Permitting and Code enforcement.

[Elissa B]

Does anyone that is a permit tech (or related position) also do code enforcement? I feel like it might be a conflict of interest, but wonder how other places handle this.

 

[Emily C]

Yes, I do! in terms of land use/building violations. I am not in the field doing it, but I do draft letters for things like tall grass or signage violations and have the building inspector take photos when he's in the field.
The code compliance officer who handles things like nuisances, animal control, etc., works in the police department.

 

[Emily C]

Yes, I do! in terms of land use/building violations. I am not in the field doing it, but I do draft letters for things like tall grass or signage violations and have the building inspector take photos when he's in the field.
The code compliance officer who handles things like nuisances, animal control, etc., works in the police department.

wanted to add, we are complaint driven, so I'm not out hunting for things.

 

[Elissa B]

Yes, I do! in terms of land use/building violations. I am not in the field doing it, but I do draft letters for things like tall grass or signage violations and have the building inspector take photos when he's in the field.
The code compliance officer who handles things like nuisances, animal control, etc., works in the police department.

Do you deal with stop work orders and building violations?

 

[Emily C]

That's generally at the inspector/building official level.

 

[Elissa B]

That's generally at the inspector/building official level.

Thanks, our department is trying to change things, so I am trying to see how others do it.

 

[mattsharon]

Does anyone that is a permit tech (or related position) also do code enforcement? I feel like it might be a conflict of interest, but wonder how other places handle this.

I can see why you'd think there could be a conflict with a permit tech also doing code enforcement. It's a valid concern.

In my experience in aec industry permit techs and code enforcement officers were always kept separate. This helps to avoid any appearance of impropriety.

Here's how some other places might handle it:

Separate Teams: Like I mentioned, having dedicated teams for permits and enforcement is a common approach.
Firewalls: Some places might have a system where permit techs don't have access to enforcement records for projects they worked on. This creates a buffer to avoid influencing decisions.

Disclosure and Recusal: If there ever is a potential overlap, some organizations require disclosure. The permit tech would then recuse themselves from any related enforcement actions.

It's interesting to hear how other folks on the forum handle this. Maybe someone can share their experience!