(A) The Building Official or his or her duly authorized agents shall enforce the provisions of the Plumbing Code within the city; provided, that the General Manager of the Sanitary Board or his or her duly authorized agents shall enforce the provisions of the Plumbing Code which apply to matters which, by reason of the powers and duties conferred upon the Sanitary Board by ordinance, fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Sanitary Board. In furtherance of such enforcement or when in the opinion of the Building Official the public interest so requires, the Building Official, and his or her authorized agents, upon properly identifying themselves, shall have the authority to enter any building, structure, or other premises at any reasonable hour. The General Manager of the Sanitary Board and his or her duly authorized agents shall have the same enforcement and inspection powers as the Building Official; provided, that the powers hereby conferred on the General Manager of the Sanitary Board apply only to the enforcement of those provisions of the Plumbing Code which concern matters exclusively within the jurisdiction of the Sanitary Board. The Building Official and the General Manager of the Sanitary Board shall keep comprehensive records of inspections made, reports rendered, and notices or orders issued by them relative to the enforcement of the Plumbing Code.
(B) In enforcing the Plumbing Code, the Building Official shall be initially responsible for interpreting the standards and regulations contained in that Code, for deciding upon the approval of equipment and materials, and for granting the special permission or deviations contemplated in a number of the regulations; provided, that the General Manager of the Sanitary Board shall be initially responsible for interpreting the standards and regulations contained in the Plumbing Code when the standards and regulations concern matters exclusively within the jurisdiction of the Sanitary Board. Any ruling, interpretation, or notice or other such official act of the Building Official or of the General Manager of the Sanitary Board shall be reduced to writing and a copy thereof delivered in person to each party thereby affected. If personal service be not had, then such copy shall be mailed, by certified mail, to each party thereby affected at his or her last known post office address, and such service by mail shall have the same force and effect as if the party thereby affected had been personally served.
(Prior Code, § 20-10)
Statutory reference:
Authority to inspect private premises, see W. Va. Code 8-12-15