MECKLENBURG COUNTY
Land Use and Environmental Services Agency
Code Enforcement
January 10, 2008
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Plan Review Task Force
Pass Rate Incentive Program – Plan Review
Email Notification,
Point of Contact,
Plan Review Pass Rate Incentives
1. Introduction, issue and background
The Plan Review Task Force (PRTF) reconvened to review issues pertaining to the plan review services
provided by Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement (MCCE). One specific goal set by the PRTF was to
identify strategies to stop plan review failure rate growth and drive that rate down to a new lower
plateau. The PRTF has met periodically from January 30, 2007, with meetings covering the following
topics:
• Discussion of recent trends in industry plan review failure rates, including review of most recent
historical data
• Discuss and identify the causes of an increasing plan review failure rate
• Outline possible strategies to mitigate the problem
• Review of ideas from members of the PRTF and selected outside parties
• Agree on a list of preferred actions and prioritize same
The Three Part Program as described below. The scheduled begin date is to be determined.
2. Plan Review Task Force Three Part Program
2.1 Email notification:
Customers will be notified by email when their project is schedule for review, the dates they may submit
drawings, the deadline for submitting the drawings and a gatekeeper checklist to ensure the project
package will include all necessary information. The customer is responsible for confirming the
appointment by responding to the email.
2.1.1 This program requires agreement on expectations of service provided as follows:
A. OnSchedule Coordinator will set the project appointment and notify the customer by phone
and/or email. The email will include a gatekeeping checklist for the project.
B. Customers have the option accepting the project’s scheduled appointment. The customer will
need to send an email confirmation of acceptance.
C. If the customer does not accept the project’s scheduled appointment:
1. The customer must notify the OnSchedule Coordinator of the request for a new project
appointment.
2. The customer must outline the dates the project appointment should be scheduled.
3. If the customer wishes to change the project appointment and it results in changing the
requested reviewers, the customer must verify in writing this is acceptable.
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D. Once the new project appointment is set, the customer will send an email confirmation of
acceptance.
2.2 Point of Contact:
This will be the Architect, Engineer, Design Professional, Designer of Record or person responsible for their
portion of the drawings (hereto known as Project Designer). This should be the person most familiar with the
project documents and the impact of plan review failure rates on the same. Only one Point of Contact per
discipline is allowed. The reports sent to the “Point of Contact” will include but are not limited to:
A. Quarterly Reports (as previously posted on the web)
B. New quarterly summary for a project designer defect rate.
The “Point of Contact” list will also serve as a contact list for industry notification of interpretation changes,
process changes, etc.
2.2.1 Other details:
A. The startup will be achieved by a targeted letter writing campaign and intense solicitation of
Project Designers designees via e-mail or snail mail. This process is similar to how the
contractors/A&E e-mail lists were created.
B. Renewal is self-maintaining (i.e.: once the “program” goes into place, it is in the Project Designers
interest to have the appropriate Point of Contact information on file.)
C. Tied to the plan submittal process; therefore the Point of Contact is verified electronically at plan
submittal; the system will be programmed to request a current or new name, if required.
2.3 Plan Review Pass Rate Incentives:
2.3.1 Purpose: To improve project document readiness and to develop educational incentive
opportunities for customers with high plan review failure rates to aid them in improving their pass
rates.
Background: Many project designers are very diligent regarding checking their work for
compliance in advance of plan review. This program rewards them by placing them ahead in the
line of those who are less diligent (have high plan review failure rates). Since history shows that
project designers with high failure rates have trouble passing a second turn at plan review, this
program focuses on the plan review resubmittal schedule and strives to give them more tools to
prepare for that event. Where the plan review failure problem persists on resubmittals, the
program requires more extensive pre-submittal work to increase the pass rate.
Result: Plan review failure rates will decrease, saving plans examiner resources, positively
impacting our plan review response times, and benefiting the conscientious customers with faster
plan review and permit issuance.
2.3.2
The Threshold:
This initiative is based on the 4 principal disciplines, B/E/M/P
A. High Plan Review Failure Rates
A.1
For the purpose of this initiative, “high plan review failure rates” are considered by the
Industry, Department and BDC as 40% or greater for the first 18 months and moving to
25% by the end of a three year period.
A.2
Calculate base plan review failure rates on:
A.2.1 Ten (10) OnSchedule reviews, or
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A.3
A.2.2 One (1) Mega project reviews,
A.2.3 Express Review projects are not eligible to count towards the pass/fail rate,
A.2.4 CTAC projects are not eligible to count towards the pass/fail rate.
Project designers falling into the “high failure rate performance net” would receive notice by
the 10th day of the new quarter that they have been shifted out of the normal plan review
service process track and into a “high failure rate plan review track”, in addition noting:
A.4.1. They will stay in that track until their plan review failure rate falls below 40% for
the first 18 months and 25% by the end of a three year period.
B. High Plan Review Success Rates
B.1
For the purpose of this initiative, “high plan review success rates” are considered by the
Industry, Department, and BDC as 80% or greater for the first 18 months and moving to
90% by the end of a three year period.
B.2
The Industry and Department agree that at or above the 80% threshold, special plan
review process steps are applied.
B.3
Calculate base plan review failure rates on:
A.3.1 ten (10) OnSchedule projects,
A.3.2 one (1) Mega project.
A.3.3 CTAC projects are not eligible to count towards the pass/fail rate.
B.4
Project designers falling into the “high success rate performance net” would receive notice
by the 10th day of the new quarter that they have been shifted out of the normal plan review
service process track and into a “high success rate plan review track”, in addition noting:
B.4.1. They will stay in that track until their plan review failure rate falls below 80%.
C. Designers will be rated individually.
C.1
For a project to enjoy the incentives offered by the program, the entire design team must
have a success rate of 80%.
C.1.1 No individual member of the team may be below 80%.
2.3.3
The high failure rate project designers’ requests will be subject to the following:
1. The success/failure rates will be published on the internet. This list will be updated every 3
months.
2. Will not be allowed to participate in the Incentive Express Review program.
3. For the initial plan review event, there will be no penalty if the plan review passes.
4. In the event the initial plan review fails, on the first re-submittal, the project designer will not
be allowed to pool 2nd, 3rd, etc cycles.
5. In the event the first re-submittal fails, the high failure project designers will be required to
have a peer review by a seal holder (Architect/Engineer) or by a NC Code Enforcement
Official not employed by Mecklenburg County. They will need to complete a code review
and have this documentation included in the project submittal package.
A. Project designers will be eligible to rotate off the “high failure rate project designers” list by one
of two methods:
A.1. Either successfully complete at least 12 contact hours of technical training in the NC
Building Code. Accepted classes will be those offered through the NC Code Official
Certification Program (upon presentation of documentation on passing the class, project
designer is removed from the “high failure rate plan review track”), or
A.2. Maintain a plan review failure rate of less than 25%, on average, for a 3 month (full
quarter) period.
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B. Project designers who rotate off the “high failure rate plan review” list, but thereafter have the
quarterly failure rate exceed the 25% threshold in the next 5 years will be subject to the
following:
B.1. Successfully complete at least 12 contact hours of technical training in the NC Building
Code specific to the trade the project designer works in and must be a Level III class.
Accepted classes will be those offered through the NC Code Official Certification
Program.
2.3.4
The high success rate project designers will be afforded the following:
1. Project designer have the same coordinator for all projects.
2. Will be eligible for the Incentive Express Review program.
3. For CTAC submittals,
A. Plans are reviewed within 48 hours by all trades, permit issued if approved.
B. Minor infractions will be listed on 8.5 x 11, placed on drawings, bulletin drawings
submitted, permit issued if code compliant.
C. If comments are too involved, the plans will be disapproved and required to be
resubmitted.
4. For OnSchedule Small to Medium(Large) projects,
A. Approved under 1st review with AAN(heavy emphasis on AAN), this enhances and/or
maintains the approval rate.
B. Minor infractions will be listed on 8.5 x 11, communicated to the customer and given
time to submit bulletin drawings, permit issued if code compliant.
C. If comments are too involved, the plans will be disapproved and required to be
resubmitted.
D. Plans examiners schedule an immediate AAN meeting to get the plans redlined and
approved.
5. Mega Projects,
A. Design team submits timeframe for each phase (FF/Shell/Upfit)
B. Dates are locked in for each phase
C. If a phase is disapproved three paths are possible.
i. Re-review held in next phase’s scheduled dates. Ie: Shell fails, shell re-review
performed in the upfit timeslot
1. The next phase is rescheduled into first available slot
ii. If time is available, the re-review is scheduled prior to the next phase and
approved.
1. The next phase comes in as scheduled.
iii. Design team employs ICC or approved 3rd party to review approved,
Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement performs a review to approve. This
must take place prior to next phase scheduled date.
1. The next phase comes in as scheduled.
A. Project designers will rotate off the “high success rate project designers” list by falling below
the 80% threshold. (90% at end of three year period)
2.3.5 Assumptions:
Assumption #1: Program will have no exception (political or otherwise) and is applied across the board.
Advise upper management that special allowances will undermine the program and
service to the Industry.
Assumption #2: “Point of Contact” is in place at program startup
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January 10, 2008
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Assumption #3: A plan review project tracking system will be created and audited to assure accuracy of
the failure rate numbers used in the “program” calculations.
Assumption #4: Before program startup, the Industry and Department will review the defect codes. Part of
this work will be to review how plan review failure rates are posted on the web, to assure
project designers have all necessary information available.
2.3.6 The “Plan Review Pass Rate Incentives” startup will be phased in.
A. During the first six months, project designers between 35% and less than 50%, will be notified of
their performance and the impending change:
1. By quarterly notice via e-mail
2. By electronic notice at each project submittal request
B. After the first six months the program threshold is scheduled to fall to 40%, so all project
designers at or above 40% will be subject to the “program”.
C. For the purpose of this initiative, “high plan review failure rates” are considered by the Industry,
Department and BDC as 40% or greater for the first 18 months and moving to 25% by the end of
a three year period.
D. For the purpose of this initiative, “high plan review success rates” are considered by the Industry,
Department and BDC as 80% or greater for the first 18 months and moving to 90% by the end of
a three year period.
2.3.7 Industry notification of the “Plan Review Pass Rate Incentives” startup.
A. As soon as the public hearing is complete and the BDC votes in support of the program
description, a targeted letter writing campaign will be affected to advise all project designers of
the program startup.
1. Plus an intense public presentation and information campaign will be planned with the HBA,
MGCA, and other trade associations.
2. At least four public presentations will be held in brown bag lunches at the Hal Marshall
Service Center
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