(A) Administration and enforcement. The Building Official shall administer and enforce this chapter. If the Building Official shall find that any of the provisions of this chapter are being violated, he or she shall notify in writing the person responsible for such violations, indicating the nature of the violation and ordering the action necessary to correct it. He or she shall order discontinuance of illegal use of land, buildings or structures, removal of illegal buildings or structures or of illegal additions, alterations or structural changes, discontinuance of any illegal work being done or shall take any other action authorized by this chapter to ensure compliance with or to prevent violation of its provisions.
(B) Building permits required. No building or other structure shall be erected, moved, added to or structurally altered without a permit therefor, issued by the Building Official. No building permit shall be issued by the Building Official except in conformity with the provisions of this chapter, unless he or she receives a written order from the Board of Adjustment in the form of an administrative review, special exception or variance as provided by this chapter.
(C) Application for building permit.
(1) All applications for building permits shall include a complete site plan and shall include plans drawn to scale and an electronic copy, showing the actual dimensions and shape of the lot to be built upon; the exact sizes and locations on the lot of buildings already existing, if any; and the location and dimensions of the proposed building or alteration. The application shall include such other information as lawfully may be required by the Building Official, including the existing or proposed building or alterations, existing or proposed uses of the building and land, the number of families and/or persons, and the number of units the building is designed to accommodate, conditions existing on the lot, and such other matters as may be necessary to determine conformance with, and provide for the enforcement of, this chapter.
(2) One copy of the plans shall be returned to the applicant by the Building Official, after he or she shall have marked such copy either as approved or disapproved and attested the same by his or her signature on such copy. The electronic copy of the plans shall be retained by the Building Official.
(D) Certificates of occupancy for new, altered or non-conforming uses. It shall be unlawful to use or occupy or permit the use or occupancy of any building or premises, or both, or part thereof hereafter created, erected, changed, converted or wholly or partly altered or enlarged in its use or structure until a certificate of occupancy is issued by the Building Official stating that the proposed use of the building or land conforms to the requirements of this chapter and that all plans submitted with the application for building permit have been completed. Prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy, the Building Official, or his or her designee, shall conduct a final inspection of said building or premises to determine compliance with the requirements of the other city ordinances and it shall be the duty of the property owner to cooperate with said final inspection.
(E) Expiration of building permit.
(1) If the work described in any building permit has not begun within 180 days from the date of issuance thereof, said permit shall expire, it shall be cancelled by the building official and written notice thereof shall be given to the persons affected.
(2) If the work described in any building permit has not been completed within two years of the date of issuance thereof, said permit shall expire and be cancelled by the Building Official, and written notice thereof shall be given to the persons affected, together with notice that further work as described in the cancelled permit shall not proceed unless and until a new building permit has been obtained.
(3) The expiration date of a building permit may be established for a period longer than two years if established at the time that such permit is issued by the city. The Building Official may, at his or her discretion extend the expiration period of the building permit.
(F) Construction and use to be as provided in applications, plans, permits and certificates of occupancy.
(1) Building permits or certificates of occupancy issued on the basis of plans and applications approved by the Building Official authorize only the use, arrangement and construction set forth in such approved plans and applications, and no other use, arrangement or construction.
(2) Use, arrangement or construction which varies from the approved permit shall be deemed a violation of this chapter, and punishable as provided by § 151.999.
(Ord. 23-09, passed 8-21-2023) Penalty, see § 151.999