City Ups Its Rank In Code Enforcement ; Higher Rating Could Mean Lower Property Insurance Premiums

An insurance industry group that rates municipal building codes and their enforcement has given Lancaster improved marks since the city's last evaluation more than a decade ago.

The Insurance Services Office puts together a "building code effectiveness grading schedule," which insurers use to help determine rates. The rankings are based on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the best.

Based on the latest audit, the city improved from a 6 to a 4 for residential projects and from a 6 to a 3 for commercial projects, according to Gary Horning, chief of Lancaster city's code compliance and inspections bureau.

"We've made strides to improve our code program in the last six years," Horning said. "All of the changes that Mayor (Rick) Gray and Randy Patterson have implemented have culminated in a better rating on the insurance side."

'Proactive approach'

The audit was conducted last year; the previous audit was done in 1991. Audits are done about every 10 to 15 years.

The improvements include a more thorough review of plans for new construction and renovations of existing buildings, Horning said.

"Randy and the mayor have encouraged us to take a proactive approach with builders and developers, so we meet with them before they submit plans," Horning said. "We work with them through the process, so it's less cumbersome."

The city has four code inspectors, including Horning, and it also uses four independent inspectors.

Only city employees handle residential inspections; commercial inspections are done by city employees and contracted inspectors.

The city has been making changes since getting the audit, in particular with condemned and fire-damaged buildings. Those buildings tend to have more complex issues, according to Horning.

The city used to have one inspector to oversee such properties; now it uses two inspectors.

And the city continues to find work being done without permits or inspections, he said.

Fire ratings next

Robert Andrews, vice president of community hazard mitigation at the Insurance Services Office, said the organization was unable to say how a classification change would effect local insurance premiums.

"Insurers alone are responsible for pricing of their coverage to fit their individual marketing and business goals," he said. In general, though, an improved rating can lead to lower premiums, he said.

Peter Wengrenovich, who's in charge of commercial insurance at Murray Securus, said while the code ratings don't play a large role in setting premiums, another Insurance Services Office rating does.

That's its fire protection services classification.

City Fire Chief Tim Gregg said the bureau met with the organization for that evaluation a couple of months ago but hasn't received its classification yet.