(A) The Building Inspector shall be appointed by the City Manager and may be an employee or private company. The Building Inspector may also utilize assistants or delegate assignments or duties.
(B) The Building Inspector to be eligible for appointment, shall be certified by the Ohio Board of Building Standards as a Chief Building Official. He shall not have any interest directly or indirectly in the sale, manufacture, or use of material, or in contracting, in connection with building work. He shall be in good health and physically capable of making examinations and inspections of buildings.
(C) The Building Inspector shall be charged with the administration and enforcement of this chapter and shall, in the enforcement and administration of this chapter act on any question relative to the make or manner of construction and the materials to be used in the erection, repair, removal, demolition, location, use, occupancy, maintenance of, addition to, and installation of service equipment in all buildings or structures, except as may otherwise be specifically provided for by requirements of other laws or by other provisions of this code. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the Building Inspector shall, whether as included within or as an addition to the foregoing, perform the following specific duties:
(1) Applications and permits. He shall receive applications and issue permits required by this chapter, examine the premises for which such permits have been issued, and enforce compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
(2) Building notices and orders. He shall issue all notices and orders and do all things necessary to remove illegal, unsafe, and unsanitary conditions, including inadequate exit facilities, in buildings or structures either now existing or hereafter constructed.
(3) Inspections. He shall make or cause to be made inspections to insure compliance with this chapter. All reports of inspections shall be in writing and signed by the person making same or responsible for making same. The Building Inspector may, when so authorized by the City Manager, engage the services of such experts as he may deem necessary to report to him their opinion upon unusual technical questions that may arise.
(4) Annual report. At least annually, he shall submit to the City Manager a written statement of all permits and certificates issued and his activity in general, and shall as often as specifically so requested by the City Manager promptly report thereto in writing with regard to any particular matter of interest or concern relative to his official duties.
(5) Department records. He shall keep official records of all business and activities of the department he has been appointed to administer, including but not limited to applications, drawings, and specifications received, permits and certificates issued, fees collected, reports of inspections, and notices and orders issued. He shall file copies of all papers in connection with building operations which shall be retained for a period of seven years from the date of issuance of the permit.
(6) Periodic review. The Building Inspector shall periodically, and at least once each year, review the standards listed in this chapter. Whenever a new standard is issued or when a standard is amended or revised, he shall so advise the City Solicitor so that necessary legal steps can be taken to amend this chapter and bring it up to current standards.
(D) The Building Inspector and any person appointed by him and charged with the enforcement of this chapter, while acting for the city in the discharge of his duties, shall not thereby render himself liable personally and is hereby relieved from all personal liability for any damage that may occur to persons or property as a result of any act required or permitted in the discharge of his duties. Any suit brought against any officer or employee because of an act performed by him in the enforcement of any provision of this chapter shall be defended by the City Solicitor until the final termination of the proceedings therewith.
('91 Code § 150.160) (Ord. 2203-1966, passed 2-2-67)
Cross-reference:
Services of Building Department, see § 32.50