A RESOLUTION TO UNIFY THE LICENSES, CERTIFICATES, AND PERMITS ISSUED BY THE METROPOLITAN AREA BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION DEPARTMENT ("MABCD") AND THE FEES CHARGED, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY SEPARATELY ISSUED AND PRICED BY SEDGWICK COUNTY, KANSAS, AND THE CITY OF WICHITA, KANSAS, AND ESTABLISHING GUIDELINES FOR THE NON-ISSUANCE OF LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES UNDER THE UNIFIED BUILDING AND TRADE CODE ("UBTC").
Presented by: Thomas Stolz, Director, Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve and sign the resolution.
The MABCD was formed as a consolidated entity between Sedgwick County and the City of Wichita pursuant to a joint ordinance and resolution that was approved by the governing bodies of both local government entities in 2012.
Within the joint ordinance and resolution, it was stated that the consolidation was intended "to better serve the public and to make more efficient and effective the customer service provided to all of their citizens and stakeholders…" and to "jointly administer the codes with the intent that the same will be adopted and maintained in substantially identical form where practical." As part of that, the UBTC was adopted by both the City and the County, which with limited exceptions, has created a code for building, mechanical (HVAC), electrical, and plumbing trades that is identical throughout the City of Wichita, the unincorporated areas of Sedgwick County and the second- and third-class cities that have adopted the UBTC.
Presently, the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County issue separate General Contractor licenses. Additionally, there are still jurisdictional differences regarding permit fee charges. Maintaining the dual fee structure is not an efficient utilization of MABCD staff and technology. Furthermore, it is inefficient and confusing for contractors and trades people that perform work within the jurisdiction of the MABCD to pay different fee amounts based upon whether the work is complete...
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