To the Candidates, What will you do to fix the new

[Seeb]

To the Candidates, What will you do to fix the new Building Code

[Rob Tucker]

Is there a specific fix you think is needed?

[Seeb]

It was meant to be an open ended question

But no reply at all

[james weatherford]

What I have already been doing is working with people in the community to develop an alternative building code for residences on agricultural land in rural areas -- something realistic for rural Hawaii Island and not intended for urban North America, like the existing building code.

Seeb's question was about how to "fix the new building code".
If this means tweaking it, then I would submit that is not what is really needed. Starting over from square one sounds drastic, but may well be what is needed.
Something a Council member can do (that a citizen cannot so easily) is get more information from the Dept Public Works/Building Division -- for example, (far too numerous to list here) questions answered that have been asked by citizens and have not been answered. Just last evening I spoke with the owner of a construction-related business and heard how DPW and the Mayor ignored and made zero response to repeated questions and suggestions regarding Bill 270.

As a Council member, on the matter of the "new building code" and other issues, my bottom line is:
"Does this serve the community well?"
Clearly, in the case of the "new building code", the answer is no. That is, unless you think the overwhelming opposing sentiment heard from the community was because the community does not have enough sense to know what is good for it and need the government to tell them -- which is not how I view government.

[Zendo Kern]

I think our new building code needs some work, I particularly don’t like to idea of criminal prosecution for living in an unpermitted home. I feel for our residents that are now worried about becoming criminals for living in their home – that is not permitted.

I grew up in an unpermitted home with an open metal roof, single wall construction, and without a single glass window (all windows were screens). My family was safe and happy; we were also not burdened by a large mortgage. In the early 90’s the county had an amnesty period for getting homes permitted and my family did get the home permitted. At that time is was a reasonable process and we did not need to do any major alterations.

The data does not support such a stringent code. We have homes that were built in the 30’s that are still here. Where is the data to support such a stringent building code on our island?

I am looking forward to helping make the alternative building code an option for our people. I was having a conversation the other day with an acquaintance and he was telling me there is a county in Florida that has an “alternative building code” and it is working. Florida has more issues with natural disasters (hurricanes) than many other states and the building code is working and people are still safe. I am gathering more info on this Florida code to see how it could fit here on our island. I have another potential idea that could work, I am checking into the legal viability of it before I make it public. I will say this it would not be limited to just agriculture lands.

The people of our island should have an option to build a cost effective home in a manner that works for their life style. I do think it’s important that safety is a priority, just not to the point it drives the cost so high the average person cannot afford it or causes them to take on addition debt. As with many issues we need to find a balance.

An issue that I get a lot of comments on is the process of obtaining and finalizing a building permit and the pain the neck it is. I feel it’s crucial for the process to be stream-lined and people actually feel they are being served in the process. Government is supposed to serve the people! When I am elected I will sit down with the department heads and find a way to work together to improve the process. Taking a combative approach is not the answer in my opinion, working with people and finding comprise and cooperation is the key.

[liskir]

I second Zendo. At a time when people are suffering, the economy is south with no signs of recovery, and the government continues to impose more and more regulations and rules to further burden us. Just say No, to the revenuers.

Mahalo James. We do need to start over.

[Rob Tucker]

liskir,

I understand your point and it has a basis. Just for discussion sake let me ask you if the county "just says no to the revenuers" will you
complain if FEMA does not show up to help you and your neighbors following a disastrous earthquake or wind storm?

[wax]

An ancillary but important issue os the whole permitting and inspection process. Having gone through this very recently let me say that it is almost out of control. No, it is completely out of control! Apply for a permit and expect an extended wait. Respond to theninivitable comments and wait again. But, then, surprise - they suddenly find new issues even with the items you did not change!

Once through this process there is even more excitement awaiting you. For the building deptartment the game is on. You will feel like the marlin in the Kona tournament while the county employees are the fishermen. You will struggle and struggle to escape but they will struggle harder to keep you on the line - not sure why, but control issues come to mind. The game goes like this, with some unexpected variations: you call for an inspection and wait. When they arrive they pleasantly find some problem. Your contractor fixes it. After awhile they are back. But, oh my, a new problem that they missed the first time. This circuit can go on for weeks. It is not as if whatever they find each time was not there the whole time, thet just manage to discover them one at a time. If you are in need of moving in - wow the excitement at the department is palpable!

You get the point. I only wish I were exaggerating. This goes on regardless of administration. Theynall promise to fix it, but the union is in charge of the details. How about an ordinance that controls the process and ends the abuse?

[KeaauRich]

Clearly the building permitting and enforcement process need to be reviewed and updated. Currently those who apply for permits are penalized with long waiting periods, arbitrary inspection decisions, higher tax assessments, and additional hassles and expenses due to poor government record-keeping (we purchased 2 "county finaled" houses and neither one had a "finaled" cesspool! A friend of a friend was told their home had not been "finaled" years earlier even though they still had copies of the final inspection paperwork and Helco had installed permanent house hookups - which they don't do until the County notifies them that the house is finaled). And what about the contractor on the Hilo Gym, who was told he had to totally redesign his building plans because the code had changed in the months while the county was reviewing his plans???

Meanwhile those who ignore the legal requirements suffer no consequences until they try to sell their property or claim an insurance loss.

If regulations are necessary, enact and enforce them. If they are not necessary, don't enact them. And don't spend months arguing about plastic bag bans while issues of higher importance to the County and its residents languish.

[JerryCarr]

Thank you, KeaauRich, for summing this up so well. At a time when home ownership is becoming a fading dream for many, why do we want to make it more difficult? Why do we want to adopt a code that has many elements that don't have any relationship to the climate and other realities of the Big Island? The permitting process that we have now doesn't work well, yet we want to make it more complicated. There's something wrong with this picture. As a dear friend pointed out when I mentioned this, the answer may lie in "follow the money." Who stands to profit from the new code?