By STEPHANIE BUNKER
Moapa Valley Progress
Representatives from the Clark County Department of Building & Fire Prevention held a meeting at the Overton Community Center on Thursday, April 28 to discuss the process of obtaining a building permit and to hear feedback and input from the community.
Local residents who attended the meeting were able to speak to, and make contact with, the Assistant Director Sam Palmer, the Administrative Secretary Cathy Altstatt, and the Assistant Manager of Building Permits Kim Shepherd-Dryden.
Clark County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick had previously reached out to the Building Department and requested they hold this meeting to increase the communication between the Moapa Valley communities and the department. The meeting was set up for an open discussion with the chairs placed in a circle.
Palmer began with background about the Building & Fire Prevention Department. He said that if the department was not the busiest building department in the United States they are most likely in the top ten. The department issues 50,000-60,000 permits each year, he said.
“We are well-versed in what we do,” Palmer said. “We still have codes we have to live by, and these codes are adopted codes, they are law. I can’t change the law.”
After formal introductions, Rural community liaison Janice Ridondo was anxious to dive into the particular problems the community has been facing. Starting with the problem of the Building Department being in two different locations in Las Vegas. Those seeking permits are sent back and forth looking for the help they need.
Cathy Altstatt was also concerned about this problem and recommended the people go straight to the office at 4701 Russell Road in Las Vegas. She also advised, for those who get sent to another module, that they get something in writing telling of the referral.
Another big complaint from locals in attendance was that of a perceived lack in customer service. Those at the meeting explained that days and weeks were wasted due to the department mailing correction letters that could be easily solved over a phone call.
“It can’t be faster to send a letter through the mail than it is to pick up the phone and call the person to fix the problem,” Ridondo said.
Those at the meeting requested there to be a regular schedule where someone from the Building Department be sent out to the community in order to answer questions, look over plans, and stamp off permits. Palmer committed to being able to send someone out once a month to help people in the community.
“Will the person you send out have the authority to do anything?” asked Brian Seely a General Contracter and owner of Brimont Construction.
Palmer explained that it takes more than just one person to stamp off a permit. Someone is needed from the building department, zoning, and public works to stamp off and issue a permit, she said. Those at the meeting requested that a team comprising these departments be sent out to Moapa Valley regularly to streamline the process.
Palmer also explained that a part of the communication issue stems from a 20 year old computer program that Building Department staff has been using. He assured the public that the department is working on a new program that will be a live program giving people in different departments the chance to instantly see changes made to applications or programs. Department personnel would also be able to see and review electronic plans much faster on the new program versus turning the pages of the big sheets of plans, Palmer said. The program will be ready to implement next year, and will act as a public portal for people to check information on their permits as well as give more options of electronic submission of applications, he said.
Seely told the panel from the building department of having to wait eight months for permits. In the end he lost the job solely because the permits took too long and the price of the project had jumped $40,000 making it impossible for the single level single family residence to be built, Seeley said.
Palmer and his team were unaware of the particular instance. But they expressed their disapproval of the time it took to obtain that permit. Palmer directed those having problems such as this to call him directly and allow him to try to sort it out.
Sammy Vassilev is owner of a company that has been looking to build a world class sky diving operation at Overton airport. He was present at the meeting and said that he is petrified of the permitting process in Clark County. Palmer listened closely to his concerns and expressed a desire to help him find the best path to getting their permits.
“There are specific examples I have heard that are easy to fix,” Palmer said. “I can put you in touch with the right people to put you through the system,”
