(a) Building Commissioner. The Norwood Building Department is hereby created and the executive official in charge thereof shall be known as the Building Official with the title of Building Commissioner.
(b) Appointment. The Building Commissioner shall be appointed by the Mayor and shall not be removed from office except for cause and after full opportunity to be heard on specific and relevant charges by and before the Mayor. To qualify for appointment, the Building Commissioner shall meet the requirements of subsection ( d) (2) hereof .
(Ord. 73-1983. Passed 11-22-83.)
(c) Organization.
(1) The Building Commissioner and/or the Director of Safety shall appoint such number of officers, technical assistants, inspectors and other employees as shall be necessary for the administration of Norwood Building Code (NBC) and as authorized by Council. To qualify for appointment, such personnel shall meet the applicable requirements of subsection (d) hereof. Inspector trainees may be appointed to work under the direct supervision of the qualified inspector.
(Ord. 25-2000. Passed 4-4-00.)
(Ord. 25-2000. Passed 4-4-00.)
(2) The Building Official may delegate authority to any duly authorized representative, including personnel from the Building Department, where such representative may have the need or occasion to enforce the provisions of the Norwood Building Code (NBC) or issue orders for violations of the NBC.
(Ord. 8-2000. Passed 2-8-00.)
(Ord. 8-2000. Passed 2-8-00.)
(d) Qualification Requirements.
(1) General. An applicant shall be generally informed on good engineering practice in respect to the design and construction of buildings, the basic principles of fire protection, the requirements for means of egress, the installation of building service equipment and the conservation of energy. For any position, an applicant may be required to pass a written examination. No examination is required for trainee classification.
(2) Qualifications of Building Commissioner. The Building Commissioner is responsible for the overall administration of the Building Department and enforcement of NBC, and shall meet either of the following requirements: A. Be an architect or professional engineer currently registered in the State of Ohio, having at least five years of experience in building construction and design; or
B. Be a person having at least ten years of experience in building construction, design or inspection.
Such person meeting the qualifications of either A. or B. above shall be approved by the State Board of Building Standards as the Chief Enforcement Official.
(3) Qualifications of Plans Examiner. The Building Department shall have in its employ or under contract at least one person designated as the Plans Examiner. Any person who examines plans to determine compliance with NBC shall meet the requirements of subsection (d)(2)A . hereof.
(4) Qualifications of Building Inspector. The Building Department shall have in its employ or under contract at least one person designated as Building Inspector with the responsibility for the inspection of construction to determine compliance with the approved plans and shall meet the following requirements:
A. Three years of building inspection, general construction or related trades experience; or
B. Two academic years of related vocational or technical education and one year of building inspection or general construction experience.
(5) Qualifications of Plumbing Inspector. The Building Department shall have in its employ or under contract at least one person designated as Plumbing Inspector. Any person who enforces the provisions of the Ohio Plumbing Code shall hold a certificate of competency issued by the Ohio Department of Health, pursuant to Ohio R.C. 3703.01.
(6) Qualification of Electrical Inspector. The Building Department shall have in its employ or under contract at least one person designated as Electrical Inspector. Any person who enforces the applicable electrical provisions of NBC shall hold a certificate of competency issued by the Ohio Board of Building Standards, pursuant to Ohio R.C. Chapter 3783.
(e) Multiple Qualification. One person may hold more than one position provided the specific requirements listed in subsection (d) hereof are met for each position.
(f) Restriction of Employees. No employee of the Building Department or any person who contracts for services with the Department shall perform services for the Department when the same would require him to pass upon, inspect, or otherwise exercise any authority given by the NBC over any labor, material or equipment furnished by him for the construction, alteration or maintenance of a building or the preparation of working drawings or specifications for work within the corporate boundaries of Norwood.
(g) Alternate Personnel. The Building Department shall have in its employ or under contract, alternate personnel meeting the requirements of this section, to serve in the event that a conflict of interest arises or the unavailability of the Building Commissioner, plans examiners or inspectors. When required personnel leave the employ of the Department, permanent replacement personnel shall be designated within 120 days.
(h) Accessibility to Public. The Building Department shall have an office located within Norwood. The office shall be open and staffed to serve the public need and office hours shall be conspicuously posted. All inspectors shall be available at the time mutually agreed upon by both the Department and the owner or his representative.
(i) Relief from Personal Responsibility. The Building Commissioner or any officer or employee charged with the enforcement of NBC, while acting for the jurisdiction, shall not thereby render himself liable personally, and he is hereby relieved from all personal liability for any damage that may accrue to persons or property as a result of any act required or permitted in the discharge of his official duties. Any suit instituted against any officer or employee because of an act performed by him in the lawful discharge of his duties and under the provisions of NBC shall be defended by the Law Director until the final termination of the proceedings. The Building Commissioner or any of his subordinates shall not be liable for costs in any action, suit or proceeding that may be instituted pursuant to the provisions of NBC; and any officer of the Building Department acting in good faith and without malice shall be free from liability for acts performed under any of its provisions or by reason of any act or omission in the performance of his official duties in connection therewith. (Ord. 73-1983. Passed 11-22-83.)