by Jeanne Brei
Today’s meeting (Jan. 31) is at 12:30 p.m. at the Clark County Building Dept. West building presentation room (the furthest west door), at 4701 W. Russell Road (just east of Decatur) and is set to listen to the concerns of those who build “Tents/Membrane Structures and Outdoor Temporary Structures.” The tradeshow industry has another chance today to let the Building Department know that it’s an EXEMPTION from these costly rules and permitting changes that the tradeshow industry needs. The meeting is set up so that anyone who’d like to speak gets three minutes and no one speaks from the building code department (they make it clear that they’re only there to listen). The meeting only lasts as long as there are people who wish to speak, so the Jan. 17 meeting lasted only 25 minutes and adjourned before 1 p.m.
Jan. 15’s meeting for the trades was packed with about 60-75 plumbers, electricians and business owners and all of them unanimously requested the same thing—that the department continue licensing the trades. A podium was set up facing three men of the Building Dept. (see picture above) and Jerome A. Stueve, P.E., CBO, director–building/fire code official, explained that they weren’t going to do any talking or make any presentation, that they were there ONLY to listen and that each person was given three minutes to state what they thought of the rule changes and what the business impact of those changes are to their business. About 25 people spoke and the meeting was adjourned after just 35 minutes when it became clear that everyone in the room opposed the rule change. And just one day later, an email was sent out that granted their request.
[Editor’s Update on Jan. 21:] January 17’s meeting for the tradeshow industry lasted less than a half hour and was not as well attended (approximately 50 or so) because the SHOT (Shooting, Hunting & Outdoor Tradeshow) was opening, the IBS (International Building Show) was doing their move-in and other tradeshows were also running and moving in. Only 10 people spoke and as each person took their three minutes to request that the tradeshow exemption be restored to the building code, they emphasized that they were representing thousands of the Las Vegas tradeshow workforce, including EDPA’s Dan Griffin, Teamsters Local 631’s Tommy Blitsch, SHOT show producer Chuck Schwartz from Convex, the Sands General Counsel, representatives from the LVCVA, Freeman, and myself as editor-in-chief of Exhibit City News. We have not yet received an email from the building department with their decision on the requested changes.
Here’s the notice that was sent to those who attended the first presentation back in November:
Notice to Industry – Building Administrative Code Stakeholder Meeting
Dear Stakeholders and Community Partners,
Three meetings have been scheduled strictly to receive comments on the proposed amendments to Clark County Code 22.02, Building Administrative Code of Clark County to be held at the Clark County Russell Campus located at 4701 W. Russell Road in the Presentation Room. The proposed amendments may be found at: http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/building/Pages/ProposedOrdinances.aspx
Since the proposed amendments impact multiple industries, we are trying to focus the meetings by industry interest as follows:
- Meeting No. 1 – Building Contractors and Trades
- Meeting No. 2 – Casino/Hotels, Conventions and Trade Shows
- Meeting No. 3 – Tents/Membrane Structures and Outdoor Temporary Structures
All meetings are open to the public and there will be no restrictions on what portions of the proposed amendments may be commented on at each meeting. The intent of the focus meetings is to minimize the time that participants must sit through comments on sections of the proposed amendments which do not impact them.
Respectfully,
Jerome A. Stueve, P.E., CBO, Director – Building/Fire Code Official, Department of Building & Fire Prevention
