Committee subcommittee recommends negotiating with Southern Colorado Building Department

A subcommittee of the Economic Development Committee (Pat, Jennifer and the mayor) reported back after meeting Southern Colorado Building Department (Soobd) staff. The subcommittee said Soobd performs full building department services—building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and structural plan review and inspections—and offers quicker permit review (often about one week) and 24‑hour inspection scheduling.

"I kind of still recommend that we go through with entering negotiations or I recommend that we recommend the council to enter negotiations," Jennifer said, summarizing the subcommittee's view that negotiations would let the city examine contract structure, local presence options and governance. The subcommittee noted Soobd's FAQ materials showed permit fees considerably lower than current Cañon City schedules (the packet compared single‑family and commercial fee examples) and emphasized the possibility of a hybrid arrangement that preserves Cañon City's code and local oversight while outsourcing technical plan review and inspections.

Members discussed sequencing—talking to Fremont County and assembling a Soobd proposal package before formal council negotiation—and asked for details about governance seats, cost shares and whether local inspectors would be based in town. The committee later moved and approved a recommendation that the city council enter negotiations to explore a formal agreement with Soobd.