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BOOK <br />FEB 15 1,994 91' Pb 1741 <br />2) The new Standard for Hurricane Resistant Residential <br />Construction, SSTD 10-93. <br />Director Rymer emphasized that the new wind -load requirements <br />for one- and two-family dwellings have increased plan review time <br />for an engineer's sealed plan from one hour to one hour and 45 <br />minutes. Using the "deemed to comply" standard, which probably is <br />a little more complicated for the average person, has increased our <br />review time by 4 hours. We have not had that many, however. <br />In addition to the increase in workloads stemming from the <br />wind -load requirements, Director Rymer reported that Indian River <br />County has been selected to participate in a new program, the <br />Building Code Effectiveness Rating System. This new system will <br />evaluate the general level of code compliance and code <br />effectiveness in randomly selected communities. The goal is to <br />encourage communities to undertake and reinforce code enforcement <br />activities through favorable insurance underwriting and rating <br />considerations. It will work pretty much like the flood insurance <br />program. The more effective the code enforcement, the more <br />favorable the impact on insurance underwriting. <br />Director Rymer advised that a couple of other things that have <br />increased the workload in the Building Division in the last year <br />and a half are complying with the major changes in the Energy Code <br />and enforcing all the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) <br />requirements tied to commercial projects. The good news is that <br />building permits have increased since the first of the year and <br />contractors have a lot of work if we can review their plans in a <br />prompt manner. <br />Commissioner Macht asked what the Board can do to help, and <br />Director Rymer advised that we need more staff and perhaps, if <br />funds are available, authorization for overtime for the plan <br />examiners. <br />Director Keating advised• that there are a few things we can do <br />on a short-term basis to whittle down the backlog: <br />1) The Planning Dept. would do part of the planning <br />review that relates to zoning compliance. <br />2) Shift one staff person who currently divides his <br />time between Planning and Building to spend more time <br />reviewing plans. <br />3 ) Have a current development planner spend more time on <br />review of plans. <br />Director Keating explained that we are -exploring the idea of <br />working staff overtime to review plans and whether the contractors <br />16 <br />M M M <br />