One thing village council members agree on is they would like to see someone else besides the state do construction inspections.
State officials have not been enforcing Lake Orion’s zoning ordinances which has caused some problems during construction on several new homes.
What village officials are having a problem with is who should do the inspections. Two councilmen, Douglas Dendel and Tom Albert, would like to use Orion Township’s Building Department.
LO Village Manager JoAnn Van Tassel has recommended the village contract with Construction Code Authority, a private company.
Council president Bill Siver said at the council meeting on April 14 he had talked to one building contractor who had an employee who worked part-time for the Construction Code Authority.
‘He told me they were understaffed and disorganized,? Siver added.
Councilman Ken Van Portfliet liked the company’s pricing and turnaround times. The company will also do rental property inspections, something that Bob Hollenbeck would like to see happen in the village.
‘We don’t even have a rental ordinance yet,? Dendel said.
He wanted to know why the village’s ordinance officer couldn’t do rental inspections and was told the man wasn’t qualified.
‘I’m hearing the ordinance office isn’t qualified. Why do we even have this person if he isn’t qualified for much?? Dendel asked.
Council members also discussed a letter sent to Van Tassel by Mark Sisco of Michigan’s Department of Consumer and Industry Services.
Sisco said it’s not the responsibility of the state to enforce zoning requirements of the village, but only to ensure that any necessary zoning approvals have been issued prior to the issuance of a building permit.
‘Regarding this state letter, there seems to be two sides of the story. Maybe it’s saying there’s not too much coordination,? Dendel said.
According to Dendel, there’s a lot of proof that the problem is at the village hall not at the state. ‘I’ll get that proof,? he added.
Albert also accused Van Tassel of having problems with the township. ‘I think you’re having problems with the township and that’s your problem. We get a lot of different stories from you. For the good of the village, we should go with the township,? he added.
Van Tassel said she was the township supervisor in the 1990s when the township first provided inspection services to the village. That’s when the village received 10 percent of the inspection fees from the township.
‘Then the next supervisor decided to keep it all. That’s what I inherited when I became manager,? she added. ‘I’m not opposed to the township. With its current staffing, I’m concerned the township can do the job.?
According to Van Tassel, she’s hearing different messages from township officials. Tom Berger, head of the building department, told her inspections could start immediately.
‘I called the supervisor and he said we would have to have a written agreement first,? she added.
Late last year, Van Tassel was told by township officials, they would not be able to consider doing village inspections until next year’s budget discussions got underway.
A committee, consisting of council members, Albert, Van Portfliet and Harry Stephen, will approach the township about beginning inspection negotiations.
‘I would like to see some service in place when the PUD at Atwater (Atwater Commons) begins,? Stephen said. ‘It would be tough to switch in mid-stream.?