The city of Warrenton has hired a regional engineering firm to review incoming development plans for compliance with the city’s stormwater and commercial building codes.
Aldermen approved …
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The city of Warrenton has hired a regional engineering firm to review incoming development plans for compliance with the city’s stormwater and commercial building codes.
Aldermen approved a contract Jan. 19 with George Butler Associates (GBA). The firm will provide expertise that city officials say they don’t have on staff, ensuring that plans for subdivision developments include appropriate management of stormwater runoff, and that new commercial buildings are meeting all necessary requirements.
“We do not currently employ an engineer who could review and sign off on these types of plans,” said Warrenton Director of Operations Brandie Walters.
GBA will provide these services on an as-needed basis. Walters said the firm is already reviewing stormwater plans for an upcoming subdivision development.
To pay for the engineer review, Walters said developers will pay a fee to the city as part of getting their site plans approved. The cost will depend on the complexity of the plans being reviewed.
A table of billing rates provided by the engineering firm indicates that the charges for service will be based on hourly rates determined by which employees are required for the review. Employee hourly rates range from $64 to $260 per hour.
Walters said the engineering contract won’t alter the work that Warrenton’s building department employees currently do. City staff will still conduct all physical building inspections without the involvement of the engineers, Walters said.
Developers wishing to build in Warrenton will still submit their site plans to city hall for approval. It will be the city’s responsibility to get relevant plans and information to the engineers, according to GBA’s service contract.
Once GBA has conducted its review, it will report to the city whether the stormwater or commercial building plans meet all requirements, or whether revisions need to be made to comply with city ordinances.
The contract with GBA also includes a confidentiality clause, requiring the firm to limit the spread of any project-related information that it generates on behalf of the city, or that the city marks as confidential.
