Subdivision 109 – Inspections

CHAPTER 13-20
BUILDING INSPECTION

Article I.  General

13-20-010   Duty of commissioner.

13-20-012   Liability for inspection fees.

13-20-014   Document review fees.

13-20-016   Emergency, specially requested or outside of department business hour inspection fees.

13-20-017   Penalties.

Article II.  Buildings

13-20-020   Buildings – Inspection required.

13-20-030   Buildings – Floor plan required – Copy to fire commissioner.

13-20-040   Failure of building to comply with Code provisions – Notice of noncompliance.

13-20-050   Inspection fee – Schedule.

13-20-051   Reinspection fee.

13-20-060   Inspection fee – Exemptions.

Article III.  Curtains

13-20-070   Inspection of iron or steel curtain – Fee.

Article IV.  Amusement Parks and Devices

13-20-080   Inspection of amusement park buildings – Fee.

13-20-090   Inspection of amusement park devices – Permits – Fees.

Article V.  Elevators, Escalators, and Movable Platforms

13-20-100   Reserved.

13-20-110   Reserved.

13-20-120   Reserved.

13-20-130   Reserved.

13-20-140   Elevators, escalators and movable platforms – Inspection fee.

Article VI.  Grandstands

13-20-150   Grandstands – Inspection required.

13-20-160   Grandstands – Inspection fee.

13-20-170 – 13-20-230 Reserved.

Article VII.  Canopies and Marquees

13-20-240   Canopies and marquees – Inspection required.

13-20-250   Canopies and marquees – Inspection fee.

Article VIII.  Revolving Doors

13-20-260   Revolving doors – Inspection required.

13-20-270   Revolving doors – Certificate of compliance.

13-20-280   Revolving doors – Inspection fee.

Article IX.  Mechanical Ventilating Systems

13-20-290   Mechanical ventilating systems – Inspection required.

13-20-300   Mechanical ventilating systems – Inspection fee.

Article X.  Gas Holders

13-20-310   Gas holders – Inspection required.

13-20-320   Gas holders – Inspection fee.

Article XI.  Other Tanks

13-20-330   Tanks – Inspection required.

13-20-340   Tanks – Inspection fee.

13-20-350   Reserved.

Article XII.  Electrical Inspection Fees

13-20-360   Reserved.

13-20-370   Reserved.

13-20-380   Reserved.

13-20-390   Reserved.

13-20-400   Reserved.

13-20-410   Reserved.

13-20-420   Extra inspections.

13-20-430   Reserved.

13-20-440   Reserved.

13-20-450   Reserved.

13-20-460   Overtime inspections.

13-20-470   Reserved.

13-20-480   Reserved.

13-20-490   Electric lamp posts.

Article XIII.  Signs, Billboards, Signboards and Related Structures

Part A.  General

13-20-500   Scope.

13-20-510   Definitions.

13-20-520   Penalties.

Part B.  Sign Inspections

13-20-530   Original and subsequent inspections.

13-20-540   Permit inspection fees.

Part C.  Permits

13-20-550   Permits required.

13-20-555   Public way use permits – Required.

13-20-560   Permit application.

13-20-565   Permits – Term.

13-20-570   Drawings.

13-20-580   Time limitations.

13-20-590   Construction contrary to permit.

13-20-600   Suspension of permit privileges.

13-20-601   Unlawful transfer or use of registration or license.

13-20-605   Suspension or revocation of license, registration or certification.

13-20-610   Display of permits.

13-20-620   Display of permit numbers for off- premise signs.

13-20-625   Additional penalties for continued use of a sign without a permit or where the sign permit has been rescinded or revoked.

13-20-630   Permit rescission.

13-20-640   Permit revocation – Signs and sign elements.

13-20-645   Procedure for revocation or rescission of a permit.

Part D.  Limitations to Signs

13-20-650   Height and location.

13-20-660   Restricted locations.

13-20-670   Dimensions.

13-20-675   Dynamic image display signs – additional standards.

13-20-680   Council approval.

Part E.  Other Requirements

13-20-690   Obstruction of streets.

13-20-700   Insurance and indemnification.

13-20-710   Construction standards.

13-20-720   General restrictions.

13-20-730   Notice of non-compliance.

13-20-740   Posting non-compliance notice.

13-20-750   Demolition.

13-20-760   Abandoned signs and structures.

13-20-770   Removal of sign or structure.

13-20-780   Reserved.

Article XIV.  Mechanical Refrigeration Systems

13-20-790   Inspections.

13-20-800   Fees for inspections.

ARTICLE I. GENERAL (13-20-010 et seq.)

13-20-010 Duty of commissioner.

   Except as provided in Section 4-8-042 , the building commissioner and fire commissioner shall cause to be inspected annually, or semiannually, or otherwise, such buildings, structures, equipment, sites or portions thereof as shall be provided by this chapter or as otherwise required in the building provisions of this Code. All fees for such annual, semiannual or other periodic inspections as set forth in this chapter may be billed prior or subsequent to the actual inspection conducted by the department of buildings or fire department as appropriate and shall be payable to the department of finance within 30 days of receipt of the notice of inspection fee from the departments. A penalty of $5.00 shall be assessed for each additional 30-day period the bill for inspection fees remains unpaid.

(Prior code §46-1; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-89, p. 4604; Amend Coun. J. 7-12-90, p. 18289; Amend Coun. J. 11-3-99, p. 13842, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 9-29-04, p. 32144, § 4; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-11, p. 13798, Art. I, § 10)

 

Notes

4-8-042

The hyper-linked material is not part of the Chicago Building Code infobase and therefore is not included herein.  The material is included in other provisions of the Chicago Municipal Code.  The complete Chicago Municipal Code is available for purchase from American Legal Publishing in both print and Folio® versions.  Please click here for the appropriate American Legal order form in printable Adobe® PDF format.  For additional information, you may visit American Legal's website by clicking here.

13-20-012 Liability for inspection fees.

   Unless otherwise specifically provided, the owner and the person in possession, charge or control of any building, structure, equipment, site or portion thereof inspected pursuant to this chapter shall be jointly and severally liable for the fee charged for such inspection. All inspection fees prescribed by this chapter shall constitute a debt due and owing to the city.

   The fees imposed by this chapter shall not apply to inspections performed on building facilities owned or operated by the Department of Fleet and Facility Management.

(Added Coun. J. 12-15-99, p. 21529, § 5; Amend Coun. J. 2-7-07, p. 97533, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-11, p. 13798, Art. III, § 2)

13-20-014 Document review fees.

   The Building Commissioner shall have the authority, pursuant to Section 2-22-040, to impose document review fees rather than the inspection or reinspection fees specified in this Code, which are assessed for annual, semiannual and periodic inspections, code compliance inspections, permit inspections, license inspections or other inspections by the Department of Buildings of any type required or authorized by this Code. The document review fee may be authorized upon submission to the Commissioner of such documents, as the Commissioner may require, which indicate that in a particular instance an inspection by the Department of Buildings is not necessary or that such inspection may be undertaken pursuant to the mandate of, rather than by, the department. Such documents may include reports, photographs, maintenance agreements, contracts, schedules and sworn affidavits regarding the item which is subject to inspection. When the Building Commissioner accepts such documents in lieu of inspection, a document review fee of one-half the applicable inspection fee shall be assessed.

   Nothing in this section shall preclude the Building Commissioner from requiring an inspection mandated by this Code to be performed and assessing the applicable fee for such inspection.

   For purposes of this section, the term “inspection” shall also include reinspections.

(Prior code § 46-1.1; Added Coun. J. 7-12-90, p. 18289; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-08, p. 47220, Art. III, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 9-14-16, p. 31143, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. I, § 2)

13-20-016 Emergency, specially requested or outside of department business hour inspection fees.

   Whenever the Department of Buildings conducts an emergency inspection because of concerns regarding the health and safety of the public; or conducts a special inspection at the request of an (1) owner, (2) agent, (3) general contractor or subcontractor identified on a permit application, or (4) other person in possession and control of that which is to be inspected, or conducts an inspection outside of department business hours as promulgated by rule, the Building Commissioner is authorized to assess a fee for such inspection based on the costs to the department for such inspection, including actual and related costs incurred. Notwithstanding Sections 2-8-065 or 13-20-060 of this Code, a person having a fee waiver under either Section 2-8-065 or Section 13-20-060 of this Code shall be subject to an inspection fee for a specially requested inspection or an inspection outside of department business hours. For purposes of this section, the term “inspection” shall also include reinspections.

(Prior code § 46-1.2; Added Coun. J. 7-12-90, p. 18289; Amend Coun. J. 12-12-07, p. 17167, § 17; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. I, § 3)

 

Notes

2-8-065

The hyper-linked material is not part of the Chicago Building Code infobase and therefore is not included herein.  The material is included in other provisions of the Chicago Municipal Code.  The complete Chicago Municipal Code is available for purchase from American Legal Publishing in both print and Folio® versions.  Please click here for the appropriate American Legal order form in printable Adobe® PDF format.  For additional information, you may visit American Legal's website by clicking here.

13-20-017 Penalties.

   Any person violating, resisting or opposing the enforcement of any of the provisions of this chapter, where no other penalty is provided, shall be subject to the fines provided for in Section 13-12-040. Each day such violation shall continue shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.

(Added Coun. J. 11-3-99, p. 13842, § 3)

ARTICLE II. BUILDINGS* (13-20-020 et seq.)

* Editor's note – Coun. J. 11-3-99, p. 13842, § 3, added the title of Article II to read as herein set out.

13-20-020 Buildings – Inspection required.

   (a)   Subject to subsection (b) of this section, either the fire commissioner or the buildings commissioner, pursuant to a coordinated inspection schedule, or their respective assistants, shall make an annual inspection of all theaters, churches, schools, public assembly units, public places of amusement and open air assembly units. The following buildings shall be inspected by the fire commissioner or buildings commissioner as often as deemed necessary: (1) any three-story building with a basement apartment or living space; or (2) any three-story building that has commercial space on the first floor and residential space on the upper two floors; or (3) any two-story building that is commercial; or (4) any building with four or more stories that is not a single- family residence. With respect to any establishment requiring a public place of amusement license, either the fire commissioner or buildings commissioner, pursuant to a coordinated inspection schedule, or their respective assistants, shall make an inspection within the 90 days preceding the deadline for the annual renewal application for the license. If, within the 12-month period preceding any inspection under this section, the applicable premises were inspected either by the fire department or department of buildings in connection with a permit inspection, periodic inspection, code compliance inspection or certificate of occupancy, such inspection shall be deemed to meet the inspection requirement herein. The fire department and department of buildings are authorized to conduct such additional inspections as they deem necessary to maintain health and safety. It shall be the duty of every owner, agent, lessee, or occupant of any such building and of the person in charge or control of such building to permit the making of any inspection required or authorized under this section by the fire commissioner or buildings commissioner or by a duly authorized inspector at any time upon demand being duly made.

   (b)   Inspections by the buildings commissioner of places for eating, as that term is defined in Section 4-8-010 , shall be controlled by Section 4-8-042 ; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall be construed to limit inspections of any place for eating by the fire commissioner.

(Prior code § 46-2; Amend Coun. J. 7-9-84, p. 8225; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-89, p. 4604; Amend Coun. J. 10-1-03, p. 9163, § 3.4; Amend Coun. J. 9-29-04, p. 32144, § 4; Amend Coun. J. 2-22-17, p. 43916, Art. VIII, § 16)

 

Notes

4-8-010

The hyper-linked material is not part of the Chicago Building Code infobase and therefore is not included herein.  The material is included in other provisions of the Chicago Municipal Code.  The complete Chicago Municipal Code is available for purchase from American Legal Publishing in both print and Folio® versions.  Please click here for the appropriate American Legal order form in printable Adobe® PDF format.  For additional information, you may visit American Legal's website by clicking here.

4-8-042

The hyper-linked material is not part of the Chicago Building Code infobase and therefore is not included herein.  The material is included in other provisions of the Chicago Municipal Code.  The complete Chicago Municipal Code is available for purchase from American Legal Publishing in both print and Folio® versions.  Please click here for the appropriate American Legal order form in printable Adobe® PDF format.  For additional information, you may visit American Legal's website by clicking here.