MODEL # 98-4

CODE ENFORCEMENT THROUGH TRAINING (CETT)
FAIRFAX COUNTY, VIRGINIA

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Jurisdiction Statistics (FY '97):

• Size of Jurisdiction: 399 square miles
• Population: 899,650
• Dollar Amount of Construction Per Year: $924 million
• % Construction:
• Commercial- 16.3%; Residential- 83.7%; Rehab- 74.8% (res. & comm.)
• Permits Issued Per Year:
• Building- 25,150; Electrical- 20,528; Mechanical- 18,167;

Plumbing/Gas- 24,986

Regulatory Areas:

• Administration & Enforcement
• Automation
• Education & Certification

PROBLEM:

Code Compliance - Delays in the Plan Review and Inspection Phases

A municipality has the responsibility to regulate construction through code enforcement, meaning that government employees review plans and inspect the resulting construction. When deficiencies are observed, they are corrected by the designer or builder and reinspected for compliance. This process, while effective, costs both the city and the builder time and money. Both parties seek code compliance and will benefit if the road to such compliance is efficient.

SOLUTION:

Customer Education Program

Fairfax County implemented the Code Enforcement through Training (CETT) program, which focuses on code compliance through education, outreach, and training of the design and construction community. It is intended to improve the quality of the plans submitted and the structures constructed without relying on the old "reject and correct" method.

DESCRIPTION:

CETT involves three elements: (1) industry briefings, (2) printed brief sheets, and (3) formal training. Industry briefings are conducted by County staff bimonthly. The meetings are advertised widely among builders, owners, designers, material suppliers and private inspectors. These meetings are used to introduce code requirements, explain recent code interpretations, disseminate evaluation reports and discuss routine deficiencies or other current issues. Attendees leave with a better understanding of the codes and of how problems are being addressed on other projects.

Printed material takes the form of both informational letters to industry members and handouts covering procedural and technical matters, such as retaining wall or residential deck construction. Handouts are available at the permit application and plan review areas. Informational letters explain code or policy changes and information regarding the acceptability of construction materials.

Formal training of the industry is the most effective element of the CETT outreach program. The County presents training in a classroom environment using adult education techniques and covers new code adoptions, structural design, energy calculations, etc. In the last two years, 425 industry representatives have received almost 2000 hours of training. The training is prepared by the Department of Environmental Management's (DEM) technical experts under the guidance of DEM's own Training Center's staff.

These elements have proven to be the key to code compliance for the construction industry. CETT provides designers and builders with the knowledge and understanding of the codes, where before they relied on a County reviewer or inspector to inspect, reject, and then correct. Plans are approved in less time and projects are completed with fewer delays caused by non-compliance.

Costs involved with this program are associated with the staff time needed to prepare for and present training, prepare written materials and attend briefings. These costs are offset by the fees paid by the training participants and the staff time no longer used to reinspect deficiencies and re-view plans. CETT is viewed as a pro-active and positive approach to code enforcement by the local design and construction professionals. It redefines the role of code enforcement officials from a finder of code deficiencies at the last and worse possible point in a construction time table to a co-partner and valuable resource at the front end of a project.

EVALUATION BY STREAMLINING COMMITTEES:

Advantages

• Reduces complexity for designers and the general public;
• Employs currently available technology.

Drawbacks

• Fairly advanced, requiring technically advanced people to initiate (i.e., consultants);
• Very complex program to coordinate from within;
• High cost.

The Streamlining Committees designated this program as a streamlined model without modifications.

IMPLEMENTATION:

This program was established in 1986 through legislative action of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, and implemented through administrative action involving the Office of Comprehensive Planning, Office of Transportation, Health Department, the Department of Information Technology, and the DEM customers.

CETT is funded by Fairfax County but the costs are recovered through fees charged to participants. In addition, the Training Center is a State-accredited Code Academy created to deliver State-mandated and County-required training to DEM staff. DEM does not have to pay 1% of its permit fees to the State for mandated training as is required of other jurisdictions. This 1% savings amounted to $137,263 in 1997 when the Training Center had operating costs of $215,000.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR ASSISTANCE IN CONSIDERING THE USE OF THIS MODEL, PLEASE CONTACT:

Judy Christofferson
Manager, Training Center, DPW&ES
12055 Government Center Parkway, 6^th Floor
Fairfax, VA 22035
Phone: (703) 324-1854
FAX: (703) 324-1818

Or NCSBCS STAFF:
Carolyn Fitch
National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards
505 Huntmar Park Drive, Suite 210
Herndon, VA 20170
Phone: (703) 467-2048
FAX: (703) 481-3596
Email: cfitch@ncsbcs.org