New Fruita Building Inspections Team Ready to Serve the Fruita Community

January 31, 2023

The new Fruita Building Division is gearing up for its official opening day on Monday, February 20, 2023. On this day, the team will manage 100% of the building permit reviews for Fruita, CO. Previously, the City of Fruita contracted building services through Mesa County. Originally, the division planned for an opening date of April 2023, but in coordination with Mesa County, decided to move the date up to coordinate with the State on electrical and plumbing inspections. State and plumbing licenses must follow the Notice of Contemporaneous Reviews which is the result of HB19-1086 (Plumbing) and 5B19-156 (Electrical). For those who have already picked up a building permit with Mesa County, Mesa County will continue to inspect your project through completion. If you need a permit on or after February 20, you will work directly with the City of Fruita Building Division for the remainder of your project. The February start date also provides the team and partners time to transition before the high-peak construction season begins. If you have any questions regarding an upcoming project or existing application, please call (970)-858-0786.

From building permits, plan reviews, inspections, and Fruita’s building codes, contractors and individuals can now work directly with staff here in Fruita through the entire building process. Bringing these services in-house allows the city to create a one-stop process for all development in Fruita City limits. This transition of services concentrates Fruita’s efforts while bringing services closer to the individuals and businesses the City of Fruita serves. The community can be assured they will receive customer service in a timely and courteous manner that is consistent, transparent and unbiased. The new division is comprised of three new full-time employees and a seamless online permitting software program. Over the next month, the city will host various opportunities for the community to meet the team and learn the new digital building process.

Learn the Digital Process - Training Opportunities
To help make this transition as smooth as possible for the community and partners, the City of Fruita has been hosting training courses on the new online permit software program. The next training will be held on Wednesday, February 15 with the first one starting at 10:00 a.m. and the second one at 12:00 p.m. Interested parties can attend in person at the Fruita Community Center (324 N. Coulson) or virtually. If you can’t make the training, all sessions will be recorded and available online at fruita.org/cd/page/training.

Mixer Event – Meet the Team!
Join the Fruita Building division at Base Camp Provisions (155 N. Mulberry Street) on Thursday, February 9 anytime from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. to meet the team, ask questions, and learn more about the new process. The team will also host additional meetups throughout the year at various locations. Visit fruita.org to find upcoming events.

About the New Team
John Anderson, Fruita’s New Chief Building Official, provides over 30 years of experience in the industry and was previously the Building Official for the City of Delta. He has extensive experience working in larger jurisdictions and holds 13 ICC certifications including the Certified Building Official (CBO) certification. ICC certifications are an endorsement from the International Code Council showing an individual is qualified to inspect construction and buildings.

Mike Mossburg, Fruita’s new Senior Combination Building Inspector/Plans Examiner, is a customer service-oriented code professional with over 30 years of experience in construction and building department services. He also is ICC certified in several trade disciplines including combination building inspector and commercial plans examiner.

Matt Carson, Fruita’s Neighborhood Services Coordinator, will also help with the Building Inspection Division. Matt started with the City of Fruita in the fall of 2022 and brings over 30 years of municipal experience. Matt retired from the City of Grand Junction as the former Administrative Battalion Chief for the Grand Junction Fire Department. Neighborhood Services, previously known as Code Enforcement, focuses on community education and coordination to decrease the number of code violations in the City of Fruita.

Jennifer Wooten, Fruita’s Senior Electrical Inspector, is a licensed electrician with over 20 years of experience in the construction industry. She is a Fruita resident and is ready to serve the Fruita community.

Stop by the Fruita Civic Center (325 E. Aspen Ave.) to meet the team or join them at an upcoming training or mixer event.

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Media Contact: Ciara DePinto, Communications and Engagement Specialist, cdepinto@fruita.org, 970-858-3663