Town of Erie Upgrades Roof Inspections

Two Building Inspectors from the Town of Erie Planning & Development Department have completed certification to conduct residential and commercial roof inspections by drone. Previously, staff completed roof inspections by climbing a ladder and seeing what was visible from the top of the ladder or by walking on the roof if the slope was not too steep, weather was ideal, and other factors. Switching to drone inspections will dramatically increase the safety, speed and thoroughness of roof inspections. Eliminating ladders increases safety for more than just the inspectors; it also eliminates the hazard to small children and others because the homebuilder/owner no longer must leave an un-attended ladder to facilitate the inspection. Inspectors themselves are not regularly on rooftops like a professional roofer might be and are at higher risk of slip and fall injuries. The drone eliminates all these problems and allows the operator to quickly see if the roof is complete, if flue vents are installed and accounted for, if the rear top attic vents are installed properly, if the kickouts and flashings are installed, and if the nails on the peak end have silicone.

Currently the Town will be operating a single drone and plans to add a second one to inspections shortly. The Town’s drones weight just 0.54 pounds and are registered with the FAA. The two certified staff members have passed required FAA Part 107 Examination and have received formal training from an expert pilot. Drones being used for inspections will only hover over the building under inspection. Any questions about this new service can be sent to the Building Division.

Fall Clean-up Events Begin Saturday

This Saturday, Sept. 10 marks the beginning of our Fall Clean-Up Event! This year, the Town is offering even more opportunities for hard-to-recycle items and safe disposal of hazardous waste. On Sept. 10 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Leon A. Wurl Service Center residents can recycle metal, electronics, paint, batteries, fertilizer, and more, all for free! And for the week of Sept. 10-17 the landfill will be accepting one free load of landfillable materials; just show your water bill and identification when you drop off the materials – no voucher needed! Visit www.erieco.gov/CleanUp for more details.

Opt In: Register for Emergency Alerts

National Preparedness Month occurs every September and in observance this year, Erie Police is raising awareness with ways to prepare. The first way is opt-in to the Emergency Alert system and participate in the upcoming test of the system on Sept. 13! Erie is one of the first communities in Boulder County to test the system locally. Be sure to have your phone number registered so you can be sure alerts make it to your preferred devices. Remember that signing up for alerts both where you live and where you work is the safest practice – families should also consider signing up for alerts in municipalities for their children’s schools if it is different from home. To opt-in and learn about the test visit www.erieco.gov/370/emergency-alerts.

Complete a Survey: Vehicle Idling

Did you know that on average, each person wastes two to four tanks of gasoline per year, just by idling in their vehicle? And were you aware idling for more than one minute creates more carbon monoxide than smoke from three packs of cigarettes? The Town would love to improve air quality by reducing how often vehicles are idling around our community. Please complete a short survey about when you see vehicles idling around Erie. Please take the survey before Friday, Sept.16. This information will inform staff on where the most improvement might be possible with regard to vehicle idling.

Town of Erie Cone Zones

Summer is the season for major road improvement projects. Each week we will list the projects that may have the biggest impact on traffic flow for that week. As always, please sign up for alerts to get more details about these projects and many others. More information and details on how to sign up are at www.erieco.gov/ConeZone.

WCR 5: All roadways and sidewalks are now open for use.
- The contractor will install a traffic signal at Flora View and WCR 5 in November, when staff expects the manufacturer to deliver the signal. Until then, the Town has contracted with S.E.S. Security to provide traffic management at that intersection during school daily start and end periods to help students to cross safely.
Road Striping: Contractors for the Town will be renewing the roadway stripes on roadways throughout Town. This process will cause delays behind the painting machines. Please have patience and consider alternate routes when painting operations are occurring in front of you.
Sheridan Parkway Lane Closure: Single lane closures on Sheridan Parkway between WCR 4 and Hwy 7 for the driveway at the RV Storage building.

Please remember that all road work is weather-dependent, and timelines may shift. Motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians should always be aware and use caution when in and around work zones. Whenever possible, please avoid the construction areas.

Town of Erie is Hiring

As the Town continues to grow, we have several openings and encourage all qualified candidates to apply. Keep checking the Town of Erie job board for Erie’s latest openings, which currently include: