9-4-1-4: PLUMBING PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS:
   A.   Permits And Plans:
      1.   Requirements; Exemptions:
         a.   Permits Required: It shall be unlawful for any person to make any installation, alteration, repair, replacement or remodel any plumbing system regulated by the plumbing code except as permitted in the exceptions below, or cause the same to be done without first obtaining a separate plumbing permit for each separate building or structure.
         b.   Exempt Work: A permit will not be required for the following:
            (1)   The stopping of leaks in drains, soil, waste or vent pipe, provided, however, that should any concealed trap, drainpipe, soil, waste or vent pipe become defective and it becomes necessary to remove and replace the same with new material, the same shall be considered as new work and a permit shall be procured and inspection made as provided in this subsection A.
            (2)   The clearing of stoppages or the repairing of leaks in pipes, valves or fixtures, or the removal and reinstallation of water closets, provided such repairs do not involve or require the replacement or rearrangement of valves, pipes, or fixtures.
            (3)   Other work which, at the discretion of the building official, does not warrant the issuance of a permit.
Exemption from the permit requirements of this subsection A1 shall not be deemed to grant authorization for any work to be done in violation of the provisions of the plumbing code or any other laws or ordinances of the city.
Permits must be issued only to a master plumber except that anyone not licensed as a master plumber may be issued a permit to do plumbing work which complies with the provisions of the plumbing code in an existing single-family dwelling provided the person is the bona fide owner of such dwelling and that the same is occupied by said owner, including the usual accessory buildings and quarters in connection with such buildings.
      2.   Application: To obtain a permit, the applicant shall first file an application therefor in writing on a form furnished by the city for that purpose. Every application shall:
         a.   Identify and describe the work to be covered by the permit for which application is made.
         b.   Describe the land upon which the proposed work is to be done by legal description, street address or similar description that will readily identify and definitely locate the proposed building or work.
         c.   Indicate the use or occupancy for which the proposed work is intended.
         d.   Be accompanied by plans, diagrams, computations and other data as required in subsection A3 of this section.
         e.   Be signed by the permittee or his authorized agent, who may be required to submit evidence to indicate such authority. A master plumber must file with the city a written list setting forth the names of his/her authorized agents before the city will act on an application signed by an agent.
         f.   Give such other data and information as may be required by the city. (Ord. 97-17, 9-2-1997)
         g.   Be accompanied by a fee as established by the city's fee schedule. (Ord. 97-17, 9-2-1997; amd. Ord. 2007-30, 1-7-2008, eff. retroactive to 1-1-2008)
      3.   Plans And Specifications: Plans, engineering calculations, diagrams and other data shall be submitted to the city in one or more sets with each application for a permit. The city may require plans, computations, and specifications to be prepared by and the plumbing designed by an engineer and/or architect licensed by the state to practice as such.
Exception: The building official may waive the submission of plans, calculations, or other data if he finds that the nature of the work applied for is such that reviewing of plans is not necessary to obtain compliance with the plumbing code.
Plans and specifications shall be drawn to scale upon substantial paper and shall be of sufficient clarity to indicate the location, nature, and extent of the work proposed and show in detail that it will conform to the provisions of the plumbing code and relevant laws, ordinances, rules and regulations. (Ord. 2004-19, 7-19-2004)
      4.   Permit Issuance: The application, plans and specifications and other data filed by an applicant for a permit shall be reviewed by the building official. Such plans may be reviewed by other departments of the city to verify compliance with applicable laws under their jurisdiction. If the building official finds that the work described in the application for a permit and the plans, specifications and other data filed therewith conform to the requirements of the code and other pertinent laws and ordinances, and that the fees specified in subsection A7 of this section have been paid, he shall issue a permit therefor to the applicant.
When the building official issues a permit where plans are required, he shall approve the plans and specifications in writing. Such approved plans and specifications shall not be changed, modified or altered without authorization from the building official and all work shall be done in accordance with the approved plans. Plans shall be retained by the building official as provided in state law.
The building official may issue a permit for the construction of a part of a plumbing system before the entire plans and specifications for the whole system have been submitted or approved, provided adequate information and detailed statements have been filed complying with all pertinent requirements of the plumbing code. The holder of such permit may proceed at his risk without assurance that the permit for the entire building, structure or plumbing system will be granted.
The issuance of a permit or approval of plans and specifications shall not be construed to be a permit for, or an approval of, any violation of any of the provisions of the plumbing code or of any other ordinance of the city. No permit presuming to give authority to violate or cancel the provisions of the plumbing code shall be valid.
The issuance of a permit based upon plans, specifications or other data shall not prevent the building official from thereafter requiring the correction of errors in said plans, specifications and other data or from preventing building operations being carried on thereunder when in violation of the plumbing code or of other ordinances of the city. (Ord. 97-17, 9-2-1997)
      5.   Expiration: Every permit issued by the city under the provisions of this subsection A shall expire by limitation and become null and void if the work authorized by such permit is not commenced within one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of such permit, or if the work authorized by such permit is suspended or abandoned at any time after the work is commenced for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days. Before such work can be recommenced, a new permit shall first be obtained to do so, and the fee shall be dependent upon the work being performed, provided no changes have been made or will be made in the original plans and specifications for such work, and provided further, that such suspension or abandonment has not exceeded one year. (Ord. 2016-13, 7-25-2016)
Any permittee holding an unexpired permit may apply for an extension of the time within which he may commence work under that permit when he is unable to commence work within the time required by this subsection A for good and satisfactory reasons. The building official may extend the time for action by the permittee for a period not exceeding one hundred eighty (180) days upon written request by the permittee showing that circumstances beyond the control of the permittee have prevented action from being taken. No permit shall be extended more than once. In order to renew action on a permit after expiration, the permittee shall pay a new full permit fee.
      6.   Suspension Or Revocation: The building official may, in writing, suspend or revoke a permit issued under the provisions of this subsection A whenever the permit is issued in error or on the basis of incorrect information supplied or in violation of other ordinances or regulations of the city. (Ord. 97-17, 9-2-1997)
      7.   Permit Fees: The fee for each permit shall be as established by the city's fee schedule. (Ord. 97-17, 9-2-1997; amd. Ord. 2007-30, 1-7-2008, eff. retroactive to 1-1-2008)
      8.   Plan Review Fees: A plan review fee will be charged as set forth by the city council. (Ord. 2004-19, 7-19-2004)
      9.   Investigation Fees; Work Without A Permit:
         a.   Whenever any work for which a permit is required by this subsection A has been commenced without first obtaining said permit, a special investigation shall be made before a permit may be issued for such work.
         b.   An investigation fee, in addition to the permit fee, shall be collected whether or not a permit is then or subsequently issued. The investigation fee shall be equal to the amount of the permit fee that would be required by this subsection A if a permit were to be issued. The payment of such investigation fee shall not exempt any person from compliance with all other provisions of the plumbing code, nor from any penalty prescribed by law.
      10.   Fee Refunds:
         a.   The building official may authorize the refunding of any fee paid hereunder which was erroneously paid or collected.
         b.   The building official may authorize the refunding of not more than eighty percent (80%) of the permit fee paid when no work has been done under a permit issued in accordance with this code.
         c.   The building official shall not authorize the refunding of any fee paid except upon written application filed by the original permittee not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the date of fee payment. (Ord. 97-17, 9-2-1997)
   B.   Inspections:
      1.   All inspections and tests shall be done in accordance with the provisions set forth in the Minnesota plumbing code, as the same may be from time to time amended by appropriate state officials.
      2.   It shall be the duty of the plumbing contractor to notify the city staff orally by telephone, or in writing, not less than eight (8) working hours before the work is to be inspected and tested. Inspections shall be made during normal city business hours and not on Saturdays, Sundays or legal holidays. (Ord. 795, 1-23-1984)