Building Inspection’s mission is to promote, enhance, and ensure a safe environment through building and fire code enforcement and inspection of new, remodeled, and repaired structures, as well as electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning, water treating, and gas fitting inspections.

Inspections is responsible for:

Permits are issued to licensed contractors and to homeowners performing their own work on their home that they occupy. Rental property requires licensed contractors for the protection of the occupants. Inspections ensure the zoning of new and existing projects is appropriate for the proposed usage or improvement. If a setback amendment is desired those are forwarded to the Zoning Board of which the Inspector is an ex-officio member.

The Inspector is also an ex-officio member of the Building Board of Examiners and Appeals, Board of Construction, Trades, Examiners, and Appeals. He also works closely with rezoning and other issues through the Planning Commission, City Council, and City Administration. The inspector works with State officials on code enforcement and particularly with their restaurant inspector. When all permits have been issued and the inspections performed a certificate of occupancy is issued. Property maintenance is a critical area of building code. The department has an ongoing effort toward the improvement or removal of unfit or unsafe structures.