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Spotlight: Dianne Barmes, Manager of the Licensing and Compliance Division
I am the manager of the Licensing and Compliance Division within the Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC). I have forty-seven years with the State of Michigan. I have worked with the Department of State, Michigan State Police, Office of Fire Safety, and the last seventeen years with the Bureau of Construction Codes. Before becoming the manager of the Licensing and Compliance Division I assisted the code review committees with processing the updated codes, reviewing complaints against trade licensees, processing the applications for local units of government to be able to administer and enforce the acts and codes, processing school delegation requests, and performing the good moral character reviews of license applicants.
The Licensing and Compliance Division has fourteen employees and is made up of the Manufactured Housing Unit, Licensing Section and Compliance Section.
The Division is responsible for the licensing of the Mobile Home Communities throughout the state, mobile home dealers and installer/repairers; reviewing and approving applications for examination and licensure of the Boiler, Electrical, Elevator, Mechanical, Plumbing, Residential Builders and Maintenance & Alteration Contractors and Building Officials/Trade Inspectors/Trade Plan Reviewers. This also includes processing the over 120,000 license renewals for the above listed trades.
The Licensing and Compliance Division is also responsible for reviewing and resolving complaints received against mobile home community owners, dealers and installer/repairers; is responsible for reviewing, investigating, and resolving complaints against licensees; and finally reviewing complaints against unlicensed individuals and coordinating with the Office of the Attorney General for action. The Compliance Section averages 50 complaints a month for Residential Builder issues alone, along with approximately 24 per month for all other trades.
For assistance with a licensing issue either call Licensing at 517-241-9316 or email LARA-BCC-Licensing@michigan.gov; compliance issues call Compliance at 517-241-9309 or email LARA-BCC-Compliance@michigan.gov. You will also find additional information at www.michigan.gov/bcc.
Who is Building for you? Felicia Badger, Compliance Division Analyst
Are you considering having work done on your home? If so, first things first. Who would you hire? What services are you looking to have done? The State of Michigan requires that any builder services totaling $600 or more must be completed by a licensed residential builder or residential maintenance and alteration contractor. Ask the residential builder or residential maintenance and alteration contractor for the “residential builder license number”. When you are provided with their 10-digit license number visit https://www.michigan.gov/bcc select “Verify A License”, then “CONSTRUCTION: RESIDENTIAL BUILDERS, ELECTRICIANS, PLUMBERS, ETC” and conduct a license search for your potential residential builder or maintenance and alteration contractor. It is important to verify that anyone you hire to do work on your home is properly licensed.
Do you know the difference between a residential builder and a residential maintenance and alteration contractor? Simply put a residential builder can build a house from the ground up. A residential maintenance and alteration contractor can perform these specific trades:
Residential builders and residential maintenance and alteration contractors are required to be licensed under Article 24 of the Occupational Code[MB(1] . Please visit www.michigan.gov/bcc, select the “Administrative Rules, Codes, Public Acts and Standards” to review their specific legislative guidelines.
Be specific and “build” your informational checklist before hiring someone to provide “builder services” for you and your family.
Ski Accident Reporting: Becky Jones, Ski/Amusement Division Manager
It’s been another successful ski season in Michigan, and as the 2020-2021 ski season winds its way to its finish, BCC Lift/Ride Inspectors are still out in the field performing their duties at ski areas and working to ensure the ski season ends on a safe note.
While so many in Michigan love skiing, we need to recognize that accidents can occur, and when they do what needs to be done about them. For direction we can look to both the Public Act and the Ski Area Safety Rules to determine which steps to take to report an accident if one happens.
Section 23 of Public Act 199 of 1962, Ski Area Safety Act , directs skiers and ski areas on the requirements to follow when an accident involves either a single skier or more than one skier, but not a ski lift. These incidents are not required to be reported to the division but must be reported to the ski area. Rule 30 of the Ski Area Safety Rules directs ski areas what is to happen in the event of a ski lift accident or breakdown:
R 408.90 Ski lift accident or breakdown; report; securing scene of accident.
Rule 30. (1) An operator shall immediately report to the department an accident involving a ski lift that results in serious injury to, or the death of, a person, including an employee, or a breakdown resulting from the structural, mechanical, electrical, or operational failure of a ski lift.
(2) If a ski lift is removed from service by the director, the director shall order an immediate investigation by the department.
If a ski lift accident or breakdown occurs, please report them to lara-bcc-ski-amusement@michigan.gov as soon as they occur. Thank you and have a safe and happy Ski season.
Over the last few years, there has been a noticeable rise in construction within the mobile home community. This rise has come in the form of not only new communities being built but changes in existing communities as well. With this article we would like to answer some frequently asked questions that are submitted to BCC’s Plan Review and Licensing Division.
Question: Can you tell me where to find the application and Manufactured Housing Rules?
Answer: This information can be found on our website at: www.michigan.gov/bcc. Once there, click the green square labeled “Mobile Homes”. Scroll down to “Plan Approval and Permit to Construct” for the “Application for Mobile Home Park Plan Examination and Permit to Construct”.
If you are unable to find it that way, you may also scroll to the bottom to “Related Links”. From there, click “Administrative Rules, Codes, Public Acts & Standards”. Next you will click “Administrative Rules”. On the second page under “Manufactured Housing” are the “Rules and Guide for Parks.” This will help further guide you.
Question: What is needed for a plan review and can I submit my project online?
Answer: Provide through the mail a completed application, (2) sets of signed and sealed plans, the appropriate fees and all necessary documents referenced in Rule 905(1) through 905(3). Unfortunately, at this time we cannot accept Mobile Home Park projects through BCC’s online system.
Question: I am just reducing sites in my existing park; do I need to submit plans?
Answer: When submitting for Alteration, Expansion or Reduction of an existing park, you must submit (2) sets of 24” x 36” construction documents and specifications that have been sealed and signed by an architect or engineer (Rule 905.1a, Rule 906). There are no exceptions to this rule, but for Reductions only, the Bureau of Construction Codes will allow a sketch of the park along with a copy of a google map of the park. The sketch and/or map must include which sites will remain and which sites will be removed (provide the site numbers). The site plan must also include entrances, main roads, and interior streets (the names of all roads and streets must be included).
Question: I am not changing the park just adding a storage building, do I submit to the State or the Local Jurisdiction for plan review?
Answer: This is considered an alteration to your community; therefore, you must submit to both. An alteration to the park can be a storage building, pump house, swimming pool, club house, etc., which must be reviewed by the State for placement on the property. The State is reviewing for compliance with setbacks to property line, other buildings, roads, etc. The actual building is handled by jurisdiction having authority over building codes for where the park is located. If you are unsure, please check the statewide jurisdiction list found here.
Question: My Permit to Construct is about to expire, what do I need to do to finish my project?
Answer: A plan review approval and Permit to Construct is valid for 5 years. To renew, you must submit an application for Renewal to the Bureau of Construction Codes for up to another 5 years (Rule 905(5)).
Question: I know my property does not fall within the wetlands or the flood plains, why do I need letters from Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE)?
Answer: Before we can issue a plan, approval and permit to construct, EGLE must grant their approval for a project that lies in the floodplains or wetlands (Rule 905(3)). Therefore, we rely on EGLE to inform us whether the project does or does not need approval from them before we can complete our review.
Question: What are the steps required when adding additional sites to a current mobile home community?
Answer: When applying for additional sites an application, fee and required documentation should be submitted to the Licensing and Compliance Division after the park has received a permit to construct from the Building/Permits Division and a completed licensing application is received and reviewed the Bureau will schedule an inspection of the additional sites.
Question: What are the steps required when reducing the number of sites to a current mobile home community?
Answer: When applying for a reduction in sites an application should be submitted to the Licensing and Compliance Division after the park has received their permit to construct from the Building/Permit Division. Once the application has been reviewed and approved the license will be updated with the correct number of sites.
