Submitted by Dale Martin
City of Fernandina Beach
March 10, 2021
[The Fernandina Observer and other media outlets received the email below from Fernandina Beach City Manager Dale Martin this afternoon. We publish it below to let our readers know some of the challenges the City confronts in trying to ensure that construction projects not only adhere to the Florida Building Code but that they do not endanger the health and safety of our residents and visitors.]
Let me offer a response to recent comments related to the Building Department and Building Official Mr. Stephen Beckman.
I do not offer this response as an unconditional defense of the Building Department: I acknowledge that challenges associated with online permitting, staffing, and fees remain to be addressed. Those efforts are ongoing. Another key effort is to improve customer service and support throughout the application, permitting, review, and approval process.
Most critically, it is imperative to recognize that the responsibility of the Building Department and staff, as described in the State of Florida Building Code, is to protect life and property. In that regard, Mr. Beckman has not only my support, but I hope that he also has your support. The efforts of the Building Department are to ensure that all buildings are safely constructed and maintained and that residents, businesses, and visitors are protected.
Let me share with you a few recent incidents associated with the efforts of Mr. Beckman and his staff.
- The hotel at Atlantic Avenue and Fletcher Avenue has incorporated numerous changes to the originally approved plan. When copies of the revised plan were requested from the developer, the developer indicated that a private provider had reviewed and approved all of the revisions. Shortly thereafter, the private provider indicated through an email message that no such review action had taken place. The construction at the hotel was originally indicated to have “non-combustible” trusses, but, through the efforts of Mr. Beckman, he discovered that wooden trusses had been utilized instead of the planned non-combustible materials. Significant safety revisions had to be redesigned and incorporated to ensure life and property safety of future guests, solely because of the actions of the developer (and the recognition by Mr. Beckman).
- A series of resort cottages on Sadler Road similarly failed to incorporate components of the approved electrical plan, altering the capacity, failing to identify electrical components, and failing to sufficiently bury other electrical components. These changes and failures necessitated repeat visits (and associated costs), with photographs and comments repeatedly documenting the failures.
- Many instances of inappropriate generator installation are well-documented (photographs). I expect that most residents do not understand many of the aspects of generators: a contractor is retained, completes the work, and moves on, with the resident homeowner generally pleased with the outcome. But does the homeowner know that generators, if on an elevated platform, have fire separation and combustibility requirements for the platform; must be at least five feet from windows or other openings (unless permanently sealed); have required depths for electrical components; if on a slab, must be fully supported and tied-down to the slab. It is the City’s Building Department, as part of its effort to protect life and property, that inspects for this compliance because it is typically beyond the knowledge of most homeowners.
- A recent complainant argued that because a local subcontractor had been doing similar work for so many years and was a nice guy, he should be exempt from the State requirements to be licensed. A further argument was advanced that because the building was old, it, too, should be exempt from State codes. Apparently, this issue has been resolved by the contractor securing appropriate documentation and insurance for his subcontractors.
- Dozens of examples of unlicensed contractors and unpermitted work have been discovered recently and regularly, especially on weekends.
- Chamber officials recently advocated on behalf of a local hair salon, urging the Building Department to hurriedly approve the facility. Upon inspection (no preliminary inspections had been requested), significant violations of mechanical codes, electrical codes, and fire codes were discovered (primarily due to the actions of the contractor, not the business owner). Again, it was the effort of City Building Department that the business and lives of its patrons has been secured.
- Another Chamber request was to similarly hurry approval for a new pizza business. Demolition and other work had commenced without any permits. Most recently, the bathrooms have not been constructed as approved and now do not meet accessibility requirements.
Despite these challenges, dozens of other projects, large (including another 200+ room hotel) and small, procced with minimal issues. According to Mr. Beckman’s monthly report, over three hundred permits were issued in the month of February (as were eight Stop Work orders). The Building Department’s efforts are routinely documented through the City’s online permitting system and on-site photographs. To re-emphasize, the City’s Building Department staff seeks to protect the life and property of City residents. These efforts by the Building Department provide additional benefits (lower costs) to City property owners through beneficial ratings for flood, fire, and property insurance.
If a property owner or contractor has any questions, I encourage the owner or contractor to contact the Building Department for additional information.
It blows my mind that anyone would suggest that a contractor shouldn’t have to licensed because he’s been doing similar work or because he’s a nice guy. Florida Law does not allow this and further, you would have to be a fool to hire someone who is not licensed, despite how much you like the person. If people would chill and just let the employees do their jobs, this town would be a much better place. But unfortunately, we have a town full of people they fuss and complain when things tone go their way. And these are the same folks who will be irate if something goes wrong in the end and will Homs the city responsible for it.
Anyone I hire is required to provide me with a copy of their license as well as current liability and (if he or she has even one employee or “helper”) worker’s comp coverage. If they can’t produce these, I don’t hire them.
Goes to show you that there are always two sides to a story and Dale’s specific examples demonstrates that SOME developers/builders/tradespeople will take shortcuts to save time or money with the hope that their infractions will never be discovered. It is only after a tragic fire or structure fire that some of these actions are discovered – and then the building department is often blamed asking why didn’t they catch the sub-par or non-compliant work.
As Dale indicated, there are legitimate issues against the Building Department that need to be resolved and hopefully that work will continue post haste.
I commend Mr. Beckman on his efforts to regulate code that is written to ensure the safety and health of homeowners and customers at hotels or rentals.
Suzanne, You have bought this as the truth. You have not seen first hand the Bulling and intimidation done to the home builders. And just because someone has done their job they should not be praised.
Last year we gave up on adding a sunroom because this department refused to acknowledge that we are not r-2.
Our local community is a 22 unit built in 1985.
The department is wrong , we share common walls and have NO WAY to meet side set backs.
They are stubborn and not cognizant of earlier construction that has been approved by previous department.
4 other units have had sunrooms built in previous years.
It’s a joke of a department
Evidently your property and that of your neighbors is zoned R1-Single Family Residential. The Building Department has no say so over zoning designations but must enforce the uses allowed (and prohibited) according to that zoning. Your beef is with the Planning Department if you think your property has been improperly classified, not with the Building Department.
Literally the unit across the street from Neil, in the SAME DEVELOPMENT, added a screened porch while Neil was fighting to have his built. HOW does this make any sense? Of 22 units at LEAST 7 have screen porch/sunrooms. Somewhere along the line what has been allowed needs to be grandfathered in for all of us.
This is smoke and mirrors. I have been in the construction industry for 45 years. I will not accept the bosting of a supervisor to cover up bulling by a code official. I have been involved with state boards and have seen first hand “political gaming” all in the name of protecting the public. What has been listed in the article above by M. Martin are thinks that every inspection department is responsible to preform with excellence. Mr. Beckman should not be praised for doing his job. What Mr. Martin is not addressing is the Bulling behavior that is being conducted on a borderline illegal bases. What we have found in other jurisdictions, if an inspector comes onto property or takes pictures of a property without an inspection request being placed by an authorized permit holder it is viewed by law as a trespass. This is government over reach. All of it done in the name of protecting people. ( have you ever been forced to wear a mask in a nonsterile environment?) Sometimes Authority creates Authoritarians. When Bullies get into a police department we see them on the news. Bullies in government are a little more stealth. Remember, the government only serves at the will of the governed and right now it looks like the people have had about enough. It is not to late for Mr. Martin to pull back on the Bully behavior. If it is not brought under control, the people will have their say. This is what will happen. Jim Ferguson