If the county council is ultimately agreeable, Franklin County Area Planning, Zoning and Building will have expert-level inspection within the department in a few short years.

Area Plan Commission Executive Director Kaitlin Sterwerf told the board at its June 14 meeting that with a little money moved around, a detailed certification plan for the office could be executed among herself, office administrator/part-time inspector Ailur Blair and new full-time building inspector Curtis Cox.

“The basic idea is I’ll get eight certifications each of the next three years, Curt four and Kaitlin two,”said Blair, adding he had a lot of time to study and keep up on (mostly free) continuing education courses.

He is currently taking the residential building inspector test before moving on to the residential plans examiner test and the commercial building inspector and zoning inspector tests, all of which were previously budgeted.

By 2027, then, he said he’d be certified as both a building official and fire marshal. Blair noted this would put him at the same level of expertise as people with Indiana Department of Homeland Security.

Cox –who came over from the health department where he was an environmental health specialist - would work toward a residential (and commercial) combination inspector certification, including specialties like home, plumbing, mechanical and electrical.

“Per capita, we will be the most certified inspectors in the state,”stated Blair. He added each exam costs $290 and study materials around $100. This could open more opportunities for the county like federal grants and the ability to inspect federal facilities, he said.

Member Daryl Kramer first moved to allow five percent of the department budget to go toward this effort, but commissioner Tom Wilson recommended the board go with the higher amount of 8% as other departments were choosing that amount for similar training. 

Kramer rescinded his first motion and went with 8%; it unanimously passed.

Wilson then inquired whether there was additional compensation for these employees looking to improve their skills, saying that should be considered as well come budget time.

Member Rob Seig asked about renewal of certifications. Blair replied it’s simply a matter of taking so many CE credits within a 2-year period.

Kramer moved to give each employee $500 upon a completed certification. Motion passed unanimously. He also urged Blair to explain the process to county council during its August budget hearings.

A few other motions were voted on. 

Sterwerf wished to update the zoning code; wherever ordinance 1-2012 is referenced in the text, it should instead state 14-2012. Kramer moved to allow her to update affected links on the county website and correct page numbers in the table of contents. This passed unanimously.

Also, regarding the website, Sterwerf said she added the APC meeting schedule, Zoom code, permit fees and applications and a link to county GIS. Kramer’s motion for the director to include the updated zoning code and ensure all links are accurate passed unanimously.

There was extended discussion on a resident’s address change. Previous APC admin Glenn Bailey sent the resident a letter last June, saying the person’s house number was being switched from even to odd in accordance with an ordinance passed in 1995. The switch reflected which side of the road –east or west - the house sits on. A few other addresses were changed as well. Sterwerf asked for the board’s support of the letter if they agreed.
President Robert Braun spoke of how important these details can be during 911 emergency calls, as “seconds count.” Blair and member Todd Raible added that if the residents are still using the former address and a dispatch team had the new address in its system, this could bring liability issues to the county.

The issues raised were any costs to the resident of changing her address on file and where the fall tax bill would be mailed. Seig noted that when an address is renamed or changed, 911 Dispatch, Cincinnati Bell and the post office are to be notified. As no one on hand could recall the ordinance being updated, Seig moved to research how other counties handle like situations and delay any action until July; this passed unanimously.

Revised wording for the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and cell tower ordinances were discussed but no action was taken until commissioners gave final consent.

Kramer simply wanted one word changed on the TAC document. Instead of reading “the Director …may invite comment from the applicant, petitioner or interested parties,” he felt it should say “shall invite comment.”

The board discussed the benefits of having a TAC, including input from other local government departments and the ability to have complex applications in order prior to APC meetings.

Kramer pointed out TAC is not the place for applicants to disagree; that would come later at APC or Board of Zoning Appeals meetings. Seig added TAC is advisory only and not intended for public hearings.

Member Patrick Bedel asked if TAC was a required first step for applicants or did it depend on the type of application. Board attorney Tammy Davis said that had yet to be established.

Kramer recommended all Class 3 applicants for conditional use, as well as anything leading to a zoning change that requires a development plan, as starting points. Raible said that, beyond that, Sterwerf could be the decider on where to guide an applicant.

Davis clarified that whatever amendments the board certifies can be sent to commissioners to be approved, rejected or amended. Likewise, the board and county are looking to be in sync on cell tower revisions after some suggestions from the county attorney.

The county nuisance ordinance is very close to being passed by commissioners, said Wilson. The planning office will delay action on complaints until this is passed. But the board agreed on having Davis send another letter to the Silver Creek squatter (8143 Silver Crk. Rd.) due to no response after 30 days of the original letter.

Brookville Municipal Facilities Building Corp. is scheduled for a hearing in July due to invalid permitting that caused a work stoppage at the future police station (old Zimmer building).