Some Charlotte-area building inspection departments are understaffed and overworked, and that could mean higher insurance premiums for commercial property owners, The Mecklenburg Times has learned. Inspection departments in Mecklenburg, Catawba, Lincoln and Union counties are asking their inspectors to handle an increasing number of assignments per day. In some counties, the number exceeds the eight [...]
Mecklenburg County building permit revenue is higher than expected so far this year, although the amount of residential and commercial permits is lower, Jim Bartl, code enforcement director, said. Bartl said permit revenue for fiscal 2011, which began in July, had reached $4.15 million by September, or 41 percent above the projected year-to-date total of [...]
The transition to the new 2012 North Carolina State Building Code has begun. James Bartl, Mecklenburg County’s code enforcement director, said in a memo Thursday that the transition period for building, fire prevention, mechanical, plumbing and fuel gas codes began Sept. 1 and will continue until March 1. The transition for the residential and energy [...]
At a time when Mecklenburg County’s construction industry is still hurting from the economic downturn, no one wants to hear that the costs to build could be rising. But that’s what might happen to large commercial construction projects if a Mecklenburg County code enforcement department proposal goes through. The department is considering tacking on equipment [...]
When he looks back on the impact of the Great Recession on Charlotte, James Bartl, Mecklenburg County’s code enforcement director, describes his department as being the “canary in the coal mine.” The department, which is responsible for plan reviews, building permits and inspections, was the first in the county to be affected by the downturn [...]
A building permit can be a significant investment for a business, costing thousands of dollars. Companies must hire an architect to draw up plans for new construction and submit them to the county to begin the permitting process. But in response to an economy that has brought almost all new construction projects to a halt, [...]
