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Don't need no stinkin' plans

jim baird

jim baird

Silver Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2009
Messages
490
Location
Comer, GA
In our benighted county gubmint the commission just voted to exclude a requirement for engineered site and/or building plans, except where such is mandated by state fire marshal.

They think it will be an inducement for business to locate here.

One local engineer fought for years to get stormwater management requirements, and I guess those are "down the drain" along with pesky building plan reviews.

This county takes one step forward and two back.
 
That is just...........I guess stupid would be the appropriate word here!
 
As you might guess there is not much sophistication among those who do build here.

During my tenure there the very idea of design work was an alien concept to those who wanted to build something.

Most of the yahoos still don't understand the value of design by a professional, not to mention aspects of building safety that go along with engineering.
 
I guess they should change one letter in the town name, change it from from "Comer" to GOMER!

WOW, good luck with all that....eek!
 
They can not be less than state law requirements. Send a copy of the local ordinance to the Arch and Engineer state associations. I bet they will educate your commisioners.

These rules are outlined in The Official Code of Georgia Annotated 43-4-14 and 43-15-24. Generally Architects must stamp plans for assembly, educational, institutional, health care, and buildings over 5000 square feet. Structural engineers must stamp structural plans on new structures with a valuation over $100,000.00. At a minimum plans should be prepared by a registered design professional.
 
*shaking head*

Sounds like my jurisdiction about a dozen years when I first was hired. My county counterpart, and myself to some extent, have taken a lot of flack over the years for actually enforcing the codes. My county counterpart used the way mtlogcabin mentioned. He took it from the business and professions code here in CA which requires an architect or engineer to wet seal the plans for commercial projects.

Good luck Jim, really, it can be done.

Sue, on the frontier
 
BTW, the county jurisdiction doesn't include the municipalities, each of which rides the county train or cuts its own jungle path. I serve Comer, machete at the ready.

Yikes, those agendas are posted, albeit not immediately. I'll keep on it. Thanks for the references mt.
 
Well Jim can say that hasn't happen to me yet.

Was the other way around when I first started in the business. Remember two times that happened years ago.

1. Guy drew some napkin plans. Well to be fair they were less than napkin plans. Said no and down the hall we went to Commissioner's office. He took one look and asked the guy why he was wasting his ( Commissioner's) time and come back with a set of plans.

2. There was one tanker truck that everyone in the county used for fire control. When they had two fires at the same time it was determined that method was so great. Imagine the kicking and screaming that caused when the answer was you can build it if you got water on site. Well I'm going to the Commissioners and you'll lose your job. Came back in with a water tank acceptable to the fire district.

It's fun working with people.
 
I just had a set of plans come in for a chimney rebuild. When I say plans I mean a photograph of the existing one with a note that says they will tear out the existing one and rebuild it.
 
Requested link to ordinance. It is a zoning ordinance, in whose shadow, I guess, dwells the local body codes adoption ordinance required by state codes agency.

Funny to me there's no mention of stormwater regs, which are supposed to kick in at 5K SF of impervious surface, including rooftops and paving, which runoff is to be addressed by engineering.

http://www.madisoncountyga.us/UserFiles/File/Building%20Permits%205-3-10.pdf
 
For the purpose of promoting the health, safety, and general welfare of the present and future inhabitants of Madison County
Click to expand...
I think what they adopted is an oxymoron to what the purpose statement says
 
mtlogcabin said:
They can not be less than state law requirements. Send a copy of the local ordinance to the Arch and Engineer state associations. I bet they will educate your commisioners.These rules are outlined in The Official Code of Georgia Annotated 43-4-14 and 43-15-24. Generally Architects must stamp plans for assembly, educational, institutional, health care, and buildings over 5000 square feet. Structural engineers must stamp structural plans on new structures with a valuation over $100,000.00. At a minimum plans should be prepared by a registered design professional.
Click to expand...
Reading the link that was posted, the new ordinance clarifies that stamped plans are required in compliance with state law. Where state law does not require the engineer's stamp, then Madison County does not require the stamp either. Even then, they can still require the plans, just not the stamp on the plans or the related engineering.
 
Georgia has pretty stringent state requirements regarding site work.

In fact everyone involved (including developers) is required to take the state stormwater course.

You can always ask for evidence that they have.
 
Check with the Fire Marshal. Most have stricter requirements than the state. Well at least in Fulton county and Alpharetta they did.
 
The commissioner of my department, and a chamber of commerce meeting, saying if he was "king" there would be no codes.

This from the guys who's in charge of both enforcement divisions of fire and building code....

I wouldn't be surprised If they tried something like that here..
 
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