New Building Official Measures Success

Building Official Elio Floriano believes the increase seen in permit revenues this year is a measure of his success improving the town’s Building Department.

Floriano took over as acting head of the department in May 2010 and . This year, the department has collected $80,000 more in permit fees than last year, he said.

That wasn’t the only problem in the Building Department that a forensic audit uncovered. Some contractors were charged different fees than others and applicants complained about lengthy delays to get permits and inspections.

Those problems have also been addressed, Floriano said.

And soon, new computer software will go online at Town Hall that will allow homeowners and contractors to apply for permits from their homes and offices, and will speed up the process of getting necessary approvals from other town officials.

"I think we’re doing a pretty good job," Floriano said.

He said much of the building renovation work in North Haven used to be done without a permit. Now when he drives around town to do inspections, he keeps an eye out for contractors and calls the Building Department office to see if there’s a permit.

Floriano said he has caught a number of repeat offenders this way. To prevent it, he doubled the permit fee as a penalty, and he noticed an increase in applicants as a result.

"Now I have a line out the door," he said.

He also established a new fee scale based on the size of the job, so large building improvement projects are charged more than small projects. It will go into effect soon.

Floriano was a private plumbing contractor in the early-1990s when he started work as a part-time inspector for the Hamden and North Haven Building Departments. In 1999, he was hired full-time by North Haven, and then acquired additional state certifications to enforce the building codes for heating and air conditioning systems and fire sprinkler systems.

He said that he thinks will be a big improvement for local contractors and town residents.

ViewPermit allows applicants to file building permit applications online.

"Right now, you have to come into the Building Department to apply for a permit, but soon you’ll be able to do it from home," he said.

The software will automatically check with the Tax Assessor, the Fire Marshal, the Zoning Department and the Health Department to make sure the application meets their regulations and requirements. If back taxes are owed on the property, the software will block the permit until they are paid.

"That’s the way to go," said Floriano. "That’s the future."