Community Service – Pinole Balcony Ordinance

CCAR Works with City of Pinole on POS Balcony Ordinance
The City of Pinole initially introduced the ordinance language on May 2, 2017, notifying CCAR that the ordinance would be for the sole purpose of disclosing and recommending that homeowners conduct an inspections of any balcony on the property prior to close of escrow.

However, the ordinance language as it was written would have held up the transaction in escrow and included an addition to the rental inspection program providing City Staff the ability to inform the unit owner of a periodic balcony inspection that would need to be conducted by a licensed general contractor, structural pest control licensee, licensed architect, or licensed engineer.

During the May 16, 2017 council meeting, a representative of the Board of Directors attended and presented to the Council portions of the ordinance that would in fact hold up the transaction, causing the City Council to pull the item from the consent calendar and hold a discussion.

Prior to the next council meeting members of the CCAR Board of Directors and the Government Affairs Department met with each City Councilmember, Mayor and City Attorney separately to discuss the ordinance and its language. Because of these meetings and the City Council’s willingness to hear from CCAR, the ordinance language was modified to not hold up the transaction process. However, while the Council made the recommended changes to the point of sale portion of the ordinance, they were not willing to remove the rental inspection addition at this time.

The Forms Committee is in the process of adding language to the CCAR Disclaimer and Disclosure Advisory and the City of Pinole Addendum which will be made available to membership upon approval.

Should you have any questions regarding this ordinance, please contact your Government Affairs Director, Heather Schiffman at 925.295.9232 or at [email protected]