(a) Certificate of Occupancy for a Building. Certificate of occupancy for a new building or the reconstruction or alteration of an existing building shall be applied for coincident with the application for a building permit and said certificate shall be issued within three days after the request for same shall have been made in writing to the Community Development Director after the erection or alteration of such building or part thereof shall have been completed, in conformity with the provisions of these regulations. Pending the issuance of a regular certificate, a temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued by the Community Development Director for a period not exceeding one year, during the completion of alterations or during partial occupancy of a building pending its completion. Such temporary certificate shall not be construed as in any way altering the respective rights, duties or obligations of the owners or of the City relating to the use or occupancy of the premises or any other matter covered by this ordinance, and such temporary certificate shall not be issued except under such restrictions and provisions as will adequately insure the safety of the occupants.
(b) Certificate of Occupancy for Land. Certificate of occupancy for the use of vacant land or the change in the character of the use of land as herein provided, shall be applied for before such land shall be occupied or used, and a certificate of occupancy shall be issued within three days after the application has been made, provided such use is in conformity with the provisions of this Zoning Code.
(c) Contents; Records; Copies; Fee. A certificate of occupancy shall state that the building or proposed use of a building or land complies with all building and health laws and ordinances and with the provisions of this Zoning Code. A record of all certificates shall be kept on file in the office of the Community Development Director and copies shall be furnished, on request, to any person having a proprietary or tenancy interest in the building affected. No fee shall be charged for a certificate of occupancy.
(d) Excavation Permits. No permit for excavation for any building shall be issued before application has been made for certificate of occupancy.
(e) Certificate for Continued Occupancy of Non-Conforming Uses. Certificates for the continued occupancy of non-conforming uses existing at the time of passage of this Zoning Code, or made non-conforming by this Zoning Code, shall state that the use is a non-conforming one and does not conform with the provisions of this Zoning Code. The Community Development Director shall notify the owner of the property being used as a non-conforming use and shall furnish said owner with a certificate of occupancy for such non-conforming use.
(f) Use Permit. No change shall be made in the use of a building or part thereof, now or hereafter erected or structurally altered, or in the use of land now or hereafter occupied, without a use permit having first been issued by the Community Development Director. No such use permit shall be issued to make such change unless it is in conformity with the provisions herein and amendments hereto, hereafter duly enacted.
(g) Continuance of Existing Uses. Nothing herein shall prevent the continuance of the present lawful occupancy or lawful use of any existing building or zoning lot, except as may be necessary for the safety of life and property and except as provided herein.
(h) Issuance; Inspections. No person shall occupy or use any building or structure hereafter erected or structurally altered, or any vacant parcel of land, or any parcel of land that is changed in use, until after a written certificate of occupancy has been validly issued by the Community Development Director. The Community Development Director shall not issue any certificate of occupancy until he or she has made an inspection, either in person or by one of his or her duly appointed assistants, of the building, structure or land and has found that such building, structure or land has been erected or structurally altered in conformance with the provisions of this chapter and with all other health and building laws, and in accordance with the previously issued building permit, if any, and that its proposed use also conforms with such provisions, laws and permit. A duplicate of the certificate of occupancy shall, upon request, be transmitted to any utility company.
(1977 Code §73-1103; Ord. 91-69. Passed 10-7-91; Ord. 94-81. Passed 9-19-94; Ord. 2013-10. Passed 3-4-13; Ord. 2013-47. Passed 10-7-13.)