The City of North Bend has denied an occupancy permit to Operation Rebuild Hope and posted no occupancy signs that have since been removed by the organization. ORH Executive Director/Founder, Patrick Wright said in a social media post the signs were dropped off at North Bend City Hall this morning. City Administrator David Milliron has advised Wright that removing the signs is a violation of State Law and City Code. Wright has been notified he must put the signs back up or face fines of up to $500 dollars per day. The former motel will be used to house homeless veterans. According to city officials, ORH’s Den Project was denied occupancy following a final inspection. Building Official Derick Windham says issuing a temporary occupancy permit for six residential units would have been a violation of state codes because a required automatic sprinkler system had not yet been installed. That system is listed as a requirement of the building permit issued by the city in August last year. Repeated requests for comment from Patrick Wright have gone unanswered by press time.
Though the required automatic sprinkler system hasn’t been installed a permit has been issued by the Oregon Department of Transportation to allow the Coos Bay-North Bend Water Board to connect the project’s service line to the water main. Water Board officials say the permit was issued Wednesday. General Manager Ivan Thomas says the turnaround to get the work completed was initially going to be 4 to 6-weeks. However, North Bend city officials worked with the water board and Wright to expedite the process. Thomas says the construction could be done in two weeks. He did say leaks and breaks on consumer lines take priority. If that happens, construction could be placed on hold. The construction of the tap connection will most likely only take a day to complete.
