Franklin Matters: Annual Report 2016: Building Inspection

Saturday, December 31, 2016

Annual Report 2016: Building Inspection

The Building Inspection Department is a multifunction office responsible for the construction, demolition, alteration, repair and occupancy of all residential, commercial, business and industrial uses for both existing and new construction in accordance with the Massachusetts Building Code.

The department is responsible for the administration, interpretation and enforcement of the following codes:

Massachusetts State Building Code - 780 CMR
Town of Franklin Code - Zoning – CH 185
Mass. Electrical Code – 527 CMR
Mass. Plumbing and Gas Code – 248 CMR
National Fuel Gas Code – NFPA 54-2002
Sealer of Weights and Measure – G.L. CH 98
Architectural Access Board – 521 CMR

Hours of Operation
The Building Inspection Department’s hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 8:00a.m.-4:00p.m., Wednesday 8:00a.m.-6:00p.m. and Friday 8:00a.m.-
1:00p.m.

For your convenience, you may visit our website at www.franklin.ma.us/inspections. This site contains a series of forms easily accessible and available to download. The website provides permit applications, sample plot plans, sign regulations, swimming pool instruction manuals. Shed/barn instruction manuals, zoning criteria and other information necessary to process a permit or to simply provide information to the public.

Building Department Staff
Building Commissioner/Zoning Officer:
Lloyd Brown

Inspectors:
Inspector of Wires: Bernard Mullaney
Asst Wiring Inspector: James Laughlin
Plumbing/Gas Inspector: Richard Cornetta
Asst Plumb/Gas Inspector: Richard McCormick
Local Building Inspector: Stephen O’Neill
Sealer of Weights & Measurers
Comm. of Mass. /Div. of Standards

Staff Assistants
Barbara J. Curran
Nancy Danello/Zoning
Judy Demers

Lloyd Brown, Commissioner of Buildings, is responsible for all construction trade inspectors,municipal maintenance and supervision of all construction, zoning interpretation and determination,pre-planning and review of all subdivisions and proposed construction and improvements and general input for all other municipal departments and construction-related inquiries.

I would like to thank Nancy Danello our ZBA and Permit Clerk. Nancy accepted the position of Assistant Town Clerk in January of this year. Nancy will shine in this new position, be assured of that. Casey Thayer was hired to fill that vacant position. Casey has shown that she has what it takes to run all aspects of the Building and ZBA Clerk duties.

Building Permits
This year the Building Department issued a total of 1670 building permits and the revenues collected totaled $699,133.00

The following is a breakdown of the past years building permit activity:

Single Family Residence 40
Attached Senior Units 0
Commercial Building 4
Solar Panels 165
Accessory Dwelling Units 5
Addition(s) 32
Alteration(s) 1090
Amended Permit(s) 0
Deck 80
Swimming Pool(s) 29
Garage(s) 14
Shed(s) 4
Foundation(s) Only 0
Demolition(s) 9
Tent(s) 12
Sign(s) 53
Woodstove(s) 22
Carnival(s) 2
Fence 0
Earth Removal 0
Repair(s) Rehab 11
Sheet Metal 87

Certificates of Inspection
Inspection and certification of specified use groups shall be inspected annually in accordance with Table 110 of the Massachusetts State Building Code. This year the staff issued 137 certificates of inspection and the fees collected for the certifications amounted to $25,880.00. Certificates are issued for all public and private schools, churches, day care centers, nursing homes, funeral homes, bleachers, restaurants, alcoholic beverage establishments, multifamily dwellings (3or more units), movie theaters and other places of assembly. The Fire Department has assisted our department in assuring compliance with the Fire Prevention Code. The purpose of these inspections is to ensure the public safety and well being of the general public.

Certificates of Occupancy
The Building Inspection Department issues a certificate of occupancy in accordance with the Massachusetts State Building Code. All buildings/structures shall not be used or occupied in whole or part until a certificate of occupancy is issued. This department has issued a total of 86 certificates of occupancy and the total fees collected amounted to $5,850.00

Electrical Permits
The total number of electrical permits issued was 1276, the total fees collected and deposited amounted to $124,635.00.

Plumbing Permits
The total number of plumbing permits issued was 661, the total fees collected and deposited amounted to $65,986.00.

Gas Permits
The total number of gas permits issued was 830 and the total fees collected and deposited amounted to $47,171.00

Vacant Property Registration
The State of Massachusetts has created the Abandoned Housing Initiative, this program has helped by using measures to appoint receivers to repair and then auction the vacant properties. The Town of Franklin still requires the registration of vacant properties. The total number of permits issued was 38 and the total fees collected and deposited amounted to $1520.00

Division of Weights and Standards
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulations, Division of Standards provides this service on behalf of the Town of Franklin. The Department of Weights and Measures is responsible for providing the services of testing, adjusting, sealing and handling all complaints regarding commercial weighing and measuring devices within the Town of Franklin. The department investigates consumer complaints regarding unit pricing laws; spot-checking prepackaged items for compliance with all weights and measures laws. Inspections were conducted by the State and the total fees collected and deposited amounted to $9,433.00

Total Revenues Collected: $979,608.00

Respectfully submitted,

Lloyd Brown
Commissioner of Buildings