BDC Quarterly Bulletin - September 30, 2024
The Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) appoints the Building-Development Commission (BDC) as an
advisory board to Code Enforcement. Membership includes representation from the design, construction and development
communities, as well as the public. Check out www.meckpermit.com and go to “About Us” for more information. Contact
your representative if you have any specific issues you would like the BDC to consider.
The following is a brief summary of significant matters impacting the design and construction community on which the Building Development Commission and the Code Enforcement Department have focused on from July 1, 2024, through September 30, 2024. Further details on each of these follows:
- New BDC Members
- Code Heroes
- CE - Hurricane Helene
1. New BDC Members
We welcome our newest members to the BDC which include the following:
- Dana Galli – Public Representative
- Thomas Haapapuro – American Society of Landscape Architects, Charlotte Chapter
- Donald Flick – Greater Charlotte Apartment Association
2. Code Heroes
Each year we acknowledge just a few of the many outstanding customers and partners in our community who are consistently going above and beyond. Below listed are just a few:
PACE DEVELOPMENT GROUP: BRIAN PACE AND TEAM
Our first Code Hero is led by a familiar face. Brian joined the BDC in 2019 as the representative for the Home Builders Association of Greater Charlotte, but his team had gotten our attention in the best way much earlier than that.
The team at Pace shapes communities, which means that they lay the foundation for a place that will become home for their customers; they help build the places where people’s lives will happen. For years now, Mecklenburg County has been in an unprecedented building boom, and one thing I can tell you as a chief code official is that when a boom occurs, sometimes you see the quality of work diminish, meaning more corrective work for our staff to ensure compliance. That’s not so with Pace.
Not only are they consistent with their work, day to day, project to project, but they go above and beyond. The Pace team has a strong focus on community engagement, and advocates for building safety in the industry – Brian’s involvement on the BDC is just one example of that. There is a focus on the future – they want their work to be a valued part of the community long after the work is done. When you have a customer that shares your core value of safety through code compliance, you appreciate greatly.
For sustained commitment to code compliance and championing safety in the development community, Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement is pleased to name Pace Development Group a Code Hero.
MERRIMAN SCHMITT ARCHITECTS – STEVE SCHMITT AND TEAM
Our next Hero is Merriman Schmitt Architects. Merriman Schmitt designs commercial projects – office, industrial, etc. The team members visiting today recommend decades of experience in architecture.
To be a design professional is one thing. But meeting your client’s vision and satisfying code at the same time isn’t always so easy. Merriman Schmitt shows consistent dedication to doing both.
Again, being a code official sometimes involves saying no, and we’ve had to say that even to our most outstanding customers. Steve and his team are always exceedingly gracious when those moments occur. They work with us, and they understand that we want to work with them.
Through that attitude and professionalism, Merriman Schmitt has come to exemplify that even when we don’t agree, we can still come to the table together, and with open conversation, reach a solution.
For outstanding commitment to open dialogue and collaboration, Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement is pleased to name Merriman Schmitt a Code Hero.
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CODE CONSULTANTS: DAVID RITTLINGER (NOT PRESENT), PAK YIP, TARA BARTHELMESS, PAMELA SCHOOLER, CURTIS MCLAUGHLIN, MAGGIE BOWERS, KATHRYN WHALEN
Our final Code Hero is a partner agency, and we’re so pleased to have so many members of this team joining us from Raleigh.
The code consultants from the State of North Carolina are absolutely invaluable to us. The codes are changing, and the Rules Review Commission has had some additional requirements, and this team really put their noses to the grindstone to get these code changes ready for us, so that we understand how to ensure compliance consistently and correctly.
When we see new legislation at the state level, this group is our first phone call. They help us to interpret the ramifications of potential new legislation before it’s even been finalized. They help to educate us on what a new law will mean for us as soon as the ink is dry.
In addition to that, they have become respected and cherished colleagues. To have a resource that can help you understand how to fulfill you mandate in the correct way, even while the specifics of that mandate are changing – there are no words to say how grateful we are for that.
For outstanding technical support and guidance to facilitate code changes and rules review, Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement is pleased to name the State of North Carolina Code Consultants a Code Hero.
3. CE - Hurricane Helene Update
LUESA responds: Code Enforcement, Storm Water, Solid Waste and GIS
Code Enforcement was contacted Wednesday (September 25th) by FMO to start preparing for a couple of areas of impact from Hurricane Helene within the Riverside Dr. and Mountain Lake area based on the news received from Duke Energy. There was high-level rainfall within the western region of Carolinas, Lake Lure, and Mt. Island Lake, and anything within the Catawba basin area is directly impacted and affected. EOC anticipated historically high levels of water within these areas and in Mecklenburg County.
In preparation for the event, leadership and teams were assigned to the event. They began working on the scale of the event in coordination with Storm Water leadership, with models created to determine the number of structures impacted. Through the modeling provided by STW, CE started working on the Riverside Dr area and Mtn Island Lake area, to determine the number of structures that would be affected.
Given the communication with FMO, EOC, and Duke Energy and the anticipated scale of impact, it was best that power be de-energized for life safety reasons to protect those structures and residences.
On Monday (Oct 1st), the Code Enforcement team, with water receding, started their work within the field, accessing residences and structures within those areas for flood damage. The assessment included:
- Determining the life safety of the residence owner and anyone related to the flood area, ensuring they have the necessary health, food, clothing, and shelter contacts for assistance.
- Working with the FMO and EOC to identify the boundaries of the affected areas, establishing what’s in the flood zone, and preparing the scale of damage assessment scope.
- Identifying which structures were ok to energize and providing that list to the utility companies.
On Friday (Oct 4th), the Code Enforcement team completed their first high-level review of the scale of damage.
- Estimated 84 properties were impacted and will need to contact the department to obtain permits before they could be occupied based on the individual property.
- 18 residence structures had power restored, with minor damage either in the occupied or unoccupied spaces.
- A spreadsheet has been created to track assessment, permits needed, ownership information.
- Also, those residences and property owners in contact with us have been giving out information flyers to help guide their next reconstruction steps.
- CE customer service teams have been briefed on the situation to best guide those residence for the services needed if they reach out us.
- CE will hold Town Halls in conjunction with SW to provide additional information to the residents of the affected areas.
- Approximately 500 man hours have been dedicated in the first week to assist.
October 10th and 11th: Code Enforcement and Storm Water were set up in Fire Station 33 to help with ongoing relief efforts, consultation efforts, and permitting needs for residences affected by the flood.