City code officer reports nearly $10 million in construction value permits issued

30 permits for commercial properties

[December 06, 2008]  Les Last manages the office of building and safety for the city of Lincoln. According to Mayor Beth Davis-Kavelman, he has a "thankless" job. She says that when people walk through his door they generally have a concern or a problem that they want him to address.

The position makes Last responsible for the "preservation and improvement of public health." He is responsible for enforcing all zoning laws and ordinances of the city in regard to building improvements or new construction. The position requires that he issue building permits according to city code for new or improved construction, plus assess and collect fees for the same.

The office is also responsible for reporting zoning or city code violations to the city attorney, as well as keeping records of those violations, plus records of all the permits issued, and reporting to the city council on all of the above.

As required, Last presented the following information to the mayor and city council members at the Dec. 1 meeting of the council:

• In the last six months, 290 building permits were issued. Those permits held a total construction value of $9,730,986 and rendered $15,079 in fees collected. Of those permits, 30 were for commercial properties, five were demolitions and three were for construction of new homes.

• The office of building and safety issued a total of 313 ordinance violations pertaining to weeds, garbage and vehicles.

• Last made four court appearances concerning ordinance violations and attended two planning commission meetings.

[By NILA SMITH; statistics as reported by Les Last, Lincoln code enforcement officer]