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COLUMBIANA -- In conjunction with the city of Salem, the city of Columbiana is now on track to having its own commercial building department.
Both cities have agreed to a joint building department plan developed by the Sustainable Opportunity Development Center in Salem.
Under the plan, Salem and Columbiana will establish their own building departments and complete and submit an application to the state to contract building department services through the proposed third-party contracting agency Elevate Building Solutions (EBS).
"We are looking at it as an economic development tool because the developers will have a one-stop shop at EBS to get plans approved and inspections made. We are hoping it is a more streamlined process," Columbiana City Manager Lance Willard said.
According to a recent report, both Salem and Columbiana will contribute $25,000 each per year in startup funding for three years, and the expectation is for that funding combined with a contribution of startup funds from the SOD Center to have the joint building department be self-funding within three years.
Like Salem, Columbiana City Council passed three separate emergency pieces of legislation during its May 16 meeting to get the ball rolling.
The legislation included an ordinance to establish the City of Columbiana's commercial building department, a resolution requesting certification to begin enforcing state building codes within the city, and an ordinance authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract and sign any and all agreements necessary for the implementation of the city's commercial building department.
The new building department and its enforcement will only apply to commercial and industrial projects within the city, and not residential, which will continue to be overseen by the city's building and zoning inspector.