(A) Under the provisions of § 1, Ch. 348 of the Acts of the General Assembly of the state for 1965 as amended by § 1 of Pub. Law No. 236 of the Acts of the General Assembly of the state for 1971 ( I.C. 17-2-72-1), there is hereby established a Department of Buildings and the Office of Building Commissioner, which shall be composed of the Building Commissioner, inspectors and such other personnel as the Board of Commissioners shall determine.
(B) The purpose of this section is to provide for the protection of life, public safety, real and personal property, energy conservation and access for the physically handicapped in the design and construction of buildings and structures in the county.
(C) Hereafter, all construction, alteration, addition, repair, relocation, use or occupancy of all buildings and structures, except agricultural service buildings, shall conform with this section and such ordinances as may be hereafter enacted for such purposes by the Board of Commissioners of the county; provided, however, that, the construction, alteration or repair of industrialized building systems such as mobile homes and manufactured buildings shall also conform to rules and regulations promulgated by the Administrative Building Council applicable to such systems.
(D) (1) The following rules, regulations and codes are hereby adopted by reference as the rules and regulations governing the construction, addition, alteration, repair, relocation and use of buildings and structures in the county:
(a) Construction Rules and Regulations, Volume I, 1978 Edition, promulgated by the Administrative Building Council of Indiana (U.B.C. as amended);
(b) Electric Rules and Regulations, Volume II, 1978 Edition, being the National Electrical Code, 1978 Edition, promulgated by the Administrative Building Council of Indiana;
(c) Plumbing Rule’s and Regulations, Volume III, 1976 Edition, amended 1976, promulgated by the Administrative Building Council of Indiana;
(d) Mechanical Rules and Regulations, Volume IV, 1977 Edition, promulgated by the Administrative Building Council of Indiana;
(e) The One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code, 1976 Edition, promulgated by the Administrative Building Council of Indiana; and
(f) Swimming Pool Construction Rules and Regulations, 1978 Edition, promulgated by the Administrative Building Council of Indiana.
(2) Two copies of the foregoing rules and regulations are on file for reference in the office of the Building Commissioner of the county in the County Courthouse.
(E) The Building Commissioner shall have the power to administer and enforce any and all ordinances or codes adopted now or hereafter by the Board of Commissioners of the county and to regulate construction, additions, repair, alteration, relocation and use of building, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electrical and plumbing construction.
(F) For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this section, the Board of Commissioners of the county may employ such additional personnel in the Department as may be necessary.
(G) In the administration of this section, and any other ordinances incident thereto, the Department shall cooperate with, and coordinate its activities with, all affected or related city, county and state agencies so as to prevent unnecessary overlapping, duplication and waste in the administrative process.
(H) No construction of any building or structure, or the addition alteration or repair thereof, having a contract or estimated cost of the proposed work of more than $5,000, shall be started until the owner or contractor in charge shall first obtain a permit therefor from the Building Commissioner. Application for such permit shall be made in writing on a form furnished for that purpose and shall be accompanied by such plans and specifications as may be required by the Building Commissioner. Upon approval of such application and acceptance of any plans and specifications, the Building Commissioner shall issue such permit upon payment of permit fees prescribed herein. No changes to such accepted plans or specifications shall be made without prior approval of the Building Commissioner. Plans and specifications for industrialized building systems shall not be required by the Building Commissioner where such systems bear the insignia of acceptance issued by the Administrative Building Council of the state or the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, except, however, site development and foundation plans for such systems may be required to accompany an application for permit. The Building Commissioner shall refuse to issue a permit in any case where such proposed work would result in a violation of the rules, regulations and codes, adopted herein or any other applicable ordinance of the county. No permit shall be required for any outside or inside painting or minor repair or maintenance work as determined by the Building Commissioner.
(I) The fee for all permits shall be as set forth in § 150.01 of this chapter. An additional reinspection fee of $25 shall be charged in the event that the work is not ready for inspection when called for, in all cases. Square footage shall be determined by the gross dimensions as contained in the plans and specifications of the builder.
(J) All persons shall have the right to appeal the Building Commissioner’s decision, through the executive committee of the Administrative Building Council of the state, in accordance with the provisions of applicable state law.
(K) If any person violates this section they shall be subject to applicable penalties as set forth in state law. Each day a violation occurs shall constitute a separate offense.
(L) Whenever any work is being done in violation of the provisions of this section, or in variance with the terms of any permit issued for such work, the Building Commissioner may order all work on the job stopped until such violations or variance is eliminated and any work or installation made in violation of this section corrected. Such stop order, if oral, shall be followed by a written stop order within 24 hours (excluding Saturday, Sunday or holidays). It shall be unlawful to do or perform any work in violation of such stop order, except as may be necessary to prevent injury or damage to persons or property, or to correct said violation or variance. Such stop order may be revoked by the Building Commissioner.
(M) This section will be in full force and effect on 5-22-1979, according to the laws of the state.
(Ord. 1979-1, passed 5-21-1979) Penalty, see § 150.99