Fines

[Kapohocat]

Who has been fined recently during the building process for something that a building inspector saw and issued a fine?

You may email me privately if you want. I am collecting anecdotal information since the COH Bldg division does not track fines per se.

[Seeb]

fined? you mean issued a ticket?

[DanielP]

Cat,

Got a possible reason for a fine or a hypothetical? Like, called the inspection before all the "dings" were fixed?

[Dinamight]

I am also wondering what you mean by "fines". I thought an inspector would come out at an agreed stage of the job, and issue you a pass or fail. If you fail it, you fix it and he/she comes out again after the fix. Why would they issue a fine? Time wasting? Please clarify.

[Kapohocat]

What has been happening with some inspectors is that they are choosing to enforce fines - it appears randomly.

Here is an example, you pour concrete - you had a foundation inspection - you have an extra 1/4 yard so you pour 2-3 poured in place footings out of 50 footings on the next section - used to be a letter from arch approving those 2-3 pier blocks was all the was needed. So a fine = to cost of permit is issued. I have seen this happen about 5 times in the last few months with different clients, different builders entirely. But then different inspectors will let it go and just require letter still and no fine.

I went to Bldg and asked for the list of BP's that had received fines in 2009, and YTD 2010. No records. So I could graph them by inspector. If you received a fine, you will know what I am talking about.

Dinamight, you bring up a good point. They are also supposed to be issuing $50 re-inspect fines but that is also not tracked. Which inspectors issued them? for what? Who did not issue one?

This issue is so subjective that it is about making me crazy.

[David M]

How can income to the county NOT be tracked???? Poor bookkeeping or being pocketed? Neither should be acceptable.

David

Ninole Resident

[Seeb]

a bunch of Red Flags there. admittedly my experience is from back east ( my last job there was as a chief building inspector for a small city ) but the case law is pretty universal . a fine is a penalty you need due process - you write a ticket then it goes before a judge.
you can charge a Fee for an event like an inspection .
But they better have exact track of every penny that comes in. and have paper work for all of it . or someone is in deep do do if/when the FBI comes knocking

[Kapohocat]

It was specifically called a fine.

[mella l]

Are the fines written into law with the building inspection regulations? What page, section, paragraph??? Do they issue a receipt, who collects the fine? Are there checks issued to pay these fines? What county account do they get deposited into? Do people need an attorney to figure this stuff out?

mella l

Paris London New York PUNA

[Wao nahele kane]

That sounds extremely odd.
If one has a building permit and is going along with the plan, there are no fines that can be issued in Washington. Fines are only issued when and by safety inspectors or a fine can be issued if you've failed to get a permit. Typically if no permit is present they will issue a stop work order first and if you ignore it then you can be fined. Or; they can issue a stop work order if you have a permit and something of safety like a structural issue arises and you have to fix the problem before continuing the rest of the job. But no fines for pouring something too early or doing something and forgetting the inspection portion. They can order an x-ray on concrete if you poured without having the bar looked at... but a fine?
That's sounds like a total scam to me and not within the confines of law.


E ho'a'o no i pau kuhihewa.