Local Government Affairs Committee (LGAC) Meeting Dates and Speakers

September 16

CATT Founder Ted Owens

Our September 16 meeting will feature Ted Owens,  CATT founder and former mayor of Truckee (and Nevada County Supervisor!).  Ted will cover reasons why CATT members should be involved in the Truckee General Plan Update process. Ted has lived through two Town general plans and also knows CATT inside and out.  His passion for grassroots involvement is compelling and just as strong today as it was back in 1998 when CATT came alive.

Other agenda items for the LGAC meeting include:  Truckee funding options for affordable housing, Placer County funding options for affordable housing, Truckee General Plan and Housing Element Updates, Fire Code revisions, and North Tahoe Fire hydrant code requirements,

LGAC meetings are usually held the third Monday of the month at the CATT office and start at 4:00 PM. Any CATT member is welcome to attend LGAC meetings.  Please contact CATT Government Affairs Manager Pat Davison at 530.550.9999 or pat@ca-tt.com for more information about LGAC activities or issues of concern to CATT.

FUTURE LGAC MEETINGS and SPEAKERS

	October 21	North Tahoe Fire Protection District Fire Chief Mike Schwartz
	November 18	Placer County Chief Building Official Tim Wegner

HEADS UP! LOCAL FIRE CODES TO BE UPDATED

CATT members Jamie Brimer (Brimer Construction & Plumbing) and Brad Altman (Evolve Design Works, Inc.) are reviewing the draft fire codes from local jurisdictions in anticipation of the year end code adoption.  Generally speaking, the State Fire Code is the default code effective January 1, 2020 if a jurisdiction has not enacted updated fire codes by the end of 2019.   Truckee Fire Protection District (TFPD) is first out of the gate, agendizing their draft for a first reading at the TFPD September 17 board meeting. 

Questions?  Contact Jamie (530.308.0305 or Jamie@brimercon.com) or Brad (530.412.1328 or brad@evolvedesignworks.com) to find out more.

CATT GPU COMMITTEE WELCOMES BRIAN CLARK AS VICE CHAIR

CATT Truckee General Plan Update Committee Chairman Chip Huck has appointed Brian Clark to the position of Vice Chairman of the CATT GPU Committee.  Brian is the owner of High Sierra Civil Engineering & Consulting and a Registered Civil Engineer, licensed in both California and Nevada.  Brian can provide civil, structural, planning, permitting, and design consulting services in the Truckee-Tahoe area. Some of the disciplines covered by Brian’s firm include renewable energy; passive solar design; sustainable living; LID BMPs; and wetland/floodplain mitigation. 

After working for various engineering and consulting firms in Humboldt, Trinity, and Mendocino counties for 6 years and then 7 years in Tahoe/Truckee, Brian states, “I am fully aware of the hoops and hurdles required to complete projects in rugged, mountainous terrain, with high levels of environmental sensitivity and permitting requirements. I have close working relationships with all the local permitting agencies including: TRPA; Caltrans; Town of Truckee; Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Douglas and Washoe Counties.” 

Brian’s background could come in very handy for some of the GPU policies and programs that may emerge dealing with air and water quality as well as sustainability practices. Thanks Brian for taking on this leadership position with Chip!

PLACER COUNTY/TAHOE BUILDING DEPARTMENT – MEET STEVE ADCOCK, SENIOR BUILDING INSPECTOR

Steve Adcock was promoted in June 2019 to the Senior Building Inspector position for the Tahoe City office of the Placer County Building Department. Here is some background information about Steve:

“I have been involved in construction ever since my twin brother and I rode our ‘Dill Pickle’ bicycles 6 ½ miles from Citrus Heights to Folsom where Dad was building retaining walls for a retirement community project.  We were seven years old.  Since that day, about 47 years ago, I have been involved in masonry, foundation, framing, and finish construction for residential and commercial projects as well as working for land development and general engineering companies.  In June 2004, I started as an extra help Building Inspector 1 for Placer County in Auburn.  I was laid off from the County in 2010 and worked in a few different jurisdictions for the next three years as contract help or extra help, including temporary work as a Building Inspector 2 for Placer County in the Tahoe City office.  In June 2013, I was reinstated as a Building Inspector 2 for the Tahoe City office.  I have an Associates of Science degree in Construction Technology and am an ICC Certified Building Inspector. I enjoy playing board games, cards, softball, racquetball, target shooting, archery and prefer watching movies to sports.”

You can reach Steve at 530.581.6208  or SAdcock@placer.ca.gov

PLACER COUNTY/TAHOE BUILDING – LACK OF CANDIDATES FOR JOB OPENINGS CREATING DELAYS

Placer County continues its search for a qualified Building Inspector II for the Tahoe office. The vacancy coupled with unforeseen conditions led to some inspections on four separate days to be rolled to the next business day early in the season.  No additional inspections have been rolled since.  To help support Tahoe, Auburn inspectors have traveled to Tahoe to help with inspections and processing.  These efforts, in addition to two new extra-help employees, and the recent employment of a consultant inspector who begins employment in mid-August, will aid in timeliness of services this season.   If you have, or know someone who has, construction experience please take a look at the current building inspector opportunity.  Here is the Building Inspector II job description.  The Inspector II position will be open until filled.  County jobs have good benefits and can become great careers for those building professionals who have the needed skills and want to serve the community.

Also, final testing is underway for applicants for the administrative clerk position (journey level) that will handle permit processing in the Tahoe office.  Delays with plan check have happened simply because a staffing shortage means no one is available to process plan sets sitting in the queue.  The good news is the shelves are clear today! 

After testing for the clerk, the County intends to conduct interviews in weeks to come for the administrative position. Here is the job description for the administrative clerk (journey level) position.

Lastly, the position of Supervising Building Inspector for the Tahoe office has opened up with the pending retirement of Dave Barnett.  The position summary is: To plan, organize, direct and supervise building inspection and plan review operations within the Building Division; and to perform a variety of technical tasks relative to assigned area of responsibility.  Here is the Supervising Building Inspector job description.

And a reminder - please know building permit applications and plans submitted on or after September 1st will not likely receive a permit before the October 15, cutoff date.  For this reason, please submit your applications now!

For more information about the Placer County job positions for the Tahoe office, please contact Tim Wegner, Deputy Director at 530.745.3125 or TWegner@placer.ca.gov

TRUCKEE DONNER PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT SEEKS COMMUNITY INPUT FOR NEW GENERAL MANAGER

The Truckee Donner Public Utility District (TDPUD) is inviting the community to help prioritize the skills that should be found in the new General Manager. The TDPUD explains, “Now is your chance to be heard. We are asking you to contribute to help us.”  This meeting is in response to the announced resignation of Michael Holley slated for July of 2020.  The TDPUD is holding a crowd-sourced, community-driven workshop on Wednesday, September 18 from 6 – 7 p.m. at 11570 Donner Pass Road, Truckee.  RSVP to Shanna Kuhlemier at 530.587.3896 or  shannakuhlemier@tdpud.org

Click here for the TDPUD flyer about the September 18 workshop.

USE COMPLAINT FORM FOR PLAN CHECK & INSPECTION PROBLEMS

CATT Government Affairs Manager Pat Davison created a complaint form that can be used to document a problem with plan check or building inspection. This form allows CATT to track the complaint and also gives the managing entity specific detail for remedy. The complaint outline is simple:

• Project address
• Building permit #
• Date problem occurred
• Brief description of what happened
• Your opinion – what should have happened instead
• Your name and contact info

Click here to download the form.  A fillable form is also posted on the CATT webpage at http://www.ca-tt.com/lgac-issues

For more information about the complaint form and CATT involvement once the form is filed, please contact CATT Government Affairs Manager Pat Davison at 530.550.9999 or pat@ca-tt.com

CATT PRIORITIES FOR 2019

This list was unanimously approved by LGAC at their regular meeting December 17, 2018:

2019 PRIORITY ISSUES TO BE HANDLED BY CATT GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MANAGER PAT DAVISON

1. Mitigation Fees – coordinate with LGAC as a whole
Review Annual Updates (all jurisdictions)
Resolve issues with Placer County Traffic Mitigation Fees
Seek Placer County Traffic Fee conversion to SF
Monitor/Comment on Northstar Fire Mitigation Fee Study (if Martis Valley West annexation occurs)
Update CATT Mitigation Fee POLICY re when mitigation fee is calculated and 500 SF trigger for additions (all jurisdictions)         

2. Truckee General Plan Update – coordinate with specific LGAC committee

3. Placer County Plan Check/Inspection Procedures & Timelines – coordinate with specific LGAC committee

4. Affordable/Workforce Housing – coordinate with specific LGAC committee (House Truckee First, Truckee funding options, Truckee 2nd unit incentives, Placer in lieu fee and small project exemption, 2nd units on smaller parcels with septic systems, Mountain Housing Council, Factory _OS tour, etc)

5. North Tahoe Fire Hydrant Requirements – coordinate with specific LGAC committee

OTHER - Continue to provide reports and information, conduct leadership training and identify committee recruits, assist with fundraising for the Issues Action Fund, attend CATT meetings, read files for scanning, and perform other administrative duties as needed.  Continue to emphasize the importance of CATT members being involved in issues to affect the outcome.

2019 PRIORITY ISSUES TO BE HANDLED BY LGAC MEMBERS & OTHERS:

Placer County Structural Observations Report – John Wood
Multi-Jurisdictional Building Working Group – Jamie Brimer & Mike Nethersole
North Tahoe Fire Plan Check Process – Pat Souza
Truckee Citizens Oversight Tax Committee – Craig Weaver
Truckee Fire Property Tax Distribution – John Pruyn
Fire/Building Code Changes (all jurisdictions) – Jamie Brimer & Brad Altman

DONATE TO CATT "ISSUES ACTION FUND"

The Construction Industry is heavily regulated, with codes, fees, and policies changing on a regular basis at all levels of government. Many times, CATT dialogue with agency staff or elected officials can remove impediments or resolve problems.

But sometimes, CATT needs to take action to protect your industry in a different way. That's why you will hear the refrain: The World Is Run By Those Who Show Up with a call to action - comment now or attend a meeting. That's also why you will hear about CATT hiring experts or consultants to provide supporting information as a way to change the outcome of some code, fee, or policy proposal.

Consultants and experts give CATT an added boost, reinforcing a point from an outside perspective. That could make the difference between a questionable proposal getting adopted as is and one getting modified to be more reasonable. 

CATT's Issues Action Fund is a dedicated fund set up to channel donations to those special issues where an expert or consultant can make a positive difference. LGAC oversees the Issues Action Fund. Please consider making a donation to the IAF today as a way to protect your tomorrow. Download the donation form here.

For more information about the CATT Issues Action Fund, please contact CATT Government Affairs Manager Pat Davison (530.550.9999 or pat@ca-tt.com)

WHAT IS LGAC?

CATT's Local Government Affairs Committee is a permanent committee composed of members who are interested in Fees - Codes - Regulation - Policy. This is the committee that analyzes issues affecting the building industry and determines CATT position and strategy. This committee works very closely with CATT Government Affairs Manager Pat Davison.

Bring your problems or concerns to LGAC. You may think you are alone when in reality others may be experiencing the same problems. LGAC could be the place to help you find a remedy. Experience the power of numbers with CATT as your ally.

Come to the LGAC meeting and learn what is happening with TRPA, the Town of Truckee, Special Districts, and the three Counties. Find out what CATT is doing to improve conditions for you and the building industry.

WHO IS LGAC?

CATT’s Local Government Affairs Committee (LGAC) has 19 members.  LGAC Chair is Tony Commendatore (Aegis Insurance Markets), Vice Chair is John Wood (Loverde Builders, Inc.).      Committee members are: Eric Slominski (Barrish Pelham & Associates), Jamie Brimer (Brimer Construction & Plumbing), Chip Huck (CST Holdings, LLC), Dan Fraiman (Daniel Fraiman Construction), Heather Rankow (Developer’s Connection), Valerie Brinker (Dickson Realty), Michael Forshee (Forshee Construction), Cody Heller (Heller Construction, Inc.), Pat Souza (Heslin Construction), John Pruyn (High West Landscape Architects), Ryan Marsden (Marsden Architects), Brian McEneaney (McEneaney Construction), Mitch Clarin (Mitchell T. Clarin), Craig Weaver (Molsby & Bordner, LLP), Kristi Thompson (MWA, Inc.), Justin Bertoli (NSM Corporation), and Christian Edwards (Timberline Construction).

If fees, regulations, codes, and policy interest you, contact LGAC Chair Tony Commendatore at 530.582.6000 or tony@aegisins.com