Plan Review Resources

Texas-Size Projects Look to Ready Plan Review Resource

Building officials from the vacation hotspot of South Padre Island and the fast-growing, Dallas-suburb of Ennis in Texas share a common, and perhaps, unexpected bond when it comes to managing the building activities in their respective communities.

The building officials and plan reviewers rely on the International Codes to evaluate proposed residential, commercial and industrial facilities. They both face the daily challenge of continuing growth and development.

And finally, whether it’s the construction of institutional, educational or commercial facilities, building officials in these two and many other Texas communities look to ICC Plan Review Services as an expert resource, a partner that’s always available to help provide timely and comprehensive planning and permit review.

The Inspection Services Department of the City of Ennis, Texas, relies on the International Code Council's Plan Review Services to support plan reviews particularly for complex projects such as the Ennis Regional Medical Center (above and left).

Suburban Sprawl

The City of Ennis, first established in 1872, is a suburban residential and business community of about 19,000 residents located just south of Dallas. Over the last eight years, this community has realized a population growth of almost 20 percent, and created a comparable demand for residential, industrial and commercial facilities.

“Typically, requests for permits hold pretty steady at about a dozen permits a month, though increasingly often, the requests are for more complex, larger institutional or educational facilities,” says Harold L. Markham Jr. (Buddy), Chief Inspector/Fire Marshal for the City of Ennis, Inspection Services Department. “Plans for these facilities can stack up to six inches thick. With just six people sharing the inspection and plan review activities for the department, we simply don’t have the time to dedicate the necessary resources to evaluate the unique issues related to, for instance, a hospital.”

When these projects come in, Markham calls on the Code Council's Plan Review Services. Markham has architects submit the plans to both the Council and to the Inspection Services Department. The Code Council plan reviewer, in turn, sends all comments to both the submitter and Markham.

The department has used Code Council Plan Review Services since 2000 to help evaluate various projects. In particular, they’ve helped review at least two school projects a year for the last three years.

“I can’t overemphasize how well this system works,” concludes Markham. “ICC always comes back to me with a complete analysis, even highlighting gray areas with expert opinions on resolution. They keep us in the loop from start to finish. I tell anyone that submits complex project plans up front that their plans are going to go directly to ICC because I trust ICC to get it done right. They are an extension of my office.”

The 31-story Sapphire South Padre luxury condominium (above) is the newest resort under construction in the vacation hotspot of South Padre Island. All plans were reviewed by the South Padre Island Public Works Inspections Division and the Code Council's Plan Review Services.

Building officials in South Padre Island often seek assistance when it comes to evaluating plans for new large hotels and resorts such as the new 14-story, twin tower Los Corales condominiums (left) on South Padre Island.

Life at the Beach

South Padre Island is a 34-mile-long barrier island that is about one-half mile at its widest point. It’s home to about 5,000 year-around residents, but hosts up to five million vacationers per year, with 1.2 million staying overnight. As a result, the island is continually constructing or renovating the necessary hotels, lodgings and support facilities to house and entertain residents and guests.

For the South Padre Island Public Works Inspections Division, demand for plan review and inspections services remains on a constant high. Currently, the department includes the building official, Jay Mitchim, and two others to perform all inspections and plan review services. They annually issue about 250 building permits per year and perform 15 to 20 inspections a day.

The Public Works Inspections Division has been using the plan review services for more than 20 years for a variety of large projects, including the just-completed 31-story Sapphire South Padre luxury condominium as well as the 17-story twin tower Light House condominiums and the 14-story twin tower Los Corales condominiums.

Every project is evaluated per the latest structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and energy conservation International Codes.

Mitchim adds, “The ICC Plan Review Services process fits our needs very well. Our staff and the owners are assured that every plan is reviewed per the code, and the contractors are satisfied because they know there won’t be any surprises during inspections in the construction process.”

An Ever-Ready Resource

The International Code Council's Plan Review Services are available to all state and local governments as well as design professionals, offering prompt and technically comprehensive review of all drawings and construction documents for any structural project—from high-rise, commercial buildings and retail facilities to schools and residential developments.

“When it comes to code evaluations, our plan reviewers are the experts," says John Battles, P.E., C.B.O., Vice President/Architectural and Engineering Services for the International Code Council, Inc. Since we operate under the International Code Council umbrella, all of our people are intimately familiar with the history of the codes, related amendments, and applications of those codes on commercial and residential structures of all sizes and shapes.”

Learn more about how the International Code Council's Plan Review Services can help ensure plan reviews are thorough and accurate.