Articles, Newsletters & Misc.
A Special Message from Your 2021-22 CALBO President
Friends of CALBO,
Welcome to the incredible California desert and the community of Rancho Mirage! If you know me, you will know that I have been eagerly anticipating this meeting more than anyone could imagine. CALBO has been working on our 60th anniversary meeting since 2018, and at that time, I made sure I was a part of the planning team. Yes, I loved our Los Angeles venue… but Rancho Mirage gives us many opportunities that can ensure the comfort and welfare of all attendees. With that, I hope you share my enthusiasm and will join me in the desert as we come together to commemorate 60 years as an organization.
This ABM will feel familiar to you, even if the memory is somewhat distant to a pre-pandemic time. As we have planned the event, we have worked to ensure that there is something for everyone in our community. If you are involved in code enforcement, planning or even the politics of your jurisdiction, we have you covered. If you are coming to hear from our state agencies and decision-makers as to what to expect from the 2023 editions of the California codes, it’s central to the program. Soft skills and management training, check. Oh, and we have built in some camaraderie as well.
How could we visit the desert and not enjoy the world class greens? Obviously, we will host a golf tournament on Sunday afternoon, giving you plenty of time to get to town and settled. Our industry partners are busy with some Monday evening plans to make available to you. Another play on our time in the desert will be my namesake event – the President’s Dinner on Wednesday night. Think Coachella Music Festival, but for the 5 o’clock somewhere crowd. It’s going to be a good time and you will not leave undernourished or without memories.
As you may have heard me say before, the world is healing. It is. Although I have been very proud of CALBO and our profession for our resilience shown through the pandemic and our abilities to continue to “show up,” this meeting will be our chance to officially return to the normalcy that we all miss.
Come by plane, train, Uber or burro, and I will see you this May 9-12, 2022 in Rancho Mirage for our 60th Annual Business Meeting. I cannot wait.
Sincerely,
Shane G. Diller, M.P.A
Assistant Director, Development Services
City of Elk Grove
CALBO’s 60th Annual Business Meeting – BOLA Graduation Luncheon
California Building Officials’ leadership program, Building Officials Leadership Academy (BOLA), is designed to maximize the leadership capabilities of seasoned public-safety professionals, in addition to those who seek future within California’s building departments.
In addition to course work and group projects, BOLA participants become an active part of the network of program peers who can utilize each other’s talents and strengths. To assist and provide advice and guidance, BOLA participants are also assigned a mentor to serve as an overall resource.
We hope you will join us to celebrate the achievements of the BOLA Class of 2021-22 at the BOLA Graduation Luncheon. We are proud to honor these new additions to the BOLA alumni network that continues to grow each year.
When: Thursday, May 12, 2022 from 12:15 – 1:15pm
Where: 2022 CALBO ABM in Rancho Mirage
My Building Department – One Piece of the Puzzle that Ensures a Stronger California for All
By: Lauren Herman, CALBO Deputy Director
COVID-19 has impacted us all, especially as building-safety professionals. At the height of the pandemic, CALBO published a membership highlight series to feature building department stories of adaptation and change to keep us encouraged and connected. I was inspired by the efforts of our members to not only provide, but improve public service during one of the most challenging times in recent history.
As a Long Beach resident, I recently
visited my local building department for a ride-along to see
first-hand how staff are overcoming the barriers of the pandemic
to keep my community safe and strong. What I discovered is that
the City
of Long Beach Building and Safety Bureau demonstrates how
building departments are the pandemic’s heroes keeping services
available, whether in-person or online, to support residential
and commercial projects year round.
Even when doors periodically closed to the public during the pandemic, Long Beach plan check and permit applications increased with each quarter this past year, and customers assisted on the permit center help desk phone line ranged from 7,400-10,500 each quarter from 2020-21 to date. In addition, the Building and Safety Bureau’s website offers online scheduling, permit submissions, online training opportunities for the public, and other service resources.
I had the privilege to visit Long
Beach’s Permit Center for a ride-along with Combination Building
Inspector Eric Kranda. I visited the new Civic Center, Steel
Craft, a cargo container outdoor urban eatery, and Accessory
Dwelling Unit (ADU) residential projects. These are examples of
the diverse development in Long Beach neighborhoods. This
coastal city continues to embrace progressive standards while
improving customer service and ensuring compliance with state and
local codes for a better built-environment for all.
During my visit to the Permit Center, I walked through Long Beach’s new Civic Center, home to City Hall and the Port Administration Building. I was amazed by this state of the art facility for its redesign that ensures a seismically safe and environmentally sustainable civic core of downtown for both residents and city employees. This $520 million project, that includes the redevelopment of the Main Library and the revitalization of neighboring Lincoln Park, was made possible through a public-private partnership that offered new avenues of funding and sustainability.
Long Beach is also known for its
innovative commercial projects; most notable are downtown
high-rise projects that I drove past during my ride-along. The
City is dedicated to building for the future while respecting and
preserving the past; Eric pointed out parts of historical
structures that are being preserved in the new designs of
downtown. But, there are other cutting-edge projects to explore
to local neighborhoods.
We drove to the Bixby Knolls neighborhood to visit Steel Craft, a cargo container outdoor urban eatery that offers diverse choices for nearby residents and workers. The repurposing of these containers, otherwise deemed unusable, has been attractive alternatives to indoor dining and social gathering spots during the pandemic. This past summer, Truong Huynh, General Superintendent of Development Services, taught a CALBO webinar educating members about the use of cargo containers in residential and commercial construction.
The highlight of my ride-along was a tour of ADU projects in the Alamitos Heights and Belmont neighborhoods. Residential construction, including ADUs, continues to boom across the state. From 2020-21 to date, there have been 576 ADU projects on file with over 4,000 inspections conducted in Long Beach. Staff continue to keep up with the demand for this alternative, flexible housing model to address home supply and affordability, including offering outreach and online resources for submittal packages. During my tours of ADU projects, I met contractors and residents who talked with Eric about their construction progression and current ADU standards. I quickly noticed that there was no hostility or confusion – only cooperation and mutual respect from both parties. This is a testament to Eric’s ability to communicate professionally and knowledge of current standards and codes.
I was humbled to witness the dedicated public service efforts of the City of Long Beach Building and Safety Bureau. Staff work together to ensure a growing Long Beach while committing to a safe, sustainable, and structurally sound built environment for current and future residents and visitors alike. A special thank you to Truong Huynh, General Superintendent of Development Services, Evan Zeisel, Building Inspections Officer, and Eric Kranda, Combination Building Inspector, for contributing to my ride-along. I cannot drive, bike or walk my Long Beach neighborhood without remembering the exemplary service of my local building department. You are one piece of the puzzle that ensures a stronger California for all.
Thank You Education Week Instructors and Subject Matter Experts!
The CALBO Training Institute and CALBO Board of Directors thank the following instructors and subject matter experts for their participation in the 2021 Education Weeks: San Ramon and Ontario. Without you, we could not have held these virtual and in-person training opportunities for our membership!
Paul Armstrong, TRB + Associates
Ciara Barnett, Los Angeles County
Bill Brooks, Brooks Engineering
Mike Brinkman, CSG Consultants, Inc.
Frank Bush, City of Los Angeles (Retired)
John Caprarelli, City of Santa Clarita
Chris Castanchoa, City of Richmond
Dennis Corbett, City of Pleasanton
Aleeta Dene, The Engineered Wood Association
Jesse De Anda, City of Montebello
Tony De Santis, City of Los Angeles
Shane Diller, City of Elk Grove
Rick English, English Pool Consulting
Gil Estrada, City of Indio
Pete Goodrich, Willdan Engineering
Rick Halloran, City and County of San Francisco (Retired)
Chris Hansen, Central Coast Access Specialists, Inc.
Brandon Ives, City of Los Angeles
Mostafa Kashe, County of Los Angeles
Mike Loomis, CSG Consultants, Inc.
Keith Marks, City of El Cerrito
Bill Mitchell, City of Los Angeles
Devin Myrick, City of Los Angeles
Hipolito Olmos, City of Gilroy
Raj Patel, JAS Pacific
Sara Retmier, City of Hemet
Jay Salazar, City of Vacaville
Faruk Sezer, City of Los Angeles
Brent Smith, City of Livermore
Andrew Stuffler, City of Santa Barbara (Retired)
Todd Snider, West Coast Code Consultants, Inc.
Bryan Spain, Bureau Veritas
Interested in serving as an instructor or content developer?
Email Lauren Herman for an application and more information.
A Special Message from Your 2021-22 CALBO President
Esteemed Colleagues,
2021 has been a year that brought us some of the same challenges that 2020 did, and I am pleased to say that we continue to innovate and persevere to meet those challenges head-on. As you read this edition of our newsletter, I hope that you will see that CALBO worked hard to steer the course through these questionable times in an effort to best represent our members and profession.
The current legislative session ended in September with some CALBO wins, some setbacks, but with many stories of collaboration with our industry partners and lawmakers. We didn’t hold back and we didn’t sit still offering many rounds of amendments and input to represent our interests and our communities. We’ll pick up where we left off in January, with much work to still come on the legislative front. A full briefing is included in this newsletter and real time legislative detail is always available on CALBO’s website.
Education continues to thrive with our hybrid Education Week North in San Ramon holding the record as our largest training event ever with over 3,000 students over the course of the week. I can’t offer thanks enough to the CTI Commission, the 17 instructors, 14 subject matter experts, and the production team for putting on such a great event. Only through the hard work of these professionals, the support from the 16 onsite exhibitors, and CALBO staff were we able to provide this hybrid learning event that so many of you attend virtually right along with the students onsite. As we approach Education Week South in Ontario, I recommend reviewing the course offerings located on the CALBO website and register for a class or two (or four!). Registration ends this Friday, October 15th; visit www.calbo.org/professional-development for more information.
I certainly feel that CALBO training and events have entered a new era after the COVID-19 pandemic. Your CALBO Board of Directors has marveled at what our team has been able to accomplish in the face of stay-at-home orders, masking and occupancy restrictions, and evolving venue guidelines. Over the next year you will see some events, such as Education Week Ontario, presented in-person as we have traditionally done, but know that we are taking the innovations in remote learning, webinars, and hybrid events we have seen such success with over the past couple years and will be weaving those enhancements into future offerings when and where we can. If anything, good has come from the pandemic craziness it is that we have embraced ways to connect with and serve CALBO members like never before and we don’t plan to go backwards.
Speaking of the future, I want to close with a note on how excited I am to see everyone in-person at our 60th Annual Business Meeting at the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, March 27 – 31, 2022. The Board just returned from meeting onsite and is putting the finishing touches on an exciting program of workshops, presentations, and social events that you will not want to miss. Registration for this event will be available in early 2022.
As always, I, your CALBO Board of Directors, and the awesome team of CALBO staff are here to be of service. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at any time. Looking forward to seeing you all soon.
Sincerely,
Shane G. Diller, M.P.A
Assistant Director, Development Services
City of Elk Grove
Need a CBC Update before the 2022 Codes Take Effect?
As we approach the end of the triennial cycle, don’t get left behind on the current CBC updates before the 2022 codes take effect. These courses will get you up-to-date with vital CBC topics, including egress, mixed-use development and other hot topics.
Ontario: October 25-28, 2021
In-Person Attendance Only
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Ontario Airport
- 2019 California Building Code: Means of Egress Overview
- Hot Topics in the 2019 California Building Code
- 2019 California Building Code: Special Building Types and Features
- Understanding Apartment Buildings and Mixed Use Development from Plan Review to Inspection
Visit the CALBO Education Week Registration page for
a complete course listing and registration information.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email the CALBO Office or call 916-457-1103.
What’s Next for ADUs?
As a Building Official, Plans Examiner, or Inspector, you are expected to know how to apply the codes to best serve and protect the public. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are a common housing trend that has grown in popularity among the public, state agencies, developers, and the legislature. So be ready for what’s ahead!
Permit Technician and Plan Reviewer Course Highlights
Want to improve your skills in your department role as a permit technician or plan reviewer? Consider taking one or more of these courses covering important topics in California codes. Whether you are serving in an introductory or advanced department role, there is something for everyone!
2021 San Ramon and Ontario Education Week Offerings (0.6 CEUs)
- 2019 California Building Code: Means of Egress Overview - Monday, September 13 & October 25
- Residential Plan Review - Tuesday, September 14 & October 26
- Advanced Overview for Permit Technicians - Wednesday, September 15 & October 27
- Understanding Apartment Buildings and Mixed Use Development from Plan Review to Inspection - Wednesday, September 15 & October 27
- 2019 California Building Code: Special Building Types and Features - Thursday, September 15 & October 28
Visit the CALBO Education Week Registration
page for a complete course listing and registration information.
2021 Fall Webinar Offerings (0.2 CEUs)
- Improving Plan and Document Screening Skills for Permit Technicians - Wednesday, October 6
- Overview of the 2019 California Building Code for Permit Technicians and Plan Reviewers - Thursday, November 4
Visit the Webinar Training Registration
page a complete webinar listing and registration information.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email the CALBO Office or call 916-457-1103.
2021 CALBO Education Week Exhibitor Program – Thank You Exhibitors for Your Upcoming Participation!
We thank ALL of our exhibitors for joining CALBO at the upcoming Education Weeks! A special thank you to our CALBO Partners for their demonstrated commitment in helping CALBO promote the very best of our profession.
4LEAF, Inc., Gold Sponsor
Airex Manufacturing Inc.
Bureau Veritas, Silver Sponsor
Clariti
CSG Consultants, Inc., Gold Sponsor
Energy Code Ace, Silver Sponsor
Hoover Treated Wood Products
IAPMO
International Code Council, Bronze Sponsor
Interwest Consulting Group, Gold Sponsor
JAS Pacific
Lonza
Optimum Seismic, Gold Sponsor
SG Architectural Specialties
Shums Coda Associates, Bronze Sponsor
Simpson Strong-Tie, Bronze Sponsor
TRB + Associates, Inc.
True North Compliance Services, Inc.
VCA Code
Western Wood Preserves Institute
Willdan, Gold Sponsor
Wright Sales
Would like to see your name on this list? Visit the CALBO Sponsor and Exhibitor Program webpage for more information. Limited opportunities remaining!
2021 CALBO Education Week – Thank You Sponsors for Your Upcoming Participation!
Please join CALBO in giving thanks to each of these sponsors for their demonstrated commitment to our profession.
4LEAF, Inc., Gold Sponsor
Coastland Civil Engineering, Inc.
VCA Code
Wall and Ceiling Bureau (WCB)
Would like to have your name included on this list at the upcoming Education Weeks? Consider registering for a sponsorship opportunity! Opportunities include event Wi-Fi, give-a-way items, advertisements in daily student emails and much more! A complete listing of all available sponsorship opportunities is located on page 4 of the exhibitor program.
For any questions or concerns, please contact the CALBO Office at info@calbo.org or 916.457.1103.
Get to Know Your CALBO Instructors!
CALBO Training Institute is thankful for the continued support of community members who volunteer to teach each year. With so many seasoned and new instructors, it’s often challenging to show recognition and for students to get to know each one of them. CALBO hosted a new question and answer series featuring both webinar and Education Week instructors.
In our three-part series, we highlighted multiple leading instructors in a variety of course topics. Click the links below to learn more about some of the CALBO Instructors.
First Installment - California Energy Commission
Second Installment - Ciara Barnett and Brian Frenger
Third Installment - John Caprarelli and Sean McNamara
Thank you to all CALBO instructors, who developed dozens of webinars and online courses for CALBO since the pandemic allowing building-safety professionals to keep up with code changes. Thank you for your contributions to the CALBO community!
A Special Message from Your 2021-22 CALBO President
Dear CALBO Friends and Colleagues,
As summer winds down and we enter autumn, California is again besieged by wildfires. All of us at CALBO are thinking about those impacted by the fires that have been burning this summer and those who continue to rebuild from previous years’ fires. Too many of us know what it is like to suffer loss due to fire and the arduous task it is to rebuild lives and communities. As always, CALBO stands ready to support our members in trying times. I want to thank the members who went out of their way to connect with other building officials during a time of crisis, SAP inspectors who left their families and offices to assist in other jurisdictions, and code officials of all stripes who responded to calls for mutual aid and emergency management assistance.
The cooler temperatures and turning leaves also mean it is time to learn. I am pleased to report that Education Weeks are on track in San Ramon this September and Ontario this October. Your CTI Commission has picked up some great tools from what was experienced during the height of the pandemic, and we at CALBO are not naïve to think that the threat of COVID-19 is behind us. For that reason, we continue to offer a hybrid learning model in San Ramon. Students will be welcomed on-site in accordance with the facilities’ health protocols, and we will live-stream those classes to members who cannot attend in-person this year. In contrast, Ontario will be a traditional in-person only Education Week offering. So, if you or your staff enjoyed the virtual Education Week last year, don’t miss the San Ramon hybrid offering. For registration and course offerings, visit the CALBO website.
As you continue through the newsletter, I think you will see that CALBO continues to work hard for its members. We are coming to the end of an unexpectedly exciting and challenging legislative session, CTI continues to offer incredible webinar trainings, and the planning for our 60th Annual Business Meeting in Los Angeles at the historic Biltmore Hotel is well underway. Information about Education Weeks, webinars, legislation, and our next ABM can all be found on the CALBO website.
I want to close as always by thanking you, the members, for your hard work and participation in CALBO’s efforts and events and to remind you that your CALBO Board of Directors, staff, and I are always available to you.
Sincerely,
Shane G. Diller, M.P.A
Assistant Director, Development Services
City of Elk Grove
Get to Know Your CALBO Instructors!
CALBO Training Institute is thankful for the continued support of community members who volunteer to teach each year. With so many seasoned and new instructors, it’s often challenging to show recognition and for students to get to know each one of them. CALBO is hosting a new question and answer series featuring both webinar and Education Week instructors. We hope you learn something new!
In our third installment, we highlight two leading instructors. Thank you to all CALBO instructors, who developed dozens of webinars and online courses for CALBO since the pandemic allowing building-safety professionals to keep up with code changes. Thank you for your contributions to the CALBO community!
Inspectors: Are You Ready?
As we establish a new “normal” this summer and fall, construction will only increase. Whether your department is performing virtual or in-person inspections, don’t miss these inspection courses to help you prepare for the non-stop demand of residential, mixed-use, or commercial inspection projects.
With these offerings, there is something for every inspector – no matter your specialty! Join CALBO for the 2021 CALBO Education Weeks!
Ontario: October 25-28, 2021
In-Person Attendance Only
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Ontario Airport
With both in-person and virtual training options available, don’t miss these inspection courses – register today!
- Swimming Pool and Spas - New Course
- Field and Virtual Inspections of Solar Photovoltaic and Energy Storage Systems - New Course
- 2019 California Building Code: Special Building Types and Features - New Course
- AM Half Day: 2019 California Plumbing Code: Inspection Fundamentals
- PM Half Day: 2019 California Mechanical Code: Inspection Fundamentals
- 2019 California Electrical Code: Residential and Commercial Inspection Procedures
- Understanding Apartment Buildings and Mixed Use Development from Plan Review to Inspection - New Course
- 2019 California Building Code: Special Building Types and Features - New Course
Visit the CALBO Education Week Registration page for
complete course listing and registration information.
Register Now!
If you have any questions or concerns, please email the CALBO Office or call 916-457-1103.
Need a CBC Update?
As we approach the end of the triennial cycle, don’t get left behind on the current CBC updates before the 2022 codes are published. These courses will get you up-to-date with vital CBC topics, including egress, mixed-use development, and other hot topics.
2021 San Ramon and Ontario Education Week Offerings (0.6 CEUs)
- 2019 California Building Code: Means of Egress Overview - Monday, September 13 and October 25
- Hot Topics in the 2019 California Building Code - Wednesday, September 15 and October 27
- Understanding Apartment Buildings and Mixed Use Development from Plan Review to Inspection - Wednesday, September 15 and October 27
- 2019 California Building Code: Special Building Types and Features - Thursday, September 16 and October 28
Visit the CALBO Education Week Registration
page for a complete course listing and registration information.
2021 Fall Webinar Offerings (0.2 CEUs)
- Fire-Resistance Rated Assemblies in the 2019 California Building Code - Wednesday, September 29
- Code Enforcement Overview for Building Departments - Thursday, October 7
- Overview of the 2019 California Building Code for Permit Technicians and Plan Reviewers - Thursday, November 4
Visit the CALBO Webinar Registration
page for a complete webinar listing and registration information.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email the CALBO Office or call 916-457-1103.
Accessibility Topics Created With You In Mind!
Join us this Fall in Ontario
Whether you are new to accessibility in California, preparing for an exam, or renewing your license or certification, these AIA and ICC approved courses will help you understand the most complex California Access Standards.
Are you renewing your architect license with CAB?*
Architects must complete 5 hours of coursework on disability access requirements within the previous two years. Click here for more information.
Are you renewing your CASp certification with DSA?*
CASp renewals must complete 15 continuing education units (CEUs) during each 3 year certification period, including a minimum of 5 CEUs must address regulatory updates to the CBC accessibility provisions. One CEU equals one hour of instructional time. Click here for more information.