The Maine Legislature enacted the Uniform Building and Energy Code (PL 2007, Chapter 699 and amendments PL 2009, Chapter 261), which is scheduled to be adopted by June 1, 2010.
 
The Technical Building Codes and Standards Board located within the Department of Public Safety is responsible for adopting and administering the code. The board will also establish building code training and certification standards for local CEOs. This means that any training offered by the State Planning Office will need to wait until we know what the code and the standards will be.
 
Questions about the building code itself, its adoption, or the standards should be directed to Kathy Chamberlain at the Department of Public Safety and 207-626-3803. The Technical Codes and Standards Board meets bimonthly. Agendas and information on the board are also available from Kathy Chamberlain.
 
The State Planning Office will be hiring a building code training coordinator as the technical board moves through the process of determining training standards. When it becomes available, information on training programs will be circulated by email and posted on the SPO web site.
 
For some answers to frequently-asked questions about the new code please click here.

Beginning in January 2010, the Maine Code Enforcement Training and Certification Program will offer only the basic training that newly-appointed CEOs need for initial certification. The program will offer six basic training programs per year, one for each of the specific codes enforced by CEOs and LPIs at no cost to individuals holding appointment as a municipal code enforcement officer or local plumbing inspector. The basic program of training for new CEOs and LPIs will be:
 
1.    Shoreland Zoning - covers applicable state laws, state shoreland zoning guidelines,wetlands identification and delineation techniques, review and permitting, report procedure, and inspection, and enforcement techniques.
 
2.    Land Use Planning - covers applicable local, state, and federal land use regulations, zoning, municipal planning board and appeals board procedures, floodplain management, state subdivision law, site plan review, review and permitting, report procedure, and inspection and enforcement techniques.
 
3.    Internal Plumbing - covers State of Maine Plumbing Code, applicable laws, plumbing practices, application review and permitting report procedure, and inspection and enforcement techniques.
 
4.    Subsurface Wastewater Disposal (also referred to as External Plumbing) - covers State of Maine Subsurface Wastewater Disposal Rule, applicable laws, soils and site evaluation, review and permitting, report procedure and inspection and enforcement techniques.
 
5.    Building Standards - To be determined.
 
6.    Legal Issues - covers legal authority of a code enforcement officer, applicable laws and rules, structure and practice of the municipal code enforcement office, municipal planning board and appeals board procedures, application review and permitting procedures, inspection procedures, and enforcement techniques.
 
These programs will be designed specifically to aid new CEOs and LPIs pass their necessary certification exams. Other CEOs and LPIs may attend these workshops for recertification credits, but you are encouraged to only attend one in each of the specialty areas during a 6 year period. The remainder of your credits will need to come from outside and advanced training often offered at a low cost.
 
Workshop space will be reserved first for new CEOs working off their grace period, then recertifying CEOs, then others that are interested.

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social networking sites are gaining in popularity as a way to stay connected with professional peers. Many professional associations use these sites to post information for, ask questions of, and stay in touch with their peers.
 
Would you be interested in a social networking group for Maine CEOs and LPIs. SPO would host and maintain it and contribute information as well.
 
If you would use this networking tool please email Brianne.