Published: January 27, 2009 10:16 pm      

Commission asks for review of building code

LEWISBURG — The Greenbrier County Commission voted 2-1 Tuesday to hire a Charleston lawyer to review the county’s building code ordinance that was approved last February and adopted state building regulations and standards.

Commission president Betty Crookshanks said questions concerning fees being charged by the county “have come up recently.”

“We want to make sure everyone is treated equally,” Crookshanks said.

Crookshanks and Commissioner Karen Lobban, who campaigned against the building code during her run for office, voted for the review and Commissioner Brad Tuckwiller voted against it.

“It’s my desire to have the building code repealed,” Lobban said, “because the county commission is elected to work for the people and 90 percent of the people in Greenbrier County don’t want it.

“It has slowed the growth of new construction in the county more than the economy has.”

Lobban described the building code as a “wasteful program” because the amount of money brought in by permits fees wasn’t enough to pay for its employees.

Crookshanks voted against the measure when it was before the governing body last year. At that time, the commission also hired a building inspector at $50,000 per year.

“The power company has inspectors that can do that kind of work,” Crookshanks said Tuesday.

Former Commissioner Lowell Rose, who was in attendance Tuesday, spoke on behalf of the building code and asked the commission to carefully consider the nearly two years worth of work that had been accomplished getting the code approved. He did encourage having a lawyer look at the permit fee structure.

Tuckwiller said the building code doesn’t need to be reviewed.

“I don’t think there’s any flaws with that ordinance,” he said.

Along with safety provisions and setting fee permits, the building code sets standards for plumbing and brings county laws into compliance with the state Fire Commission.

Crookshanks said the Charleston lawyer would cost the commission $200 per hour to retain.

— E-mail:

cgiggenbach@register-herald.com