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MEMORANDUM Date: November 6, 2012 To: Janine Jordan, City Manager From: Randy Hunt, Community Development Director Subject: Report: Community Development Dept. – October 2012 Building Permits: I would like to advise the Council that it has become necessary to report the building-permit statistics differently than in the past. We need to introduce a one-month delay in this cycle, so that for example you are receiving September statistics in November (the stats below are the same that you saw in October’s report); next month, we will report October, and so on. The reason we have to delay reporting is software-related. As you recall, we switched last year to managing permits with H.T.E. (now Sungard). The Sungard building module is part of the City’s integrated financial/bookkeeping software. The system is programmed so that no summary statistics can be obtained until after all permit fees and other financial transactions are posted. There is a natural and understandable lag time of several days before Finance can post them via Sungard. In any given month, the odds are probably at least 2:1 that the report deadline will come before the statistics are ready. I have been requesting deadline extensions in many cases, but that is unfair to the City Manager’s office. I would prefer that you see the statistics in real time, but there is no way to get them by deadline unless we keep what amounts to another set of books. (I don’t need to explain why that’s a bad idea.) I will make a standing offer here, and repeat it If any Councilor (or anyone else) would like to see the statistics sooner than 30 days after closeout, please contact me and/or Jerry Hankin; we’ll be glad to make them available as soon as they’re generated. As noted, that’s typically by the 10th of the month. None of our other divisions are integrated with Sungard at this time, and none have the same delay issue. I will continue to provide real-time reports for the preceding month for Code Enforcement, Planning, and Engineering. Meanwhile, September 2012 building statistics are repeated on the next page, for the sake of continuity. City of Laramie Community Development Department P.O. Box C Laramie, WY 82073 Planning: (307) 721-5207 Code Administration: (307) 721-5271 Fax: (307) 721-5248 Engineering: (307) 721-5250 Fax: (307) 721-5216 TTD: (307) 721-5207 ---PAGE BREAK--- November 6, 2012 Page 2 Month YTD 12 YTD 11 Month YTD 12 YTD 11 New Single Family 4 53 64 517,015.00 6,509,578.00 8,911,757.95 New Multiple Family 2 17 2,086,419.00 10,314,275.00 No. Units - YTD 12 (19) No. Units - YTD 11 (90) New Manufactured Homes Residential Remodel 24 209 215 611,793.00 2,562,301.00 2,016,407.31 New Commercial or Industrial 2 3 367,686.00 9,372,172.00 New Public Facilities Commercial, Industrial or Public Remodel 6 46 77 398,779.00 10,777,895.00 22,079,714.00 Demolition 9 17 74,490.00 420,402.00 Signs 3 15 10 47,500.00 103,959.00 44,030.00 Electrical 26 219 315 170,125.00 2,800,514.00 3,695,717.47 Plumbing 46 279 297 161,855.00 3,604,002.00 5,895,783.00 Mechanical 19 152 188 60,632.00 1,681,845.00 5,660,036.00 Misc. TOTALS [PHONE REDACTED] $1,967,699.00 30,568,689.00 68,410,294.73 Permits Valuations1 Code Enforcement: Following are violation and abatement statistics for October 2012, with previous month for comparison: ---PAGE BREAK--- November 6, 2012 Page 3 New Issues for Oct 2012 Type of Violation Total Number Not Resolved Total Number Not Resolved Total Number Not Resolved Offensive Growth 184 121 9 130 14 549 14 Junk 20 6 21 27 14 179 14 Junked Vehicles 12 5 2 7 4 48 4 Abandoned vehicles 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 Other 5 0 27 27 0 102 0 Snow removal 0 0 22 22 0 227 0 Nuisance Totals 221 132 81 213 32 1112 32 Volunteer Hours 263 0 17 17 0 280 0 2012 2012 2012 End of Year to Assisted in planning and executing CACEO code enforcement certification course in Denver from 17-19 October Coordinated cleanup of 2 properties using volunteers Currently on the Board of Directors of the Colorado Association of Code Enforcement Officials (CACEO), which includes 6 members from WY Date End of October September The Department conducted 130 nuisance investigations during the past month, including 9 new investigations. Of the total, 32 cases remained unresolved by the end of the month. You will note that the numbers have been dramatically reduced from September, in both new investigations and unresolved cases. This pattern is consistent with previous October statistics. The Code Enforcement inspector is always glad to see October, as this is his opportunity to concentrate on necessary tasks such as filing, as well as work on longer- range matters such as possible code amendments or updates to standard notices and flyers. Volunteer hours for assisting with clean-up efforts total 17 this past month. The Board of Nuisance Appeals heard no appeals during the past month. Planning: October 2012 highlights include: • Planning Commission/Board of Adjustment met twice in October holding a hearing on the following matters: o Re-evaluation of Garfield and 30th (Suburban Residential and Park/Open Space to Auto Urban Multifamily) -No change to Commission’s initial recommendation of denial. o CPA -12-02 Cirrus Sky Comprehensive Plan Amendment – Approved o A-12-02 Cirrus Sky Annexation - Approved ---PAGE BREAK--- November 6, 2012 Page 4 o Z-12-04 Cirrus Sky Zoning – Approved o TA-12-02 Technology & Office Zoning District – Approved o CUP-12-09 Accessory Building Garage 2475 Riverside Drive o CUP-12-07 Accessory Building Garage 2663 Sybille Drive o CUP-12-10 401 South 15th Street (Spa) o FP-12-06 Vaquero –Approved (re-approval due to lapse of prior approval) • 3 new development applications were submitted to the Planning Division during the month of September, consisting of: o CUP-12-11 2552 15th Street (Snowy Range Evangelical Free Church) o CUP-12-12 1733 Glacier (Day Care) o SSI-12-03 Laramie GM Auto Center • The Ad-Hoc Committee established to oversee the update to the Parks, Trails and Recreation Master Plan met on October 3rd, 10th and 24th. The committee is currently working on evaluating service areas for different types of parks and recreations facilities and will begin trail and on street bike lane location soon. Staff is also beginning to prepare for Town Hall type meetings regarding the progress made sometime early this winter. • Work on other long term projects continues: o A draft Ordinance on the Tree Area Overlay Zone is anticipated to be ready for City Council in the next couple of months. o Enforcement has picked up with the start of school, specifically related to over occupancy violations; staff currently has looked at or is in process of investigation 9 different cases. o Staff continues to receive feedback for future Development Code revisions and expects to bring “Round Three UDC Revisions” forward to the Planning Commission this fall. o Staff is proposing amendments to the mobile home, manufactured home, recreational vehicle park and campgrounds sections of the municipal code in regards to licensing and licensing requirements. This will be brought forward to the Planning Commission this fall. o Work will begin shortly on the I-80 Aquifer protection Monitoring Well Design and Hazardous Spill Detention Pond Design. Council will see a contract for services sometime in November. o The Laramie Downtown Development Plan should begin the Planning Commission and City Council approval process in the next couple of months. ---PAGE BREAK--- November 6, 2012 Page 5 Report of Engineering Division DATE: November 6, 2012 TO: Randy Hunt, Community Development Director FROM: Larry Ketcham, City Engineer RE: October Activities Development Review • Continued review for Indian Ridge Final Plat Submittal. • Staff is participating in discussions of the future Bill Nye Avenue alignment, and its implications on water, sewer, storm, and street infrastructure. • Staff had numerous meetings with consultants working on the proposed high school site in the Turner Tract parcel. • Staff has participated in various meetings to discuss design parameters for “The Pointe”, a student residential development south of Garfield, near 30th Street. Coordination with other City Departments • Staff drafted up an alternative of the “Bolt Parking lot (public parking at 1st and Grand). • Staff worked with Utilities and Code Administration personnel to resolve outstanding issues with the water system serving Breaseale’s Trailer Court. • Staff continues to assist in the new application for a Brownfield Grant (Spring Creek Channel area). Construction Inspections • Inspection oversight for infrastructure improvements within the City’s Right of Ways, continues with as some projects started construction late in the construction season. • Staff has completed various inspections of local development projects erosion control measures. • Staff has had various meetings with DEQ, to move the Banner Road Liftstation and outfall sewer projects forward. Capital Improvement Projects. • North Laramie Drainage study reached a stalling point on detention needs. Staff is regrouping, and evaluating options. • Engineering Staff provided comments to various SPT projects, and has participated in kick off meetings with the consultants. • SPT Phase 2, Schedules 7 & 8, (water and sewer replacements located in alleys in the southern part of the City), has obtained “substantial completion”. • Staff continues working on the other SPT alleys, and street reconstruction projects that will be bid for construction for next year construction. ---PAGE BREAK--- November 6, 2012 Page 6 • A drain tile has been designed in 21st Street is completed, pending some completion of final paperwork. Traffic Commission • With the vacant positions on Traffic Commission, obtaining a quorum to conduct business is getting increasingly difficult. It is hoped that additional commission members will be appointed. • Traffic Commission reviews and activities has markedly increased over the last year. Continuing Education • Staff attended a City hosted 10 hour training session on “OSHA Safety”. • Staff attended a budget training session.