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Overview
On October 1, 1991, Ordinance 91-73 created the Building Code Compliance Office (BCCO), separating the Building Code Enforcement Section from the then Metro-Dade Building and Zoning Department. As a result of a grand jury recommendation in May 1990, the BCCO was created as independent entity to provide oversight guidance on Code related issues to all building departments in Miami-Dade County.
The overall direction of departmental operations of the Building Code Compliance Office is conducted through the Director’s Office. The Office’s personnel are organized into two operational divisions, the Product Control Division and the Code Compliance Division and are supported by the Director’s Office and Administrative Division. Some of the general duties of the Office include:
- Administrative and legal support for the Board of Rules and Appeals, the Construction Trades Qualifying Board and the Unsafe Structure Board.
- Ensure that the Building Code is uniformly enforced throughout the incorporated and unincorporated areas of the county.
- Keep abreast of new developments in building design, construction and standards in order to recommend appropriate changes the Building Code.
- Dissemination of interpretations and rulings made by the various Boards.
- Registration, certification, recertification and decertification of building inspectors, plans examiners and building officials.
- Codification and the writing of amendments to the Florida Building Code.
- Providing guidance in the resolution of citizen’s complaints regarding building code violations.
- Investigations, preparation and prosecution of enforcement activities pursuant to the building code.
- Training and testing of building inspectors, plans examiners and building officials.
- Administers the issuance of local contractor/tradesman licenses.
- Provides contractor enforcement and conducts investigations of contractor complaints.
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Product Control Division
The Product Control Division receives applications, processes, reviews, and recommends to the Board of Rules and Appeals approval or denial of building construction materials, products or systems used for the protection of the building envelope. Product approval is conveyed in a document known as Notice of Acceptance (NOA). Basically limited to windows, exterior glazing, wall cladding, roofing, exterior doors, skylights, glass block, siding and shutters. The high standards set by the Product Control Division is the foundation upon which they have gained a national reputation as creating the benchmark for code related approval of building systems and components.
The Quality Assurance Unit is an integral part of the Product Control Division. This unit ensures that manufacturers receiving approval have implemented a quality assurance program in conformity to the Miami-Dade County guidelines.
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Code Compliance Division
The Code Compliance Division is comprised of three sections, Contractor Licensing, Contractor Investigations and Code Specialists.
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Contractor Licensing Section
The Contractor Licensing Section administers and regulates the Miami-Dade County licensed contractors through the Construction Trades Qualifying Board. Some of the functions of this section are as follows:
- Processes new applications for building and trade category examinations and licensure.
- Processes license applications, renewal applications (Personal or Business), Change of affiliation, placing licenses in voluntary Inactive Status, Reciprocity, and administering Examination.
- Issues more than 100 categories of licenses and certificates of competencies for all of the building and trade categories.
- Interprets and applies Chapter 10 of the Code of Miami-Dade County.
- Assists the public regarding contractor licensing issues.
- Processes applications for reciprocity for the building trades.
- Monitors approximately 15,500 licenses are monitored by this Section.
- Processes approximately 30 state contractor registrations daily.
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Contractor Investigation Section
The Contractor Investigation Section investigates owner complaints against licensed contractors and conducts proactive efforts aimed at curtailing unlicensed building construction activity. Some of the proactive efforts include:
- Roadside Observation Points with the cooperation of municipal police department assistance.
- Commercial and residential construction sweeps to curtail unlicensed contractor activity.
- Unlicensed contractor sting operations are conducted with the municipal police department assistance.
- Response to reports of work in progress by unlicensed contractors.
This section works closely with various municipal police departments within Miami-Dade County and files criminal cases against unlicensed contractors with the State Attorney’s Office. The Contractor Investigations Section also brings disciplinary proceedings against licensed contractors before the Construction Trades Qualifying Board for locally licensed contractors and the Board of Rules and Appeals Probable Cause Panel for State Certified Contractors. Some of the other functions of the section include:
- Investigating countywide complaints referred by Building Officials and constituents throughout Miami Dade County and its’ municipalities.
- Conducting criminal or administrative investigations for violations of the Code of Miami-Dade County Chapter 10, Florida State Statutes, and the Florida Building Code regarding contractor licensing.
- Presenting administrative cases before the Board of Rules and Appeals, Construction Trades Qualifying Boards, and Special Master Hearing.
- Providing technical assistance to local government officials, engineers, contractors, and the general public on contractor licensing laws.
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Code Specialist Section
The Code Specialist Section is comprised of a single preeminent professional for each of the building disciplines. Many of these individual rose through the ranks of the building department as supervisors and chiefs. Others bring expertise from private industry. All of the Code Specialists are experts in the various building codes and editions that have been used over the last decade. Each Code Specialist is an experienced educator/instructor, mediator, and industry liaison. This section manages a demanding workload and is called upon to exercise independent judgment and completes assignments through the efficient use of available resources. Some of the functions of this Section are as follows:
- Every code specialist visits each municipality a minimum of four times each year.
- Provides technical and supervisory assistance to each building department.
- Each code specialist conducts a minimum of twenty inspections per week.
- Provides guidance to the inspectors on the uniform application of the building code.
- Identifies areas of concern to the building official.
- Provides advisory memos to building officials to ensure uniform application of the code.
- Conducts meetings with the industry and trade organizations in order to ensure that improved understanding of the building code is accomplished.
- Provides guidance at monthly chief’s meetings.
- Conducts monthly building officials meetings aimed at achieving and maintaining uniformity in building code issues.
- Verifies qualifications of applicants for inspectors, plans examiners and building officials. (Approx. 400 certified personnel)
- Prepares all technical training seminars and reviews credentials of instructors.
- Conducts a minimum of forty-eight hours of continuing education through MDCC.
- Conducts monthly training forums.
- Connducts training seminars for all construction trades on an ongoing basis.
- Conducted 64 FBC training seminars in 2000
- Meet with Plans Examiners to ensure awareness of FBC requirements.
- Resolve disputes arising between building departments, industry and the public.
- Provide technical assistance to local government officials, architects, engineers, contractors and the public.
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Director’s Office and Administrative Division
The Director’s Office and Administrative Division, which has a combined staff 23 full-time positions, provide overall direction on all departmental operations and administers the various Advisory Boards that fall within the department’s authority. Other responsibilities include developing and monitoring administrative policies and procedures, providing personnel, accounting, budgeting, procurement, sales, and customer service support. The Building Code Compliance Office is built upon a foundation of providing guidance and assistance in the resolution of various construction related challenges facing Miami-Dade County and the building industry in order to ensure a safer community
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