(a) Action on Application. The Building Commissioner shall examine or cause to be examined all applications for permits and amendments thereto within a reasonable time after filing. If the application or the plans do not conform to the requirements of all pertinent laws, he shall reject such application in writing, stating the reasons therefore. If he is satisfied that the proposed work conforms to the requirements of Norwood Building Code (NBC), and all laws and ordinances applicable thereto, he shall issue a permit therefor as soon as practicable.
(b) Prior Approval Required. No permit for the construction of any building or addition shall be issued by the Building Commissioner until applicable approval from other departments has been obtained.
(1) Sewers. No permit for construction shall be issued until the applicant has obtained review and approval from the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati for the installation of an adequate building sanitary sewer (sewer lateral) and approval from the City Engineer for the installation of an adequate building and parking area storm sewer.
(2) Construction water. No permit for the construction of any new building shall be issued until approval has been obtained from the Water Department for the use of construction water.
(3) Food service operations. No permit for any construction of any building which includes facilities for food handling or food service operations shall be issued until approval has been obtained from the Norwood Health Commissioner.
(4) Driveways. When the applicant applies for a building permit upon a dedicated street where a driveway is to be constructed he shall obtain approval from the City Engineer before a permit is issued to assure that no traffic problem will be created and that construction of the driveway, curb, apron and sidewalk on the street right of way meets the requirements of the Engineering Department.
(5) Parking lots. No permit for the construction of any off-street parking area greater than 1,500 square feet shall be issued until plans for parking and drainage have been approved by the City Engineer.
(6) Water supply. No permit for the construction of any building shall be issued except where adequate water supply and facilities for fire fighting purposes are available, as determined by the Fire Chief. If the Building Commissioner finds upon inspection of any building under construction that adequate water supply or facilities for fire fighting purposes, as determined by the Fire Chief, are not being furnished as required, then the Building Commissioner may stop such construction and revoke the permit previously issued therefor until such time as adequate water supply or facilities for fire fighting purposes, as determined by the Fire Chief, are furnished.
(7) Fire safety. No permit for the construction of any building shall be issued until plans for fire suppression systems, occupancy load, means of egress and other fire safety items agreed on by the Building Commissioner and Fire Chief, have been approved by the fire safety official.
(8) Demolition. Before a structure can be demolished or removed, the owner or agent shall notify all utilities having service connections within the structure such as water, electric, gas, sewer and other connections. A permit to demolish or remove a structure shall not be issued until a release is obtained from the utilities, stating that their respective service connections and appurtenant equipment, such as meters and regulators, have been removed or sealed and plugged in a safe manner. The Plumbing Inspector shall ascertain that all sewer lines have been removed or sealed and that all water lines are disconnected at the mains.
(9) Industrialized units. Industrialized units are required to be authorized by the Ohio Board of Building Standards prior to the issuance of a building permit. All industrialized units shall meet the requirements of rules 4101:2-1-56 through 4101:2-1-65 of the Ohio Administrative Code.
(c) Conditional Permit. A conditional permit may be issued when plans have been approved under Sections 1305.02
(l) and (m). A conditional permit is a conditional license to proceed with construction or materials up to the point where plans are corrected or construction or materials objected to by the Building Commissioner are to be incorporated into the building. No construction shall proceed beyond this point until the objection is resolved.
(d) Partial Permit. A partial permit may be issued for that part of a building where plans have been approved under Section 1305.02
(n). The owner of a partial permit may proceed only to the point for which approval has been given, at his own risk and without assurance that approval for the entire building or structure will be granted.
(e) Violation. Except as provided in subsection (f) hereof, any person, firm or corporation who performs work for which a permit is required by NBC without first having secured a permit therefor shall be deemed in violation of NBC and subject to the penalties provided by NBC.
(f) Emergencies. In cases of emergency where there is actual and immediate risk of failure or collapse of a building or structure or the existence of defective equipment or service facilities or a particularly hazardous use such as to endanger life or health or such other condition as to require immediate action to make repairs or corrections necessary to prevent the occurrence of such failure to collapse or the occurrence of such danger and time available is not sufficient to allow the securing of a permit from the Building Commissioner as required by NBC, the person, firm or corporation required to perform such repairs may proceed to do so after having first notified the Building Commissioner of such fact without obtaining a permit as required by NBC. In case the Building Commissioner is unavailable, notice shall be given to the nearest fire or police official.
(g) Failure to Obtain Permits Before Starting Work. Any person who commences any installation of work for which a permit is required by NBC, without first having obtained a permit therefor shall, if legally authorized and subsequently allowed to obtain a permit, pay the permit fees prescribed by Section 1305.05(i), provided however, that this requirement shall not apply to emergency work or installations as provided by subsection (f) hereof when it shall be proved to the satisfaction of the Building Commissioner that such work or installation was urgently necessary and that it would have been impractical to have awaited the normal time consumed in application for and issuance of the permit. Nevertheless, even in such emergencies the required permit shall be obtained without unreasonable delay after installation starts, and in no case more than three days in which City offices are open for business, or the extra fee as herein provided shall be charged for the permit. Before issuing such permit, the Building Commissioner shall take necessary steps to determine whether work performed prior to the date of permit and inspection conform to NBC. Such steps may include but shall not be limited to directing the tearing out of sections of surface work for access to subsurface sections, digging for access to foundations, piping and other subterranean work and the like. The applicant for the permit shall perform all such work as may be directed at his own expense.
(h) Suspension of Permit. Any permit issued shall become invalid if the authorized work is not commenced within six months after issuance of the permit, or if the authorized work is suspended or abandoned for a period of six months after the time of commencing the work.
(i) Revocation of Permit. The Building Commissioner may revoke any permit or approval issued under the provisions of NBC or may stop the work for any of the following reasons:
(1) Whenever there is a violation of any provision of NBC, any ordinance of the City or statute of the State relating to the same subject matter;
(2) Whenever the continuance of any work becomes dangerous to life or property;
(3) Whenever there is a violation of any condition on which the issuance of the permit or approval was based;
(4) Whenever any false statement or misrepresentation has been made upon the application, plans or specifications on which the issuance of the permit or approval was based;
(5) When orders on a building have not been complied with or when the building does not comply with the occupancy requirements;
(6) Whenever adequate water supply or facilities for fire fighting purposes are not furnished as required in Section 1305.03(b)(6);
(7) Whenever in the opinion of the Building Commissioner the person having charge of the work is incompetent.
The revocation notice of the permit in every instance shall be in writing and shall be served upon the holder of the permit, the owner, his agent, or the person having charge of the work. Any revocation notice shall also be posted upon the building or structure in question by the Building Commissioner. After the notice is received or posted, no person shall proceed with any operation for which such a permit was issued. No part of the fees for such permit shall be resumed.
(j) Posting of Permit. The permit shall be posted in a conspicuous location outside of the building and in the front part of the premises on which is, or will be, located the building or equipment to which the approved plans relate. The owner and the contractor shall, so far as possible, preserve and keep such permit posted until the completion of the work to which the approved plans relate.
Upon application by the owner, the Building Commissioner shall issue a duplicate permit to replace one destroyed by vandals or one which is accidentally destroyed.
(k) Notice of Start. At least twenty-four hours notice of start of work under a building permit shall be given to the Building Commissioner.
(Ord. 15-2010. Passed 4-13-10.)