As the wave of teardown-rebuild projects in the city continues, the Fairway City Council has asked its planning commission to take a fresh look at the building code and review process. But one member of the planning commission is raising concerns that changes to the status quo could eliminate important checks on homebuilders.
The council on Monday directed the planning commission to conduct a review of chapter 15 of the building code, which last underwent a major rewrite in 2014. The city has approved a half dozen changes to it since then, but none of them have been major. The document serves as a guideline for development and redevelopment projects in regards to “health, safety and welfare,” said Mayor Melanie Hepperly, and city staff use the document on a daily basis to determine whether building plans meet the city’s standards.
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