Major Change in Local Code Review Signatures

NJASBO has been lobbying for elimination of duplicative and cumbersome steps in the paperwork side of school facilities projects for the past five years since the inception of RODS I in 2008.  Our work through the RODS committee has streamlined the application and filing process that improved life for all districts.  Now another welcomed break through outlined in the notice below is the newest step forward to aid in stream lining the process to act on certain projects without the unnecessary pre-approval from DCA:

From: Codes and Standards Information [mailto:cstandards@dca.state.nj.us]
Sent: Friday, September 06, 2013 12:19 PM
To: Codes and Standards Information
Subject: Change in Process for Review of Plans for Projects as Schools

 

Dear Construction Officials,

 

In the past, only projects involving "educational adequacy" had to be submitted first to the Department of Education (DOE) for review and then to DCA for plan review or for approval for local review.  These were projects of some consequence, those impacting instructional space. Intervening changes, significantly the passage of the Educational Facilities Construction and Financing Act, caused all projects undertaken at public schools to be reviewed by DOE and then forwarded to DCA for approval for local review.  This includes the replacement of boilers, roofing projects, etc.   There is no compelling reason to require that boards of education continue to come to DCA for permission to take these plans to the local construction official for review.   Accordingly, attached please find a letter stating that local enforcing agencies may perform plan review for school projects (other than new construction or SDA projects) without the prior written approval of the DCA.  These projects will be treated the same as other projects subject to local review, thus eliminating one small, bureaucratic step in the process.  This streamlining was undertaken with the cooperation of staff at the Department of Education.  The Department of Education will be returning approved plans to the design professionals for submission to the local enforcing agency.

 

Corrections to the language of the rules (NJAC 5:23-3.11A) and of Bulletin 00-3 will follow in due course.  The Act supports review by appropriately classified municipal code officials.  (See NJSA 52:27D-130.)