About the Board
The Board of Building Code Appeals serves as an independent, quasi-judicial review panel that bridges the gap between property owners, developers, or contractors and local code officials, ensuring that building regulations are applied fairly while allowing for alternative construction methods when necessary. To fulfill this mission, the Board consists of five individuals appointed by the City Council who possess professional qualifications, experience, and training specifically suited to evaluate matters of building construction. Members serve two-year terms and must remain entirely independent, as city employees are prohibited from serving on the Board. For more information about the Board, please visit Section 5-141 of the Ranson Code.
| Member | Term (2 Years) |
|---|---|
| Ed Johnson | |
| Ginger Oden | |
| Lawrence Scorzelli | |
Meetings
- Meetings as needed
- Council Chambers
Process to Appeal
- Filing Deadline: A written Application for Appeal must be submitted to the City Clerk within 20 calendar days of service for any decision, notice, or order issued by the building official (excluding those under the International Property Maintenance Code), along with a filing fee.
- Application Review: Applications are reviewed for completeness within five (5) business days, and incomplete submissions must be resubmitted.
- Hearing Scheduling: Once complete, the appeal is scheduled for an open public hearing before the Board of Building Code Appeals.
- Documentation Deadline: Additional supporting documentation may be submitted up to two business days before the hearing.
- Hearing Proceedings: Strict rules of evidence do not apply. The appellant, their representative, the building code official, and any affected parties are given the opportunity to present information and be heard.
- Board Authority & Criteria: The Board may only modify or reverse a decision if it determines that the Code was incorrectly interpreted, does not fully apply, or if an equally good or better form of construction is proposed. The Board cannot waive building code requirements.
- Conflict of Interest: Board members are strictly prohibited from participating or voting in hearings if they have a direct or indirect financial interest, are engaged as a contractor or plan preparer, or hold any personal interest in the case.
- Board Actions: Following the review, the Board will either dismiss the case or issue a corrective time-frame order consistent with the code. Final decisions are issued in writing and provided to both the applicant and the Building Official.
- Enforcement & Penalties: If the owner fails to make sufficient corrections by the end of the Board’s order timeframe, the building code official will issue a second citation and a summons to municipal court. The municipal court of the city shall order the owner to comply with the board’s corrective order and levy penalties set out by Section 5-50 of this chapter. Each day the violation is not remedied after the time frame stated in the corrective order is a separate offense and penalties shall be assessed as set out in Section 5-50.
- NOTICE OF Demolition or Condemnation: Anyone affected by a condemnation and/or demolition notice or order shall, within 20 days after service of such demolition or condemnation order, apply to the Board as set out in Section 5-122, unless such notice and/or order was issued because building code official determined the structure, building or equipment to be imminently dangerous.
- Code Reference: Section 5.140–5.141
Join the Board
The City of Ranson is seeking applicants for three (3) openings on the Building Code Appeals Board for the term beginning January 1, 2026 and ending December 31, 2027. The Building Code Appeals Board assists the City in considering appeals of decisions made by Ranson building officials and other matters related to Ranson building code enforcement. To be eligible for appointment, applicants must meet the following criteria: 1) Must be a qualified resident of the City of Ranson and 2) Must have experience and training relevant to building construction and be qualified to review and make decisions on building-related matters. Members cannot be employees of the City of Ranson.
Qualified residents of Ranson who are interested in serving on the Board must complete an application form available at www.ransonwv.gov under the Forms & Documents section. Any other supporting materials that demonstrate their qualifications to serve can be submitted, as well. Materials should be submitted to cityclerk@ransonwv.us. A hard copy may also be mailed or delivered to the attention of the City Clerk at City of Ranson, 312 S. Mildred Street, Ranson WV 25438. This position is open until it is filled with first consideration of candidates scheduled for August 18, 2026.
Direct Link to Application: Application for Boards, Commission, and Committee
