JOPLIN, Mo. —
Joplin tornado survivor Larry Eller was glad to hear the news Friday: The city has released the hold on building permits for part of the tornado zone.
Building permits for those who want to reconstruct homes in most of the area from Picher Avenue west to the city limits are available. Still on hold are permits for properties in that area with addresses on 20th and 26th streets and Schifferdecker Avenue. City officials said that is for safety reasons, because those streets are designated hauling routes for the government’s debris removal operation.
City Manager Mark Rohr said those streets will be released from the hold as soon as it is safe to do so, which will be when traffic loads on the routes decrease.
“This is a really significant step for us to be able to open up these areas to help jump-start the rebuilding process,” Rohr said in a new release. Rohr said there were a number of considerations that went into the decision to put a hold on permits for reconstruction of homes. He had cited safety, the need for debris to cleared as quickly as possible to meet a federal funding deadline of Aug. 7, and time for city officials and utilities to plan their work as reasons for the hold.
New code revisions intended to make houses stronger against high winds and tornadoes are in effect, said Jack Schaller, assistant public works director. He said requirements are in effect for builders to install hurricane straps on roof rafters and to decrease the distance between anchor bolts from every 6 feet to 4 feet, to secure the rafters and walls to the foundation.
The lifting of the hold on permits in the section means that Eller, who had appealed to the City Council last month to not enact the hold and who asked the council last Tuesday to release the hold on his permit, can start rebuilding his home at 2609 Monroe Ave.
“I think it’s a step forward for everyone,” Eller said Friday in response to the city’s announcement. “It’s time to start rebuilding. Unfortunately, I lost five good neighbors. They did not want to wait, so they bought properties elsewhere.
“That’s the real tragedy of the story, that so many people decided not to come back into our neighborhoods,” Eller said.
“It’s good news,” he added. “It’s a positive step and I’m happy to hear it’s being done. I congratulate the city on having the vision to look forward.”
He said he will call his builder and tell him to move as fast as possible to reconstruct his home.
The council had authorized a 60-day hold on permits to build new houses in the hardest-hit area of the city. There were 11 building permits on hold early in the week. The city has issued 1,500 permits to repair damaged homes as a result of the tornado.
Commercial construction was not placed on hold.
Building permits are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays in the public works department office on the fourth floor of City Hall, 602 S. Main St.
Tornado fatalities
The death toll from the May 22 has increased by one to 159. Janice McKee, 60, was added Friday to the official list of fatalities, according to Lynn Onstot, public information officer for the city of Joplin. McKee was a resident of The Greenbriar, a Joplin nursing home, according to Jasper County Coroner Rob Chappel.
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