Anchorage OKs Independent Home Plan Review

The Anchorage Assembly voted to allow builders to carry out their own inspections instead of waiting for the city on Tuesday night. The vote was 9-2. The Municipal Building Department said such a practice would be a conflict of interest, but Mayor Dan Sullivan said he would not oppose the change, which covers structural review for safety and earthquake and snow load stability, but not other aspects of the city code. The builders argued that it was taking too long to get municipal inspectors to do it and they would rather pay to hire it out and not have the delay.