TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Joseph Lagana which would establish the “County Code Enforcement Pilot Program” cleared the Senate today.
“Authorizing this pilot program will allow Bergen County to explore what it looks like to have a county wide construction code enforcement office,” said Senator Lagana (D-Bergen/Passaic). “The sharing of these services could provide opportunities for increased efficiencies and the potential for cost savings in the municipalities that choose to turn over these duties to the county construction office.”
The bill, S-2636, would establish the pilot program to authorize the governing body of Bergen County, the pilot county, to appoint a construction official, subcode officials and technical assistants. They would be responsible for administering and enforcing the “State Uniform Construction Code Act,” with respect to certain properties.
If appointed, the construction official would assume construction code enforcement responsibilities for buildings and structures owned by the county.
The bill would also allow municipalities within the county to enter into shared services agreements with the county for the purpose of administering and enforcing the construction code. The construction code official would only enforce the construction code in municipalities which entered into shared service agreements.
The bill was released from the Senate by a vote of 40-0.