• For 2024, Building Division will be working to develop a city-standard Preapproved ADU Plan, launch a new Construction Permit module in GovPilot for public use, and participate in the ICC Model Code Development process.
RECOMMENDED ACTION BY CITY COUNCIL
1. Staff recommends that the Mayor and City Council review and file the Building Division report.
POLICY ALTERNATIVE(S)
1. N/A
STRATEGIC GOAL(S) MET:
1. Preserve the Kingsburg Experience
2. Community Safety
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ATTACHED INFORMATION
1. Building Division Report
FISCAL IMPACT:
1. Is There A Fiscal Impact? No
2. Is it Currently Budgeted? No
3. If Budgeted, Which Line? N/A
Building Safety Division Report
for Mayor and City Council
January 2023 – December 2023
City of Kingsburg
February 21, 2024
Dear Honorable Mayor and City Council –
It is my pleasure to present to the Mayor and City Council this report on Building Division activity within the City of Kingsburg for the 2023 calendar year. This is the first of what I hope are many annual reports regarding the hard work and positive outcomes that City Staff have been undertaking and achieving in the Building Division.
The City of Kingsburg Building Division is tasked with the administration, implementation, and enforcement of the adopted Codes of the City of Kingsburg. These include the 2022 California Building Standards Code, the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, and the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code, and the provisions of the Kingsburg Municipal Code. The Division accomplishes these tasks by providing three basic services to the public: permit issuance, plans examination, and inspections.
This report will be primarily broken down into Residential and Commercial categories. Residential represents any construction project in a 1- or 2-family dwelling unit or an associated accessory structure. Commercial categories represent both commercial and industrial development, as well as any multi-family project of 3 or more dwellings on a single property.
While certain effects of the pandemic from 2020 through 2022 are starting to subside, 2023 saw construction face several issues including higher interest rates, inflation, material shortages, and a lack of qualified labor. Despite this, construction in 2023 within the City of Kingsburg has shown remarkable resiliency. Certain sectors of construction have rebounded to almost pre-pandemic levels of activity and are primed for a robust year ahead.
• STATISTICAL DATA:
Total Building Permits Issued:
2023 2022 2021 2020
590 754 793 661
The issuance of Building Permits is the most effective means of compliance with adopted Codes and Standards. The Building Division in 2023 issued 590 total Building Permits. This represents a 21% decrease from the number issued in calendar year 2022 and a 25% decrease from a 4-year high of permits issued in 2021. This drop can be attributed to the completion of two residential tract developments at the end of 2022 and beginning of 2023. These numbers correlate with a slowdown in single-family housing production, increased inflation, material shortages, general uncertainty in the economy, and high interest rates prevalent within 2023. While these are traditionally considered as macroeconomic indicators, they are reflective of the permit activity within the city.
Total Issued Permits by Type:
2023 2022 2021 2020
Residential 530 708 730 565
Commercial 60 46 63 96
The number of building permits issued for Commercial projects (which includes multi-family units of greater than or equal to 3 units) was 60 in 2023. This represents a 30% increase in Commercial activity in the calendar year. Residential building permits issued in 2023 decreased 25% from the amount issued in 2022. This is a trend that is being seen cities across the state. While residential development has slowed, commercial activity has increased. This should be a testament to the robust economic development efforts of the City and availability of both developable land and in-fill properties.
Total Fees Collected:
2023 2022 2021 2020
Residential $954,643 $1,760,896 $1,645,600 $707,218
Commercial $384,862 $374,844 $563,124 $1,167,552
Total $1,339,505 $2,135,740 $2,208,724 $1,874,770
Fees collected for Commercial projects increased by nearly $10,000 in 2023. The fees collected for Residential projects decreased by nearly 46% of 2022 highs but were almost $250,000 more than 2020 levels. Further breakdown of the fees collected for both residential and commercial projects is presented later in this report. This data represents both permit and Development Impact Fees collected.
Total Valuation of Projects:
2023 2022 2021 2020
Residential $25,486,499 $40,852,902 $38,059,143 $21,657,707 Commercial $16,127,012 $7,150,332 $29,994,042 $23,861,532 Total $41,613,511 $48,003,234 $68,043,185 $45,519,239
The valuation of a project is a required piece of information needed for an issued building permit.
Defined, the valuation represents the fair market value of materials and labor for a given project. In 2023, the City of Kingsburg saw a nearly 126% increase in the valuation of commercial projects in 2023 from the previous year. Residential projects within the City saw a decrease of 38% of stated valuation from the previous year. Total valuation of all construction projects within the City has nearly returned to the levels of 2022.
2023 Issued Permits by Type:
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Res 31 52 70 62 55 46 25 65 29 45 21 29
Com 5 7 5 1 7 1 4 9 7 7 3 4
The busiest month for permit activity within the Building Division was March with a total of 75 permits issued cumulatively. August saw the most robust commercial permit issuance with a total of 9, while March was the busiest for residential.
2023 Issued Permits by Residential Project
Number Sum of Valuation Sum of Fees
Addition/Alteration 23 $735,140 $14,703
ADU 4 $171,057 $3,958
Deck/Patio 15 $172,040 $5,736
Demolition 1 $0 $100
Electrical 26 $41,848 $2,708
Fire Sprinkler 19 $62,138 $5,342
Garage 2 $55,717 $1,419
HVAC 62 $949,435 $21,731
Master Plan Fire
Sprinkler
4 $8000
$979
New Single Family 38 $16,363,743 $752,081
Other 12 $110,414 $3,029
Patio or Garage 1 $10,500 $323
Plumbing 11 $37,300 $1,284
Reroof 59 $626,639 $12,867
Residential Fire
Sprinklers
17 $34,000
$4,324
Solar 214 $4,846,753 $102,041
Swimming Pool 22 $1,261,775 $22,018
Total 530 $25,486,499 $954,643
The most issued residential building permit was for solar, representing a more than 40% share of the residential permits issued. Solar projects within the City accounted for almost $5 million in valuation and produced more than $100,000 in permit revenue for the Building Division. 38 building permits were issued for new single-family residences in 2023 with a combined permit revenue of more than $750,000, representing more than $16 million in construction valuation. 2023 Issued Permits by Commercial Project
Number Sum of Valuation Sum of Fees
Addition/Alteration 8 $199,869 $2,082
Demolition 3 $36,000 $4,346
Electrical Commercial 3 $1,019,179 $11,819
Fire Sprinkler
Commercial
14 $212,418
$9,703
Heating and/or Air
HVAC
1 $15,400
$331
Heating and/or HVAC
Commercial
6 $83,070
$1,700
New Commercial 3 $3,833,280 $263,053
Other 7 $365,929 $7,229
Plumbing Commercial 2 $12,700 $347
Reroof 4 $50,217 $1,015
Sign 2 $4,878 $431
Solar 2 $1,617,072 $10,990
Tenant Improvement 5 $8,677,000 $71,816
Total 60 $16,127,012 $384,862
The most issued commercial building permit was more Fire Sprinkler installation/alteration/addition. 14 permits were issued for this scope of work producing almost $10,000 in revenue. The 5 Tenant Improvement permits issued in 2023 represented the largest share of construction valuation in 2023 accounting for 54% of the valuation share. New Commercial development within the City accounted for the largest revenue source in 2023 bringing in more than $263,000.
2023 Plan Checks Performed
In-House JAS Pacific SolarAPP+
Jan 1 19 0
Feb 18 12 0
Mar 52 3 0
Apr 51 0 0
May 44 8 0
Jun 41 0 0
Jul 29 3 0
Aug 29 10 3
Sep 15 7 4
Oct 17 10 2
Nov 12 5 3
Dec 19 7 0
Totals 328 84 12
City Building Division staff performed 412 plan checks for construction projects in 2023. A further 12 projects were plan checked by the SolarAPP+ software. In-house plan checking services accounted for almost 80% of the plan checking done. These encompassed both residential and commercial projects.
2023 Total Building Revenue
Admin Impact $10,941
Building Permit $399,506
Building Standards $1,950
C&D $15,450
Demolition $2,818
Electrical $4,835
Energy Surcharge $13,173
Fire Sprinkler $5,765
General Government $99,580
Mechanical $173
Plan Check $121,402
Plumbing $193
Revision $3,825
Reinspect $1,300
Seismic $7,668
Solar $5,756
Technology $38,943
Total $733,276
The Building Division took in more than $733,275 in revenue in calendar year 2023. Permit fees accounted for 54% of the revenue share, plan checking approximately 17%. 2023 Inspections Performed
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
AJO 20 3 47 272 195 212 174 182 206 148 151 132 1742
DR 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
4Leaf 125 140 145 0 8 0 0 0 0 37 0 0 455
Total 146 143 192 272 203 212 174 182 206 185 151 132 2198 April accounted for the busiest month for inspections with 272 total requested inspections, followed by June with 212. The Building Official performed nearly 80% of the inspections in 2023. Consultant services were utilized for the remainder of the inspections. 2023 Inspections Performed by Type
Building Sewer 14
Underground Electrical 14
Underground Plumbing 46
Underground Gas 3
Setbacks 23
Footings 87
Underground Ferrous Grounding 16
Floor Nailing 8
Roof Sheathing 123
Shear Wall 30
Rough Electrical 96
Rough Plumbing 134
Rough Mechanical 74
Rough Frame 156
Rough Gas 0
Reroof 14
Exterior Lath 50
Wall Insulation 63
Attic Insulation 3
Drywall Nail 83
Shower Pan 46
T-Bar 3
Temp Power 133
Gas Release 27
Pre-Gunite 30
Deck Grounding 37
Pre-Plaster 29
Misc 15
Building Final 841
Total 2198
Final Inspections for both residential and commercial projects accounted for 38% of the inspections performed in 2023. Projects were finaled at a rate 13% higher in 2023 than in 2022. The next highest inspection was for Rough Framing representing more than 7% of the inspections. When analyzing the core structural inspections – Footings, Floor Nailing, Roof Sheathing, Shear Wall, and Rough Framing – these represent nearly a fifth of the inspections done by Building Division staff. 2023 Inspections Results
APPROVED 1402
CORRECTIONS 503
PARTIAL APPROVAL 49
COMPLETED 24
PROGRESS 16
CANCELLED 104
NOT READY 63
NO ACCESS 34
RE-INSPECTION FEE 3
Inspections were approved 64% of the time with correction notices accounting for less than a quarter of the inspection results. Further, inspections resulting in the issuance of a Reinspection Fee represented less than 1% of the yearly total.
• SPECIAL PROJECTS:
2023 saw the issuance of building permits for multiple substantial commercial projects. Examples of these projects include:
Kingsburg Business Park
Nearly 20,000 square feet of new office space in (2) separate buildings had permits issued in 2023.
Grace Church Tenant Improvement
An $8 million change of occupancy converting a previous warehouse into a multi-faceted Assembly use with basketball courts, coffee shop, offices, and classrooms.
Police Station Renovation
Capital Improvement Project renovating the existing Police Station to increase the size of the armory and evidence room, refurbishing office space, and improving accessibility accommodations. Project completed in summer 2023.
T-Mobile Solar
Installation of a new 748kw photovoltaic system on the roof of the existing T-Mobile building. The project includes the placement of almost 1,400 panels.
2023 saw the finalization and issuance of Certficates of Occupancy for the following notable projects:
• Stone Plaza – residential occupancies
• Valley Health Center
• Print Theory Industrial Complex
• Bento2Go Tenant Improvement
• ACCOMPLISHMENTS
January
City of Kingsburg began implementation of the 2022 California Building Standards Code and 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code. Formal adoption of these codes through Ordinance – and implementation by the Building Division – had not simultaneously occurred since 2011.
March
In March, the City of Kingsburg received a $40,000 grant from the State of California Energy Commission for the implementation of an online permitting platform for solar projects. While this grant money has been available to all jurisdictions within the State of California, Kingsburg was one of the first cities in the Central Valley to be awarded the monies. Funds have been used to develop a one-stop permit kiosk at the Community Development front counter and necessary equipment for staff to safely perform inspections of permits issued using the online platform.
April
April saw the development of a formal Ladder Policy from City that clearly communicates to the public the Building Division’s commitment to safety. The provisions outlined in the Policy meet or exceed OSHA requirements and have been successful in keeping Building Division staff safe while on ladders.
June
In June, the City Council approved the usage of Drones for certain building inspections. This program has been an unmitigated success and has contributed to keeping Building Division staff safe by providing an alternate method to perform inspections that had originally been required to traverse hazardous locations.
May
A celebration of sorts was in order in May with the Mayor and City Council adopting a proclamation of Building and Safety Month. In addition to the proclamation being submitted to the International Code Council for inclusion in their nationwide effort to raise awareness of Building Safety, City Staff manned a booth at the Swedish Festival to educate the public about the importance of building codes and the role of the Building Division within the City.
August
Effective in August, the City of Kingsburg formally launched a partnership with SolarAPP+, a division of the National Renewable Energy Lab, to offer an online, automated, and instantaneous permitting software for residential Solar projects. Contractors can now input information into the SolarAPP+ software, get instant approval for their project, pay all permit fees, and receive a permit from the City of Kingsburg. This software was developed in conjunction with Building Division staff and is free for the City to use.
October
Finally, in October, the Building Official attended a four-day Education Week event hosted by the California Building Officials Association in Costa Mesa, CA. The even included training seminars are items such as significant changes to the California Electrical Code, review of recently passed laws regarding Accessory Dwelling Units, provisions of Accessibility elements in the California Building Code, and training on Solar inspections.
• OBJECTIVES
For 2024, the Building Division will be actively developing and coordinating the following projects:
Preapproved Accessory Dwelling Unit Plans
In order to comply with the mandate of California Assembly Bill 1332, Building Division staff has begun working with the Planning Commission on developing a design concept for City Council approval of a city-standard, Pre-approved Accessory Dwelling Unit plan. Should the City Council approve the design concept, Building Division staff will work cooperatively with Fresno Council of Governments and Precision Engineering to offer an ADU design to members of our community that can be used in lieu of a custom design. This will streamline the permitting process for these developments and offer a cheaper alternative for property owners to build additional dwellings on their property.
GovPilot Permitting Software
To better align efforts with other City divisions, the Building Division is actively beta-testing the Construction Permit module for the GovPilot software. While at the writing of this report, the module is only being used for the processing and issuance of simple permits, it is the intention of Building Division staff to fully launch the module for all facets of the Division within the first or second quarter of 2024. The module has the capability to allow users to apply and pay for certain permits without having to come to City Hall, automatic updates of plan checks and inspection results, and greater transparency of project review.
Participation in the Code Development Process
Building Division staff will be attending the 2027 Model Code Development hearings in Long Beach in late October 2024. This will give the Building Division an opportunity to directly participate in the development of the ICC Model Codes, specifically the International Residential Code, of which the California Residential Code is derived from. Building Division staff will research code change proposals that have been submitted from interested parties across the United States and hear testimony either for or against the proposals at the hearings.
Increase Public Information
A continuous objective for the Building Division is to communicate the importance of Codes and Standards to the community. This is through informational handouts, exceptional customer service, public events, and outreach to the legislative body. The City Council can expect this objective to continue vigorously throughout 2024.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING STAFF REPORT
REPORT TO: Mayor Pursell, Jr. & City Council
REPORT FROM: Community Services Director Adam Castaneda REVIEWED BY: CW AGENDA ITEM: Kingsburg Health Care District Grant Cycle Project Proposal 2024 ACTION REQUESTED: ___Ordinance ___Resolution ___Motion _____Receive/File
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Kingsburg Health Care District (KHCD) provides grants to various public and private organizations that provide health-related services to the Kingsburg community and surrounding area. Grants are awarded for any purpose allowed by state law, including to aid in the operation of free clinics, health education programs, wellness and prevention programs, rehabilitation, and any other health care which is necessary for the maintenance of good physical and mental health in the Kingsburg community and surrounding area. Each year in January, the board opens up the grant application window, allowing organizations until May 1 to submit their requests.
The City of Kingsburg has partnered with the district on multiple projects over the last several years for the purchase of public safety equipment and public recreation improvements.
Kingsburg Fire Department 2023 Paramedic Ambulance Personnel $384,987.00 Kingsburg Police Department 2023 Public Service Vehicle & Officer First Aid Kits $19,740.00 Kingsburg Community Services 2023 Public Health & Playground Safety Updates $36,311.50 Kingsburg Community Services 2022 Senior Center Kitchen Renovation $220,728.00 Kingsburg Fire Department 2022 Paramedic Ambulance Personnel $366,654.00 Kingsburg Fire Department 2022 Paramedic Ambulance Wage Adjustment $7,333.00 Kingsburg Fire Department 2022 Lucas/CPR Devices & Annual Contract $80,106.00 Kingsburg Fire Department 2021 Paramedic Ambulance Personnel $377,400.00 Kingsburg Fire Department 2020 New Ambulance $359,000.00 Kingsburg Fire Department 2020 Public Access AED/CPR Program $103,550.00 Kingsburg Fire Department 2020 Ambulance Equipment Program $202,051.00 Kingsburg Community Services 2019 Crandell Swim Complex Project $434,937.00 Kingsburg Community Services 2019 Athwal Park Improvements Phase I $600,000.00 Kingsburg Fire Department 2018 Autoload Cots and ECG Monitors $126,505.00 Kingsburg Police Department 2018 Patrol Vehicle and Officer First Aid Kits $6,007.70 Kingsburg Fire Department 2017 New Ambulance $250,000.00 Staff has developed a list of several potential projects to submit for the 2024 grant application cycle and is seeking Council approval to request grant funds from the Kingsburg Health Care District during this upcoming cycle. Staff will be working closely with our grant firm, Townsend Public Affairs, to have them assist in writing the grant.
Kingsburg Fire Department
Project Name: 50% of 6 Full Time EMS Support
Meeting Date: 02/21/2024
Agenda Item: 6.4
Total Grant Request: $375,000.00
Project Description:
It is proposed that the City of Kingsburg partner with the Kingsburg Health Care District to meet the needs of the greater community to deliver healthcare to the Tri-county ambulance area by increasing the full-time staffing of the Kingsburg Fire Department (KFD) Paramedics.
The Kingsburg ambulance response zone areas are nearly an exact match of the KHCD boundaries. Staff proposes the city share the costs 50/50 with the KHCD for an additional 3-year commitment to ensure adequate ambulance staffing through the Re-implementation of Measure E. The grant request represents a not-to-exceed number. It assumes wages and benefits at the highest amount possible. We anticipate fewer expenditures for both parties but wanted to provide a conservative estimate.
Kingsburg Fire Department
Project Name: Rescue Ambulance Chassis - “Pre-Build”-
Total Grant Request: $110,000.00
Project Description:
Monies are needed to secure a chassis (wheels, frame, and motor) to begin the process and place the unit in the queue at the factory for building. Current build times for New Ambulances are 36 months. Current ambulances operated by KFD are averaging 50K miles per unit per year, with current units having 100k and 150K, respectively.
If secured and built, the mileage of other units will be 250K and 300K, respectively, by the time the new unit is received.
Kingsburg Fire Department
Project Name: Rescue Ambulance EMS Equipment
Total Grant Request: $220,000.00
Project Description:
This equipment is the MINIMUM required equipment to operate a Rescue EMS unit and would provide consistent equipment to the units that the Hospital District has sponsored to date. One Gurney, One Power load gurney system, One Heart monitor, One Lucas device, Three Handheld radios, One Cell Phone, One Mobile Data Terminal, and One portable data collection device.
Kingsburg Fire Department
Project Name: Rescue Ambulance Equipment
Total Grant Request: $80,000.00
Project Description:
This equipment would be purchased at today’s current market prices, saving nearly 20% over projected increases in equipment costs. Equipment would be placed in service on the Third Department Ambulance (Oldest unit), waiting to be placed in “Reserve Status” upon the purchase and arrival of the newest unit.
Two SCBAs, One Technical Rescue Gear set, One Thermal Imaging Camera, and One Rescue Hurst e-tool “Jaws of Life” set. This equipment is the standard of care that KFD currently offers on the other two Rescue EMS units and would provide consistent equipment on the units that the Hospital District has sponsored to date.
Kingsburg Fire Department
Project Name: Rescue Ambulance Cab and Patient Care Unit Build-up Total Grant Request: $300,000.00
Project Description:
Current build times for these units are 36 months, with the chassis mentioned above requiring to be ordered first to assign a place in line for production. This portion's request is the actual Cab and Patient Care “Box” of the unit and could be ordered separately or together with the chassis; however, for the purposes of the grant, the chassis was requested separately as it is the MOST important portion to be funded currently. Both Chassis and Cab combine to make the Unit.
Kingsburg Police Department
Project Name: Full Body Scans for all KPD Personnel
Total Grant Request: $60,000.00
Project Description:
This will be for full-time employees, reserve officers, and chaplains/volunteers. A full body scan is a way to detect emerging and preventable health issues. I want to provide this as a way to improve employee wellness. There are approximately 40 personnel. Cost: approximately $1,500 per employee.
Kingsburg Police Department
Project Name: Mental health check for all KPD Personnel Total Grant Request: $8,000.00
Project Description:
This will be for full-time employees, reserve officers, and chaplains/volunteers. A session for each employee with a psychologist who specializes in working with public safety/first responder personnel. The employee can choose to share issues or not. There are approximately 40 personnel. Cost: approximately $200 per employee.
Kingsburg Community Services Department
Project Name: 50% of Senior Citizen Hot Meal Program
Total Grant Request: $70,000.00
Project Description:
It is proposed that the City of Kingsburg partner with the Kingsburg Health Care District to meet the needs of the surrounding senior citizen community and provide more nutritious quality meals at the Kingsburg Senior Center.
Staff proposes the city share the costs associated with the nutrition program at the senior center 50/50 with the KHCD for a 3-year commitment to ensure adequate staffing and supplies to transition from the current offered senior meal program provided by Fresno Madera Agency on Aging. The grant request represents a not-toexceed number. It assumes wages and benefits at the highest amount possible. We anticipate fewer expenditures for both parties but wanted to provide a conservative estimate.
RECOMMENDED ACTION BY CITY COUNCIL
1. Staff is seeking approval from the council on submitting applications for the eight proposed projects.
POLICY ALTERNATIVE(S)
1. The council could modify direction with regards to grant submissions.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE
1. Financial Stability
2. Community Safety
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
FISCAL IMPACT:
1. Is There A Fiscal Impact? Yes
2. Is it Currently Budgeted? No
3. If Budgeted, Which Line? N/A
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW
On January 17, 2024, a presentation was given to the City Council as an introduction to the KHCD grant cycle and staff’s desire to submit grant requests for 2024.
ATTACHED INFORMATION
None.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING STAFF REPORT
REPORT TO: Mayor Pursell, Jr. & City Council
REPORT FROM: Neil Dadian, Police Chief REVIEWED BY: AP
AGENDA ITEM: City Crime Statistics Review
ACTION REQUESTED: ___Ordinance ___Resolution ____Motion ____Receive/File
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In years past the Police Department has brought crime stats and the general police updates to Council monthly, both on consent and in person. Starting in 2024, we will present in person crime stats and the general police updates quarterly, with the next one in April, which will cover January through March 2024. Tonight October – December 2023 will be reviewed, and I will be available for questions.
RECOMMENDED ACTION BY CITY COUNCIL
Informational, no action needed.
POLICY ALTERNATIVE(S)
None.
STRATEGIC GOAL(S) MET:
1. Community Safety.
2. Community Engagement.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ATTACHED INFORMATION
1. October 2023 Crime Stats
2. November 2023 Crime Stats
3. December 2023 Crime Stats
Meeting Date: 02/21/2024
Agenda Item: 6.5
FISCAL IMPACT:
1. Is There A Fiscal Impact? No
2. Is it Currently Budgeted? No
3. If Budgeted, Which Line? N/A