LIGHT IT UP!
October 11, 2017
Lafourche Booking Log – Oct. 10
October 11, 2017
Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government is considering bringing building plan review and inspection services back under parish government authority.
The proposed move would take away inspection services from the South Central Planning and Develop Commission and put them under the parish’s Planning and Zoning Department. Parish administration officials present the proposed change as a cost-saving measure for the cash-strapped parish while local homebuilders are skeptical of bringing politics back into permitting.
Terrebonne Parish President Gordon Dove presented the inspection plan as part of the 2018 parish budget to the parish council at the council’s Finance Committee Sept. 25 meeting. If the council votes to approve the entire budget later this year without amending the planning and zoning budget, the parish will oversee inspections. Terrebonne would not take over on January 1, according to Terrebonne Planning and Zoning Director Chris Pulaski, as there would be a transition period from SCPDC.
Both Dove and Pulaski said the measure would save the parish more than $100,000 each year going forward while still maintaining the same level of service for builders and homeowners. Dove previously proposed moving the services back under parish control in April in an effort to keep permit prices stable rather than having SCPDC raise them. The parish and SCPDC ultimately reached a deal then, with the parish paying a pro-rated portion of a $640,000 annual payment to SCPDC for the rest of 2017 and the planning commission agreeing to not change the permit rates.
Parish administration estimates the proposed switch would save Terrebonne about $119,000 in 2018. That number is deflated due to startup costs such as adding vehicles, hardware and software, according to Pulaski. The parish predicts it will save an average of about $188,000 each year between 2019-2021 due to the startup costs already being accounted for, although Pulaski stressed predictions get less certain with each year further separated from the present.
SCPDC CEO Kevin Belanger and the leader of a local homebuilders’ association are unsure of the parish’s ability to reap those savings by bringing it within house. Belanger said he was told of the parish’s plan to remove inspections from his nonprofit, which is a regional planning commission that provides a variety of services to seven parishes including both Terrebonne and Lafourche, only after Dove’s announcement at the committee meeting. Belanger said as recently as the week prior, administration officials were commending SCPDC for a job well done, and the news blindsided him.
“It’s one thing to have a program pulled under you for not doing the job. That would be easier,” Belanger said. “But when we’ve won five national awards and become so efficient because of how we do it, and have everybody on the same playing field, I just don’t know why we’d move to that direction, in an opposite direction.”
Pulaski said the parish did not think the SCPDC was doing a bad job, but the change was the product of the parish, already short on sales tax revenue from a hamstrung economy, seeking savings where it could find them.
“It’s not that we were dissatisfied with the level of performance of South Central Planning. A lot of the success that we have on the permitting side is attributed to their efforts, as well,” Pulaski said. “It’s just we’re in budget season, we’re looking at the parish budget and we’re looking at ways to save the taxpayers money, and this came up as one of those things.”
The Terrebonne Home Builders Association voiced their opposition to the April proposal to remove inspections from SCPDC, and the association is opposed to the new measure as well. The THBA sent a letter to all parish council members expressing their support for inspection remaining within the SCPDC. Joey Yesso, president of the THBA, said the move would bring the parish back to before 2006 when the SCPDC took over inspections. Yesso recalled a system rife with unfairness, where inspectors could be swayed by political pressure from administrators above them or by in-kind gifts such as spare bags of shrimp from builders.
“This is all about administration being able to give whoever they want permits whenever they want without any plan review and being able to control the level of oversight you get,” Yesso said. “We cannot put politics back into inspection and permitting. We had that years ago; it does not work.”
Yesso also highlighted the services of the SCPDC, noting the planning commission has received multiple awards for its services. Yesso said its regional approach enables it to have more plan reviewers and inspectors, and development of efficient software such as the MyPermitNow online permitting system provides quality service all the time. Belanger said based on his experience previously running the parish’s inspection service 20 years ago, the parish would be hard-pressed to realize those savings while still providing the same quality service to builders all around the parish. He estimated the addition of staff such as certified building officials, plan examiners and inspectors would each cost well over $100,000 with benefits and salaries. Belanger also highlighted the human effect of the decision, noting the withdrawal of Terrebonne means he would have to cut multiple positions from his staff, many of whom moved from around the country to work at the SCPDC.
“I just don’t see the transparency continuing in the way that it’s being shaped for the future,” Belanger said. “Maybe the parish president and his administration have a better plan; I’m hopeful to see it. I’m just hoping all these people land on their feet financially, because they’ve made big decisions to come work here.”
Pulaski said the parish would be adding five positions overall to the planning and zoning department to oversee inspections. He said the incoming staff would be working with the already present-staff in the regulatory department to handle inspections. Pulaski said many of the people laid off would be considered for the new openings in the parish’s planning department if they were to apply, as they would clearly be qualified for the job. Pulaski said homebuilders would not have to worry about political favoritism in permitting because the people the parish brings on will be qualified, and the dedication to their profession and high standards would keep them from cutting corners.
“The person we’re bringing on is going to do what they’re allowed to do. Regardless of the political pressure, they have certain codes and rules and regulations that they’re required to follow,” Pulaski said. “They’ll continue to do that no matter who’s in office. And certainly Mr. Dove isn’t going to insert himself and put himself in a position where we’re doing anything that isn’t above board or by the books. These folks are trained, qualified professionals, and I would not ask that of my staff.”
Pulaski said the redundancy of services, by having the plan reviewer, certified building official and inspectors all qualified to inspect properties would ensure homebuilders continue to receive the same prompt service they have come to expect under the SCPDC. Pulaksi said those higher-ups would be able to step in for inspectors if they happen to be unavailable on a day due to sickness or other concerns. He also said the parish could add staff in the future as demand for permits rise with a rebounding economy. According to Pulaski, that flexibility, combined with Terrebonne’s plans to continue using MyPermitNow, would present a continuation of services for property owners and builders.
“Our goal is for the outsider looking in, they’re not going to notice any change,” Pulaski said. “You still apply for permits through the parish either in-person or online. And we still anticipate being able to issue those permits in the same five to 10 business day goal, and many of those are issued ahead of that, and we’ll keep it that way.” •
