A. Building Permit Required for Buildings and Structures (other than fences): It shall be unlawful to construct, repair, alter, or remodel any building or structure in the City without a building permit where the total cost of such construction, repair, alteration, or remodeling work exceeds one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500.00).
B. Building Permit Required for Fences, Prohibited Materials, and Location:
1. Without a building permit, it shall be unlawful or to construct, repair, alter, or remodel any fence in the City where the total cost of such construction, repair, alteration, or remodeling work exceeds five hundred dollars ($500.00).
2. A "fence" shall mean and include an enclosure, barrier, or wall constructed of materials (approved by the Health and Building Officer) intended to enclose, divide, separate, screen, or border, in whole or in part, an area of a lot, parcel, or tract of land to mark a boundary or an area, or to control access, or to confine or prevent entrance or escape. A "fence" shall also mean and include a temporary sediment control device (commonly referred to as a soil erosion fence or a silt fence) consisting of a temporary synthetic filter fabric stretched across and attached to supporting posts and entrenched that is used on construction sites to protect water quality in nearby streams, rivers, or lakes from sediment (loose soil) in stormwater runoff.
3. It shall be unlawful to construct, repair, alter, or remodel any fence that is comprised, in whole or in part, with any of the following prohibited materials: cinder block, plank lumber over 10" in width, scrap lumber, scrap materials, pallet lumber, plastic pipe, "chicken wire mesh", square wire farm fence, fabric, burlap plastic, canvas tarp and wood, or plastic snow fence, metals (other than wrought iron or its synthetic substitutes), razor wire, electric fence, tires, pallets, or other materials not specifically designed to be used as a fence.
4. It shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any fence within a public right of way, boulevard, or sidewalk or within other public property. It shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any fence within twelve (12) inches from the closest public sidewalk edge.
5. A "fence height" shall be determined by measuring from the finished grade of the land or surface where the fence is located to the highest top of the fence.
C. For purposes of this Chapter, "repair" shall mean and include the fixing or restoration of any damaged exterior portion of any building or structure or fence; and "alter" or "alteration" or "remodel" or "remodeling" shall include and mean the renovation or improvement or changing the form or surface of any damaged exterior portion of any building or structure or fence.
D. Application for Building Permit:
1. Applications for such building permits shall be made to the Health and Building Officer and shall be accompanied by plans and specifications, in duplicate, showing the work to be done and the specific marked location of all real estate boundary line pins/markers and the planned specific location of the building, structure or fence on the real estate as it relates to the boundary lines of said real estate. Such plans and specifications shall be verified by the signature either of the owner of the real estate or by the architect or contractor in charge of operations.
2. No building permit shall be issued except upon payment of the applicable fee, if any, as provided herein. Furthermore, no building permit shall be issued to any "person" (as that term is defined and construed in Title 1, Chapter 3 of this Code) who is in default to the City of Taylorville (other than for payment of Real Estate Taxes levied by the City) until and unless such person fully pays the amount due the City of Taylorville and/or fully performs all other work or obligations due or owed to the City of Taylorville.
E. Building Permit Fees:
1. Fees for building permits for construction work for building or structures (excluding "repair", "alteration" or "remodeling" work costing $1,500.00 or less) shall be determined as prescribed in Title 10 of this Code.
2. Fees for building permits for construction work for fences (excluding "repair", "alteration" or "remodeling" work costing a total of $500.00 or less) shall be $50.00.
F. Compliance with Plans and Specifications: It shall be unlawful to alter or vary from the approved plans and specifications deposited with the Health and Building Officer unless amended plans and specifications showing such proposed alteration or variation are first filed with, and are approved by, the Health and Building Officer. If such alteration or variation involves an increase in the total area or cost of the work, a statement to that effect shall be made and the necessary additional fee shall be made.
G. Term and Conditions of Building Permit:
1. A building permit for the construction of any building or structure or fence on property shall only be valid for twelve (12) consecutive calendar months from date of issuance of the building permit. All construction work must be completed within twelve (12) consecutive calendar months from date of issuance of such initial building permit.
2. If the construction of such building or structure or fence on such property covered by such initial building permit is not then fully completed within such twelve (12) month period, then a second building permit not to exceed a twelve (12) consecutive calendar month period and another full building permit fee shall be required and paid prior to the continuation of any further work on such building or structure or fence on such property. Such new building permit, if issued, shall only be valid for a maximum of twelve (12) additional consecutive calendar months from date of expiration of the initial building permit. All construction work covered by said second building permit for such property shall be fully completed within said maximum twelve (12) consecutive calendar month period.
3. A building permit for the "repair", "alteration", or "remodeling" (each as defined in this Section) of any building or structure or fence on property shall only be valid for six (6) consecutive calendar months from date of issuance of the building permit; and all repair, alteration or remodeling work must be completed within six (6) consecutive calendar months from date of issuance of the building permit.
4. An issued initial or second building permit, as the case may be, shall become void if the holder of such building permit fails to commence construction, repair, alteration, or remodeling of such building or structure or fence within ninety (90) consecutive calendar days from the date of issuance of said initial or second building permit.
5. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 9-1-1, the initial or second building permit fee for the construction, repair, alteration or remodeling of any building or structure shall be double the otherwise appropriate building fee for issuance of a building permit if any such work has been commenced or continued on any building or structure prior to the issuance of a valid building permit.
6. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 9-1-1, the initial or second building permit fee for the construction, repair, alteration or remodeling of any fence shall be five times the otherwise appropriate building fee for issuance of a building permit if any such work has been commenced or continued on any fence prior to the issuance of a valid building permit.
H. Issuance Of A Building Permit: The Health and Building Officer shall be the person responsible for issuing the building permit.
I. Building Permit Required: Any accessory building larger than one hundred twenty (120) square feet requires a building permit.
J. Accessory Buildings:
1. An accessory building shall be located on a single platted parcel, lot, or tract of real estate rather than any combination of parcels, lots, or tracts of real estate.
2. The accessory building shall be constructed of materials architecturally compatible with the existing or proposed principal residence on the real estate lot, tract, parcel, surrounding buildings, and buildings on adjacent properties.
3. The accessory building shall be of a design architecturally compatible with the design of the existing or proposed principal residence and surrounding buildings on the lot, parcel, or tract of real estate with respect to roof pitch, eave dimensions, height, window design, door design and other details.
4. The square footage of the detached accessory building shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the remaining space available in the rear yard except by obtaining a variance.
5. Notwithstanding subsections H2 and H3 of this Section to the contrary, the Zoning Board of Appeals may from time to time approve an applicant's request for a building permit to locate (on the applicant's single platted parcel, lot, or tract of real estate) a detached accessory one-story enclosed storage building or an open one-story carport (for parking of 1 motor vehicle only) under the following circumstances:
a. Said storage building or said carport is a mobile non-permanent building or structure that will be placed on skids or on a concrete pad; and
b. Said storage building or said carport does not exceed a side wall height (with or without a solid wall) of eight feet (8') and does not exceed a total floor space of two hundred (200) square feet for a one vehicle carport or a storage building or a total floor space of four hundred (400) square feet for a two vehicle carport; and
c. In the case of said storage building, it is constructed with the following materials: 1) wood and/or 26-28 gauge metal interior frame; 2) fiberglass or 26-28 gauge metal external siding; 3) fiberglass or 26-28 gauge metal external roof; 4) swinging or roll-up or sliding entry fiberglass or 26-28 gauge metal doors; and 5) all such fiberglass or 26-28 gauge metal shall be painted with a color coordinating with the primary building on said real estate, other than silver or galvanized; and 6) the Zoning Board of Appeals determines that the location of said storage building will not unreasonably distract from the character or materials of the existing primary building on said real estate or from the existing primary or accessory buildings located on adjacent properties or on properties within three hundred feet (300') from all directions of both front property boundary line corners of the applicant's subject real estate; and
d. In the case of said carport, it is constructed with the following materials: 1) wood and/or fiberglass interior frame; 2) wood or fiberglass external siding; 3) wood or fiberglass external roof; and 4) other than one motor vehicle, no other property shall be stored or located on said carport; and 5) all such wood or fiberglass shall be painted with a color other than silver or galvanized; and 6) the Zoning Board of Appeals determines that the location of said carport will not unreasonably distract from the character or materials of the existing primary building on said real estate or from the existing primary or accessory buildings located on adjacent properties or on properties within three hundred feet (300') from all directions of both front property boundary line corners of the applicant's subject real estate.
e. Notwithstanding anything herein stated to the contrary, all metal or "Quonset style" carports or accessory buildings shall not be allowed or permitted.
6. Notwithstanding anything herein stated in this Section to the contrary, the provisions of this Section shall not be applicable to boat docks or boat lifts or accessory covers or canopies or buildings on or related to boat docks or boat lifts located on private property adjacent to Lake Taylorville or located on Lake Taylorville. However, any such boat docks or boat lifts or accessory covers, canopies, or buildings shall not be constructed or maintained on Lake Taylorville or on private property adjacent to Lake Taylorville without first receiving the approval and permission by the City Council, and subject to such plans and specifications as the City Council may require from time to time. Any request for such approval and permission can be denied from time to time by the City Council for any or no reason whatsoever in its sole discretion. All such requests shall first be presented to and considered by the Lake Committee for any recommendations to the City Council.
K. Location Of Accessory Buildings: No accessory building shall be erected or altered at, nor moved to, a location within ten feet (10') of the nearest wall of the principal building nor within the required area for front or side yard setbacks for the lot, parcel, or tract of real estate.
(Ord. 3797, 3-6-2017; amd. Ord. 3861, 8-20-2018; Ord. 3833, 2-20-2018; Ord. 3994, 9-21-2020; Ord. 4021, 3-1-2021)