improved tracking and contractor satisfaction.
Committee member George Perkins asked what percentage of projects proceed without pulled permits. Sears said the Fire Department still discovers illegal basements about twice per week but that banks and buyers increasingly require permit histories, which has reduced noncompliance. He added that the new building code requires annual inspections for short-term rentals and that one designated person handles those inspections.
Assistant Director of Health Barry Lewis reviewed the Health Department budget, noting contractual salary increases and a 166% rise in the professional/technical line tied to mandated training and seminar participation. He said the department is actively recruiting a Health Director and listed current staff at six. Lewis reported the department oversees 3,269 housing rentals, including 825 short-term rentals, and that rental application compliance rose from roughly 49% three years ago to 53% as of Jan. 1. He said that after a short-term rental fire in New York State, insurers are increasingly requiring compliance with mandated inspections, which is contributing to higher application rates.
No formal vote was taken on the Building Inspections or Health Department budgets at the Jan. 14 meeting; both departments’ FY27 budget proposals remain under Finance Committee review.
