April 08, 2010 – Bastrop, LA : The Gibsland Town Council in Gibsland, Louisiana has signed an agreement enabling the Louisiana Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS) to provide the following Building Code Department services:
- Functioning as the Building Official for the parish.
- Assisting citizens will questions and the permitting process.
- Performing plan reviews on all residential and commercial structures.
- Conducting structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and energy inspections on all residential and commercial structures.
- Reviewing and revising all building code department ordinances as necessary, to ensure they are compliant with state requirements.
- Approving all permits for issuance by the Parish.
- Approving all Certificates of Occupancy for issuance by the Parish.
- Implementing Building Code Department software for tracking.
- Ensuring that all National Flood Insurance Program requirements are blended and complied with during the Plan Review process.
- Reviewing third party provider (TPP) plan reviews and inspections for compliance.
- Compiling and archiving all the necessary documentation.
- Implementing an electronic drawing review and approval process.
- Performing electronic data backup.
The Town of Gibsland needed a company that could provide Building Code Department Services when Gibsland needed those services, not at any set cadence. They turned to IBTS for that flexibility. Gibsland chose IBTS because they could obtain the benefits of a full Building Code Department without having all of the expense of a fully staffed and functional department. IBTS covers over a dozen other jurisdictions in North Louisiana, and Gibsland wanted a company with a solid reputation of providing fair but friendly enforcement services. The town will receive training on entering data into IBTS’s building department software that will allow them to issue permits and Certificates of Occupancy with ease, through an online, automated system.
IBTS will function as the Building Official for the town to ensure its compliance with the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Codes, thereby ensuring affordable insurance for Gibsland citizens. This will also enable the town to have a better feel for new structures, remodels and additions in the town for assessor purposes to ensure that all citizens are on the tax rolls and have the opportunity to apply for homestead exemptions as applicable.
IBTS has appointed Greg Blount, Louisiana Branch Manager, and Dean Runnels, Louisiana IBTS Building Official, to function as the primary staff for this project. Mr. Runnels will act as the Certified Building Official for the project, while Mr. Blount will be responsible for policy, client satisfaction and overall management of the contract.
