BISBEE — The Cochise County Board of Supervisors will be looking for a few qualified volunteers to fill seats on a proposed Building Safety Advisory and Appeals Board.

The advisory/appeals board will be formed through an ordinance sometime in the next few months, as required by an old Arizona statute.

The reason it is being formed now instead of 30 years ago when the state statute was passed is that Cochise County did not have an official building code until January 14, 2005, explained Chief Deputy County Attorney Britt Hanson.

The county code was adopted in phases, he added. First came codes for the Sierra Vista area, then building codes began to apply to other areas of the county, including rural areas.

“There are probably counties out there that have not adopted building codes,” said Hanson. “So Cochise is not the last in the state.”

The matter came before the county Planning and Zoning Commission at the meeting last Wednesday in the planning director’s report. Susana Montana, planning manager, asked the commission members to give the go-ahead to draft the ordinance, which they did with a unanimous vote.

Hanson said the commission’s vote of approval to proceed was just a courtesy.

“In the future, I’d recommend it to go on the agenda as an action item,” added Hanson.

“The new ordinance is ready.”

Ron Durgen, county building inspector, will be forming the list of possible appointees.

The new advisory/appeals board will be partly comprised of specifically licensed professionals in the construction business — an architect, an engineer, a general contractor, and/or an electrician or plumber in compliance with the state statute, Durgen noted at the meeting. One seat will be held by a resident of the county who will represent the public.

There can be as many as seven members with the additional appointees in the field of construction and design.

The Arizona statute states: “Each appointee shall have substantial experience in the field covered by the particular code ... “

The county building inspector will also serve on the board as a non-voting, ex officio member who will take the minutes of each meeting.

Each member is to be appointed for a four-year term and terms must be staggered so that not more than two terms expire each year, according to the statute.

The advisory/appeals board members will hear disputes over the county building code, said Hanson. The decisions made by the board members will be final, much like the Board of Adjustment, Hanson said.

They also will determine the suitability of alternative materials used in construction, as well as review and advise code changes as they become necessary, according to Durgen.

With the advent of building “green” composite materials made, from various recycled or earth-friendly (think straw bale), Durgen wants these new materials to be included in future amendments to the code.

The drafted ordinance will go before the Planning and Zoning Commission on Aug. 13, said Planning Director Susan Buchan.

The ordinance will then go on to the Board of Supervisors with the commission’s approval or denial.

Public hearings will be held before the ordinance is adopted by the supervisors.