The Building Official And The Community

The building official plays an important role in the community, not only with regard to new construction but also in the repair and alteration of existing buildings . Because the construction industry is ever changing, the building official must stay informed regarding new materials, processes and practices. By keeping up with the industry, building officials exert a positive influence on their environment and contribute to the economic health and well being of the community. As both an educator and valuable resource, a professional building official provides many services, to ensure a healthy and safe environment, for which the public benefits, which include:

• Education
• Technical Support
• Plan Review
• On-Site Construction Inspections
• Energy Code Compliance
• Barrier Free / Accessibility Technical Support
• Approval Of Alternative Methods and/or Materials
• Expeditious Permit Processing
• Coordination Of The Permit Process With Other Departments And Government Agencies To Ensure That The End Product Meets The Needs Of The Community

Qualifications Of A Building Official
Building officials are generally certified through the International Code Council . The standard for today's Building Official is to have a minimum of at least one certification. The International Code Council provides rigorous competency testing. In addition, many Building Officials possess other educational background in engineering, architecture, management, or other construction or land use related fields.

Building officials maintain competency through:

• Continuing education classes offered by the International Code Council and the Indiana Association of Building Officials.
• Professional development programs by the International Code Council and the Indiana Association of Building Officials.
• Participation membership / attendance in quarterly / annual business meeting held by the International Code Council and the Indiana Association of Building Officials.
• Professional and product information publications.

State Of Indiana Legislative Mandate
The City of Angola is mandated by the Indiana State Legislature to require compliance with the codes adopted by the Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission in accordance with Indiana Code 36-7-2-9 . Because the State of Indiana is a Home Rule State, and because there is no constitutional or statutory provision requiring a specific manner for exercising the power to regulate construction of Class 1 and Class 2 structures, The Angola Common Council must adopt an ordinance in accordance with Indiana Code 36-1-3 and 675 IAC 12 - 10 to require compliance with the code of building laws that is adopted in the rules of the fire prevention and building safety commission under Indiana Code 22-13 . Because the City of Angola Common Council establishes restricted fire limits and Extraterritorial jurisdiction, the building code ordinance is adopted under Indiana Code 36-7-10 . The Ordinance can be found under the city code link on the home page Title XV, section 150.

Functions & Services
The City of Angola Building Commissioner performs preliminary reviews as part of the City's site improvement review process ,(PDF file * ) provides building and fire code information to the public and technical advice to City Council, committees, departments, and agencies. The City of Angola Building Commissioner reviews building permit applications and plans necessary for the issuance of building permits for the construction of all class 1 and class 2 structures. The Building Commissioner performs periodic inspections during various phases of construction.

• Enforces the City of Angola Building Code Ordinance
• Enforces the City of Angola Dangerous Building Ordinance
• Issues building and other City permits.
• Responds to citizen inquiries and requests
• Assist citizens with City site improvement review and approval processes
• Performs inspections  
• Attempts to attend all Common Council meetings
• Attempts to attend all Board of Public Works meetings
• Works closely with all City, County, and State Departments that regulate site improvements and class 1 and class 2 structure construction.

The Angola Building Department helps make the buildings where we live, work, and play in safe.

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