The following general amendments are hereby made to each of the specific technical codes adopted herein (divisions (A) through (K) below):
(A) Insert “The City of Eldridge, Iowa” to the appropriate sections of the adopted codes as applicable;
(B) Permit fees: amend all specific technical codes to refer to the city’s permit fee schedule;
(C) All references to building line, setbacks, height and zoning shall be subject to the zoning ordinance of the city, as applicable;
(D) Cooperation with other officials: the Building Official may request, and shall receive so far as is required in the discharge of his or her duties, the assistance and cooperation of other officials of this or other jurisdictions, including, but not limited to: the City Attorney, the City Engineer, the City Police Department, the County Sheriff’s Department, the City Fire Department, the State Fire Marshal’s office, the County Board of Health, the State Department of Transportation and other professionals or organizations as may be warranted;
(E) Board of Appeals/Code Review Board: appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the Building Official, shall be made directly and promptly to the City Code Review Board. The Code Review Board shall hear appeals as may be necessitated by the timely filing of all such appeals. The Code Review Board shall adopt rules of procedure for consideration of the validity of such appeals. The Code Review Board shall be provided by the appellant, all such substantiating and supporting documentation necessary to show the validity and acceptability of such request for appeal;
(F) Limitations on authority: an application for appeal shall be based on a claim that the true intent of the specific technical codes and ordinance, or the rules legally adopted thereunder, have been incorrectly interpreted, the provisions of the specific technical codes and ordinance do not fully apply or an equally good or better form of construction is proposed. Neither a Board of Appeals nor a Code Review Board shall have authority to waive requirements of the specific technical codes and ordinances;
(G) Qualifications of Code Review Board members: the Code Review Board members shall be qualified to pass on all matters pertaining to such requests for an appeal of orders, decisions or determinations, relative to the application and interpretation of the specific technical codes and ordinances made by the Building Official;
(H) Liability:
(1) The Building Official, his or her authorized representative(s), Appeals Board member(s), officers or employees charged with the review of plans, enforcement or interpretation of the specific technical codes and ordinances, while acting in good faith and without malice for this jurisdiction, shall not thereby be rendered personally liable and said employees are hereby relieved from any and all personal liabilities for any and all damages occurring and or accruing to any and all persons or properties, as a result of any act, interpretation, approval, approval in error, oversight or omission, neither by reason of any act, interpretation, approval, approval in error, oversight or omission, in the discharge of their duties.
(2) Any suit instituted against the City Building Official, his or her authorized representative(s), appeals board member(s), officers or employees, because of any act, interpretation, approval, approval in error, oversight or omission in the review, enforcement or approval of any of the provisions of the specific technical codes and ordinances, shall be defended and financed by legal counsel(s) (both appointed and independently secured) by this jurisdiction, through the final termination of such proceedings, including any and all provisions of surety, in any and all claims being sought or ordered to be secured, in any and all such proceedings.
(3) The Building Official, his or her authorized representative(s), Appeals Board member(s), officers or employees of this jurisdiction, acting in good faith and without malice, shall be free from any and all liabilities for, and free from any and all costs in any action, suit or proceeding that is instituted due to any pursuance of damages, restitution or claims of hardship or injury to persons or properties or for financial hardships incurred due to the enforcement or oversight, interpretation or application of any of the provisions of the specific technical codes and ordinances of this jurisdiction.
(4) The adoption by this jurisdiction of these specific technical codes and ordinances shall not be construed to relieve from or lessen the responsibility of those persons: (constructing, installing, repairing, owning, operating or controlling, any and all buildings, structures or building service equipment’s, appendages and installations in connection therewith), of any and all damages to persons or properties caused by any defects, inferior installations or construction applications, equipment or system installations, found to be the cause of (or) a contributing factor to, any and all such damage claims, nor shall this jurisdiction be held as assuming any such liability by reason of the issuance or non-issuance of any permits, performance or omissions of inspections or the interpretations or approvals issued under such specific technical codes and ordinances.
(I) Inspection requests: requests for inspection shall be made to the building inspection division 24 hours in advance. It shall be the responsibility of the permit holder of the specific trade involved (or that of the general contractor) to confirm that such work to be inspected is or will be completed by the time an inspection is performed. It shall be the responsibility of the permit holder or general contractor to provide access to all portions of the work. It is recommended that a representative of the trade involved be present for the scheduled inspection;
(J) Inspections: construction or work for which a permit is required shall be subject to inspection by the Building Official and such construction or work shall remain accessible for inspection purposes until approved. Approval as a result of an inspection shall not be construed to be an approval of a violation of any of the provisions of the specific technical codes and ordinances of this jurisdiction. Approvals presuming to give authority to violate provisions of the specific technical codes and ordinances adopted by this jurisdiction shall not be valid. It shall be the responsibility of the permit applicant to cause the work to remain accessible and exposed for inspection purposes. Neither the Building Official nor this jurisdiction shall be liable for any expense incurred necessitating by the removal, damage or replacement of any material(s) as may be required to perform such inspections. City approved plans and permit card shall be on site for all inspections for review and approval signatures; and
(K) Required inspections and approvals: the following required inspections shall be scheduled 24 hours in advance:
(1) Special inspections: structural test and inspections shall be provided when required by contract documents and as specified by code;
(2) Footing/foundation wall/grout inspections: to be made after all required horizontal and vertical reinforcements are properly bent, tied and supported, anchor bolts and tie-down devices on site and necessary forms are properly braced prior to pour;
(3) Sewer, water, underground DWV and supply piping and underground electrical conduits: to be made upon proper installation of material and while under test (as may be required) and prior to proper backfill and compaction operations;
(4) Electrical service “power on temporary” inspection: to be made after the electrical service meter base and the service equipment disconnect is installed and the grounding electrode conductor is properly connected;
(5) Reinforced concrete slab inspection: to be made after all required reinforcement in place but prior to pour;
(6) Roof nail/sheer nail inspections: to be made after all roof framing, truss bracing, blocking, uplift connectors and sheathings are nailed off, but prior to dry in or siding applications;
(7) Plumbing top-out: inspect upon completed rough in and during test of the water supply, DWV and gas piping installations as may be required (preferably with frame);
(8) Mechanical top-out inspection: inspect after vents, chimneys, ducts, draft stops and equipment installations are complete (preferably with frame);
(9) Electrical rough: inspect after rough wiring is complete, grounds mechanically fastened and metal boxes grounded (preferably with frame);
(10) Frame and masonry inspection: inspect after the roof, masonry, all framing, fire-stopping, draft-stopping and bracing are in place and after the completed electrical rough, plumbing and mechanical top out inspections are approved;
(11) Gypsum board (sheet-rock) inspection: inspect fire rated assemblies. Base layer/face layer. Properly fastened, prior to tape;
(12) Final inspection: inspect after completion of building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical trades;
(13) Re-inspection: upon completion of work or necessary corrections; and
(14) Other inspections: as may be deemed necessary.