13-32-230 Building wrecking – Permit required – Safety requirements.

   (a)   Before proceeding with the wrecking or tearing down of any building or other structure, a permit for such wrecking or tearing down shall first be obtained by the owner or his agent from the Building Commissioner. It shall be unlawful for any person to proceed with the wrecking or tearing down of any building or structure or any structural part of such building or structure unless such permit has first been obtained and the applicable notification requirements set forth in Section 13-124-070 have been met. Application for such permit shall be made by the owner, or his agent, to the Building Commissioner, who shall issue the permit upon such application and the payment of the fee herein provided.

   Every application shall state the location and describe the building which it is proposed to wreck or tear down and shall also list the registered wrecking contractor that will perform the work. Upon the issuance of said permit, such building may be wrecked or torn down, provided that all the work done thereunder shall be subject to the supervision of the Building Commissioner and to such reasonable restrictions as he may impose in regard to elements of safety and health; and provided further, that the work shall be kept sprinkled and sufficient scaffolding be provided to insure safety to human life.

   (b)   Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), if a building or structure is color coded orange or red in the Chicago Historic Resources Survey published in 1996, no demolition permit shall be issued for a period not to exceed 90 days in order to enable the department of planning and development to explore options to preserve the building or structure, including, but not limited to, possible designation of the building or structure as a Chicago landmark in accordance with Article XVII of Chapter 2-120 of this code. The 90 days (i) shall begin to run on the date that a copy of the application for the demolition permit, along with a photograph accurately showing the current condition of the building or structure identified in that application, is submitted by the applicant to the landmarks division of the department of planning and development; and (ii) may be extended for any additional period by mutual written agreement between the applicant and the department. This subsection (b) shall not apply to permit applications for the demolition of any building or structure if demolition is necessary to remedy conditions imminently dangerous to life, health or property as determined in writing by the department of buildings, the board of health or the fire department. Nor shall this subsection (b) apply to any building or structure which the commission on Chicago landmarks has preliminarily recommended as a landmark pursuant to section 2-120-630 or which has been designated by ordinance as a “Chicago Landmark” in accordance with the requirements of this code.

   (c)   Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter in any way the authority of or the process by which the commission on Chicago landmarks and the city council approve the issuance of demolition permits if such approval is required by this code.

(Prior code § 43-19; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-89, p. 4604; Amend Coun. J. 1-16-03, p. 102365, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 99026, § 2.11; Amend Coun. J. 1-16-03, p. 102365, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-8-04, p. 38063, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 14999, Art. II, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-08, p. 47220, Art. VII, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-17-10, p. 106597, Art. IX, § 9; Amend Coun. J. 6-27-12, p. 30534, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 11-26-13, p. 67481, Art. I, § 24; Amend Coun. J. 1-23-19, p. 94952, Art. I, § 11)

13-32-231 Rooftop gravity tank or tank supporting structure – Permit required for wrecking.

   (1)   It shall be unlawful for any person to demolish, in whole or in part, any rooftop gravity tank or tank supporting structure, or to demolish any building on which a rooftop gravity tank or tank supporting structure is located without first having obtained a permit to wreck or tear down such tank or tank supporting structure from the commissioner of buildings. The permit required under this section shall be in addition to any other permit required by law.

   (2)   Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter in any way the authority of or the process by which the commission on Chicago landmarks and the city council approve the issuance of demolition permits if such approval is required by this Code.

   (3)   Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter in any way the authority of or the process by which the building commissioner exercises his or her emergency demolition powers under this Code or pursuant to a court order.

   (4)   As used in this section:

   “Rooftop gravity tank” means any wooden or metal container which was originally designed or converted (i) to hold water to supply a sprinkler system at gravity pressure, or to support a building's manufacturing system at gravity pressure, or to support a building's domestic water system at gravity pressure; and (ii) is elevated on a rooftop or is free-standing.

   “Tank supporting structure” has the meaning ascribed to the term in Section 13-96-415.

(Added Coun. J. 7-26-06, p. 81369, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-08, p. 47220, Art. VII, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-17-10, p. 106597, Art. IX, § 9; Amend Coun. J. 11-26-13, p. 67481, Art. I, § 24; Amend Coun. J. 7-30-14, p. 86203, § 4)

13-32-235 Building wrecking – Pest control.

   Every application for a permit for the demolition of any building or other structure, except for a rooftop gravity tank, rooftop communication tower, rooftop antenna or rooftop sign structure, shall include an affidavit from a structural pest control business licensed by the State of Illinois that the site was inspected for rodents and indicate whether or not rodents were found at the site; provided that no affidavit shall be required if the demolition is a result of emergency action taken by the City, or if the Department of Streets and Sanitation conducts rodent abatement measures at a site that the City schedules for demolition. If the affidavit indicates that rodents were found at the site, then the application shall include proof that rodent abatement measures have been conducted at the site by a structural pest control business licensed by the State of Illinois no more than 14 days prior to filing the application.

   Any person who knowingly makes any false statement, submits any false information or misrepresents any information required under this section shall be fined in accordance with Section 13-12-040. Any structural pest control business which has been found guilty of violating this section two or more times within a three year period shall be prohibited from filing any affidavits under this section for a period of two years.

   For purposes of this section, every act or omission which constitutes a violation of this section by an officer, director, manager, agent or other employee of any person shall be deemed to be the act of the person and such person shall be liable for all penalties and sanctions provided by this section in the same manner as if such act or omission had been done or omitted by the person.

(Added Coun. J. 5-2-01, p. 57409, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 3-27-02, p. 82086, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61858, Art. VIII, § 12; Amend Coun. J. 1-23-19, p. 94952, Art. I, § 12)

13-32-240 Building wrecking – Bond requirements.

   Before any permit is issued granting authority to wreck a building or structure for which such permit is required, the person engaged in the work of wrecking the same shall file with the city clerk a bond with sureties to be approved by the city comptroller to indemnify, keep and save harmless the city against any loss, cost, damage, expense, judgment, or liability of any kind whatsoever which the city may suffer, or which may accrue against, be charged to or be recovered from said city, or any of its officials from or by reason or on account of accidents to persons or property during any such wrecking operations, and from or by reason or on account of anything done under or by virtue of any permit granted for any such wrecking operations.

   Such bond in each case shall extend to and cover all such wrecking operations carried on through permits obtained thereunder by such person during any year beginning January 1st and ending December 31st, and no permit shall be issued for any wrecking work, except as hereinbefore otherwise provided during such year until such bond is filed. Said bond shall be in the penal sum of $20,000.00 for all wrecking operations on such buildings and other structures not more than three stories in height, and there shall be an additional bond filed in the penal sum of $20,000.00 or a bond in the penal sum of $40,000.00 shall be filed in the first instance in case of wrecking operations on buildings and other structures four or more stories in height, and there shall be an additional bond filed in the penal sum of $500.00, conditioned upon the restoring and leveling of the premises upon which such wrecking operations have been completed.

   Upon the filing of such bond or bonds, the person engaged in the work of wrecking such buildings and other structures may obtain permits for such wrecking operations as are authorized under the said bond or bonds as hereinabove provided for, during the year in which the same is or are filed; provided, however, that in case of accident or casualty in the progress of any wrecking operations carried on under any permit so issued, or the happening of any circumstance which might, in the opinion of the building commissioner, render such bond or bonds inadequate, the commissioner may, in his or her discretion, require such additional bond as he may deem necessary to fully protect the city from loss resulting from the issuance of such permits before he allows the work to proceed or before any additional permits are issued by him or her.

   In addition to the bonds provided aforesaid, and person engaged in the work of wrecking shall file with every application for a permit to wreck or tear down any building or structure or portion thereof, a commercial general liability insurance policy with limits of not less than of $500,000.00 per occurrence for bodily injury, personal injury and property damage arising in any way from the permit or activities conducted pursuant to the permit, approved by the city comptroller. The insurance policy required under this subsection shall name the City of Chicago as additional insured on a primary, noncontributory basis for any liability arising directly or indirectly from the permittee's operations. The permittee shall maintain the insurance required under this section in full force and effect throughout the duration of the permit period. The insurance shall be issued by an insurer authorized to insure in Illinois. In addition to the requirements under this section, and apart from and separate from any insurance under this section, the person engaged in the work of wrecking shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless any owner of property adjacent to the property on which the building or structure to be wrecked is located, against any loss, cost, damage, expense, or liability of any kind whatsoever which said owner of adjacent property may suffer, or which may accrue against, be charged to or be recovered from said adjacent property owner or anyone holding title by or under said owner of adjacent property, by reason of or arising out of any such wrecking operations. In the event an aggrieved party finds it necessary to seek recovery for damages against a demolition contractor by the filing of an appropriate action at law, such aggrieved party shall, upon being awarded judgment in his favor, be entitled to recover his court costs and reasonable attorney's fees against the demolition contractor, as determined by the court.

(Prior code § 43-20; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-89, p. 4604; Amend Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 99026, § 2.11; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 14999, Art. II, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-16, p. 37901, Art. II, § 45)

13-32-250 Wrecking by government authorities – Waiver of fees and bonds.

   The administrator of public works of the United States or such other authority as may be created by acts of Congress with power to cooperate with the city in the making of public improvements, the department of transportation, the department of streets and sanitation, and the fire department may engage in the work of wrecking of buildings and structures, and in such cases where any of these agencies make application for a permit to wreck buildings or structures, the building commissioner shall issue such permit without the fee provided herein and shall not require the filing of a bond with sureties as provided heretofore in Section 13-32-240.

(Prior code § 43-21; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-89, p. 4604; Amend Coun. J. 12-11-91, p. 10832; Amend Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 99026, § 2.11; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 14999, Art. II, § 1)

13-32-260 Permits to be obtained prior to commencement of wrecking – Violation – Penalty.

   It shall be unlawful for any person to perform any wrecking operation of any kind without first having obtained such necessary permit and bond as required in Sections 13-32-230 through 13-32-250. Any person who violates this section shall be fined in accordance with Section 13-12-040. Each day such violation continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.

(Prior code § 43-21.1; Amend Coun. J. 11-17-93, p. 42192; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61858, Art. VIII, § 12)

13-32-270 Warm air furnaces – Permit required.

   It shall be unlawful for any person to construct, replace or install any warm air heating furnace, with appurtenances, ducts, or registers, without first obtaining a permit from the building commissioner for such work, as provided by this chapter. Any person who violates this section shall be fined in accordance with Section 13-12-040 for each offense. Each day that a violation of this section exists shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.

(Prior code § 43-22; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-89, p. 4604; Amend Coun. J. 11-17-93, p. 42192; Amend Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 99026, § 2.11; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 14999, Art. II, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61858, Art. VIII, § 12)

13-32-280 Amusement devices – Submission of plan to buildings commission – Permit.

   Before any mechanical amusement device, roller coaster, scenic railway, water chute, or other mechanical riding, sailing, sliding, or swinging device is erected, either in existing or new amusement parks, or places or sites where such devices are operated under carnival, fair, or similar auspices, a detailed plan shall be submitted to the buildings commissioner for his approval or rejection, and if approved, a permit shall be procured by the person desiring to erect such device.

(Prior code § 43-23; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-89, p. 4604)

13-32-285 Permit required – Approval of plans.

   Before any owner or agent shall proceed with the installation or alteration of any mechanical refrigeration system, such owner or agent shall obtain a permit for the work. No refrigeration system shall be installed, erected or maintained, nor shall any reconstruction of old apparatus or old systems for mechanical refrigeration or cooling purposes be undertaken, unless plans and specifications shall be filed in the department buildings and approved by the building commissioner. The plans and specifications shall show the kind and amount of refrigerant used. Upon approval of the plans, a duplicate set of which shall be left on file in the department of buildings, and the payment of the required fees, the building commissioner shall issue a permit for the installation of the apparatus.

(Added Coun. J. 7-9-03, p. 3609, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 14999, Art. II, § 1)