Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Development And Permits topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council authorizes one-year extensions for outside building‑inspection contracts amid surge in permits
Summary
The council authorized one‑year amendments to professional consulting agreements for plan review and inspection services (SafeBuilt/BBG and Mikaela Architects), citing roughly 20,000 permits and 60,000 inspections from 2023–2026 and improved turnaround times under the contracts.
Assistant City Manager Shashi Kumar told council the city has issued about 20,000 permits and completed roughly 60,000 inspections between 2023 and 2026. To meet peak demand, staff contracted with outside firms to provide inspection services; Kumar said outsourcing reduced inspection turnaround to roughly 24 hours for about 95–97% of inspections and recommended a one‑year extension of the current agreements to maintain capacity.
Council members asked whether developers ultimately pay for the service and whether the firms have sufficient capacity and quality. Staff replied that permit fees recover the expense, the contracts are for a five‑year term with a one‑year optional extension we're now authorizing, and the selected firms have dedicated staff for major projects. Council voted unanimously to authorize one‑year amendments for both sets of agreements.
