Proposed Franklin County Building Inspection Program Would Conform to State Standards

A town hall/public hearing is set for this evening at the Justice Center in Carnesville for Franklin County citizens to ask questions about the new proposed County Building Inspection Program.

The County has been working on the program for the past couple of years.

The 49-page building inspection program outlines the new policies and procedures for inspecting new and existing residential and commercial buildings.

It also outlines a new fee schedule for commercial and residential properties – both new construction and existing structures.

According to Planning and Zoning Director Scott Delozier new inspection program follows state guidelines for the construction of new homes and the renovation of existing homes.

“What the intent is is to meet the State Minimum Requirements,” he said. “Franklin County is not adding anything to what’s already mandated law, what’s already State building code. We’re just strictly going to be inspecting and requiring what’s already State law. So, if you’re building a new house in Franklin County, if this gets adopted, that house will require building inspections.”

The proposed inspection program has already won unanimous approval from the County Planning and Zoning Board and is expected to be passed by County Commissioners next Monday.

Delozier said once instituted all new homes under construction will have to undergo a series of inspections to make sure they are up to code in a number of areas.

“Foundations will be inspected. Once you finish your framing there’ll be a framing rough-in inspection, a moisture barrier inspection and what’s called the MEP’s, the mechanical, electrical and plumbing inspections. An insulation inspection and then permanent power inspection,” Delozier explained.

And there will be one final walk-through inspection before the homeowner or building owner is given a certificate of occupancy.

Franklin County will use a third-party inspection firm out of Jefferson to do the inspection, which Delozier said will literally not cost the county anything.

Delozier said citizens will be paying Franklin County and the County will in turn pay BV. The permitting fees will directly cover the cost of the inspections, but Franklin County will be collecting the fees and will in turn pay BV as required by the proposed contract with them.

Delozier said at the end of the month he will be holding a seminar for tradespeople and contractors to go over the new inspection program.

“Before we get this completely online and rolling we’re going to have a trainning date for tradespeople and contractors at the Carnesville Community Center on July 30 starting at 9:30a. We will have our checklist as far as what the process is going to be like and what’s going to be expected,” he said.

Again, the question and answer session for the public will take place this evening at 5:30p before the Commission hears a second reading of the program at its regular meeting at 6p.

A copy of the proposed building inspection program is available to read on the Franklin County web site at: https://www.franklincountyga.gov/