"Our Mission is to encourage and promote safe, quality development and construction in the City of Salina."

BUILDING SERVICES, a Division of Development Services
Phone: (785) 309-5715,   Fax: (785) 309-5713
300 West Ash Street, Room 201,  Salina, KS 67401
building.services@salina.org

Building Services is a division of the Development Services Department and along with the Planning Divison is one of the city divisions that is regularly involved in the Development Review Team process. The Division is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the City’s building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, minimum housing and related codes. The Division issues permits for buildings, plumbing, electrical and mechanical work, demolition, mobile homes, Changes of Occupancy, signs, Home Occupation Certificates and swimming pools. The Division reviews plans for proposed buildings, additions and building alterations to verify zoning compliance, building and fire code compliance and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Staff also inspects construction projects, including private water and sewer services, as well as limited plumbing, mechanical and electrical service work to ensure code compliance and maintains complete records on permit activity. The staff is also responsible for enforcing the city’s minimum housing code, identifying and abating dangerous structures, and works with Neighborhood Services to carry out the Salina Rehabilitation Program.

The technical staff, directed by Elvin DeVorss, Building Official (elvin.devorss@salina.org) includes a Plans Examiner for residential and small commercial projects and three cross-trained field inspectors. An administrative staff directed by Sue Cline, Administrative Supervisor (sue.cline@salina.org), consisting of two permit technicians supports them. The Department offers many informational handouts to assist and guide our customers.  Most of these handouts are available on our website. Typical customer service benchmarks the Building Services Division strives for are a 1-hour response to buried utility inspections and 4-hour response to all other inspections. Inspections are routed to inspectors via phone texting.

The Division works closely with the Planning, Engineering, Utilities, Police, Fire and Health Departments and other public agencies in the area of public safety. The Division is also the lead agency is coordinating the plan review activities of all of the other Departments in the building permit process. For commercial plan review, the Staff strives for a ten business-day turn-around to a plan review letter (containing comments from all departments) or permit issuance. The activities of the Development Services Department are under the supervision of Gary Hobbie, (gary.hobbie@salina.org) Director of Community and Development Services.