Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Planning committee to decide future of dwelling code

By RICHARD JENKINS

[email protected]

Hurley — The Iron County Comprehensive Planning/Land and Zoning Committee will need to decide what to do with the county’s uniformed dwelling code program, after Zoning Administrator Tom Bergman informed the committee Tuesday that the person handling inspections for the program would no longer be able to continue his work.

Bergman said Rick Clem, who the county contracted with for inspection services, has informed Bergman that his workload is too much to continue serving Iron County along with the other municipalities he contracts with.

Clem inspects the private residential structures being built in the county to ensure they comply with the proper building code requirements.

Bergman told the committee they could either contract with another inspector or repeal its ordinance and have the state resume performing inspections.

“I think the county could explore contacting some of the surrounding counties and see who they have — Rick is a lot of the surrounding areas — but maybe we could contract with another county if they have an in-house UDC inspector,” Bergman said.

If the state performs the inspections, Bergman said it would only inspect new dwellings — whereas the current ordinance allows for the inspection of other structures, such as additions and over-head decks.

Several committee members expressed an interest in keeping the process at the local level.

“I’d rather see a contracted person, like Rick, then we have more local control,” said Brad Matson.

As the county’s building season is slowing down during the winter, and Clem is working for the county through the end of the year, the committee has some time to make a decision.

However, Bergman warned having an inspector is helpful to those planning their projects and it takes two months for the state to fill a contract if it resumes inspections.

“I’d say by next meeting you’re going to want to make a decision on which route you want to go,” he told the committee.

 
 
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