Source: https://ecode360.com/11123183
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 02:16:51+00:00

Document:
§ 108-1 Purpose and intent.
§ 108-3 Code Enforcement Officer; inspectors.
§ 108-7 Certificates of occupancy.
§ 108-8 Notification regarding fire or explosion.
§ 108-9 Unsafe buildings and structures.
§ 108-11 Firesafety and property maintenance inspections.
§ 108-14 Program review and reporting.
§ 108-15 Enforcement; penalties for offenses.
§ 108-16 Fees; term of permit; renewal.
Unsafe buildings — See Ch. 112.
Flood damage prevention — See Ch. 140.
Zoning and planned unit development — See Ch. 250.
Editor's Note: This local law also repealed former Ch. 108, Building Construction and Fire Prevention, adopted 7-7-1981 by L.L. No. 5-1981 as Ch. 31 of the 1981 Code, as amended.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish the procedure and means for the enforcement and administration of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (the Uniform Code) and the State Energy Conservation Construction Code (the Energy Code) and of all codes, regulations, standards, ordinances and other controls pertaining to the use, location, occupancy, design, materials, construction, alteration, repair, equipment, removal and demolition of all buildings and structures or facilities thereof in the Town of Thompson, exclusive of the Village of Monticello, Sullivan County, New York.
A permit issued pursuant to § 108-4 of this chapter. The term "building permit" shall also include a building permit which is renewed, amended or extended pursuant to any provision of this chapter.
A certificate issued pursuant to § 108-7B of this chapter.
The Code Enforcement Officer appointed pursuant to § 108-3B of this chapter.
An order issued by the Code Enforcement Officer pursuant to § 108-15A of this chapter.
An inspector appointed pursuant to § 108-3D of this chapter.
A permit issued pursuant to § 108-10 of this chapter. The term "operating permit" shall also include an operating permit which is renewed, amended or extended pursuant to any provision of this chapter.
An order issued pursuant to § 108-6 of this chapter.
A certificate issued pursuant to of § 108-7D of this chapter.
The Code Enforcement Officer shall be appointed by the Town Board to serve at the pleasure of said Board at a compensation to be fixed by the Board. The Code Enforcement Officer shall be a person who shall have had a least three years' experience in the construction field as an architect, building contractor, building inspector or engineer and shall possess background experience related to building construction or fire prevention and shall, within the time prescribed by law, obtain such basic training, in-service training, advanced in-service training and other training as the State of New York shall require for code enforcement personnel, and the Code Enforcement Officer shall obtain certification from the State Fire Administrator pursuant to the Executive Law and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
One or more inspectors may be appointed by the Town Board to serve at the pleasure of said Board at a compensation to be fixed by the Board, to act under the supervision and direction of the Code Enforcement Officer and to assist the Code Enforcement Officer in the exercise of the powers and fulfillment of the duties conferred upon the Code Enforcement Officer by this chapter. Each inspector shall, within the time prescribed by law, obtain such basic training, in-service training, advanced in-service training and other training as the State of New York shall require for code enforcement personnel, and each inspector shall obtain certification from the State Fire Administrator pursuant to the Executive Law and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
The Building Inspector shall not engage in any activity inconsistent with his duties for the Town, nor during the time of his employment shall be be engaged, directly or indirectly, in any building business, furnishing of labor, material or equipment for the construction, alteration or maintenance of a building, or the preparation of plans or specifications thereof, within the Town of Thompson, except only that this provision shall not prohibit such inspector from such activities in connection with the construction of a building or structure owned by him.
Construction documents. Construction documents will not be accepted as part of an application for a building permit unless they satisfy the requirements set forth in Subsection D(5) this section. Construction documents which are accepted as part of the application for a building permit shall be marked as accepted by the Code Enforcement Officer in writing or by stamp. One set of the accepted construction documents shall be retained by the Code Enforcement Officer, and one set of the accepted construction documents shall be returned to the applicant to be kept at the work site so as to be available for use by the code enforcement personnel. However, the return of a set of accepted construction documents to the applicant shall not be construed as authorization to commence work, nor as an indication that a building permit will be issued. Work shall not be commenced until and unless a building permit is issued.
Issuance of building permit. An application for a building permit shall be examined to ascertain whether the proposed work is in compliance with the applicable requirements of the Uniform Code and Energy Code. The Code Enforcement Officer shall issue a building permit if the proposed work is in compliance with the applicable requirements of the Uniform Code and Energy Code.
Time limits. A building permit shall become void six months from the date of issuance. The building permit may be renewed, if substantial progress has been made since the date of issuance, for one additional six-month period upon authorization of the Building Inspector and upon payment of a fee as set by the Town Board. If the additional six-month renewal expires and the structure is not completed, a new application must be filed with the required fees in effect at that time. For those structures which exceed 5,000 square feet where substantial progress has been made since the date of the first permit renewal, upon payment of a fee as set by the Town Board, the permit may be extended for an additional six-month period. If the additional six-month renewal expires and the structure is not completed, upon application to the Town Board, the Town Board may authorize renewal of the building permit for additional six-month periods, at the Board's discretion, upon payment of a fee as set by the Town Board for each six-month renewal.
Fee. The fee specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions set forth in § 108-16, Fees, of this chapter must be paid at the time of submission of an application for a building permit, for an amended building permit, or for renewal of a building permit.
Fee. The fee specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions set forth in § 108-16, Fees, of this chapter must be paid prior to or at the time of each inspection performed pursuant to this section.
Remedy not exclusive. The issuance of a stop-work order shall not be the exclusive remedy available to address any event described in Subsection A of this section, and the authority to issue a stop-work order shall be in addition to, and not in substitution for or limitation of, the right and authority to pursue any other remedy or impose any other penalty under § 108-15, Enforcement; penalties for offenses, of this chapter or under any other applicable local law or state law. Any such other remedy or penalty may be pursued at any time, whether prior to, at the time of, or after the issuance of a stop-work order.
Certificates of occupancy required. A certificate of occupancy shall be required for any work which is the subject of a building permit and for all structures, buildings, or portions thereof which are converted from one use or occupancy classification or subclassification to another. Permission to use or occupy a building or structure, or portion thereof, for which a building permit was previously issued shall be granted only by issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
Fee. The fee specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions set forth in § 108-16, Fees, of this chapter must be paid at the time of submission of an application for a certificate of occupancy or for a temporary certificate.
Unsafe structures and equipment in the Town shall be identified and addressed in accordance with the procedures established by Local Law Number 5 of 1981, and any subsequent amendments thereto, as now in effect or as hereafter amended from time to time.
Editor's Note: See Ch. 112, Buildings, Unsafe.
Fee. The fee specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions set forth in § 108-16, Fees, of this chapter must be paid at the time of submission of an application for an operating permit, for an amended operating permit, or for reissue or renewal of an operating permit.
Inspections permitted. In addition to inspections required by Subsection A of this section, a firesafety and property maintenance inspection of any building, structure, use or occupancy, or of any dwelling unit, may also be performed by the Code Enforcement Officer or an inspector designated by the Code Enforcement Officer at any time upon: the request of the owner of the property to be inspected or an authorized agent of such owner; receipt by the Code Enforcement Officer of a written statement alleging that conditions or activities failing to comply with the Uniform Code or Energy Code exist; or receipt by the Code Enforcement Officer of any other information, reasonably believed by the Code Enforcement Officer to be reliable, giving rise to reasonable cause to believe that conditions or activities failing to comply with the Uniform Code or Energy Code exist; provided, however, that nothing in this subsection shall be construed as permitting an inspection under any circumstances under which a court order or warrant permitting such inspection is required, unless such court order or warrant shall have been obtained.
Fee. The fee specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions set forth in § 108-16, Fees, of this chapter must be paid prior to or at the time each inspection is performed pursuant to this section. This subsection shall not apply to inspections performed by OFPC.
The Code Enforcement Officer shall submit monthly to the Town Board a written report and summary of all business conducted by the Code Enforcement Officer and the inspectors, including a report and summary of all transactions and activities described in § 108-13, Recordkeeping, of this chapter and a report and summary of all appeals or litigation pending or concluded.
The Code Enforcement Officer shall annually submit to the Secretary of State, on behalf of the Town, on a form prescribed by the Secretary of State, a report of the activities of the Town relative to administration and enforcement of the Uniform Code.
The Code Enforcement Officer shall, upon request of the New York State Department of State, provide to the New York State Department of State, from the records and related materials the Town is required to maintain, excerpts, summaries, tabulations, statistics and other information and accounts of the activities of the Town in connection with administration and enforcement of the Uniform Code.
The Town Board may designate process servers who shall be authorized to serve appearance tickets for any violation of the Uniform Building and Fire Prevention Code and Town Code at the specific request of the Town Code Enforcement Officer to comply with the requirements under Criminal Procedure Law § 150.20(3).
An approved list of process servers shall be appointed by Town Board resolution at any reorganizational meeting or any subsequent meeting of the Board as is necessary and shall be compensated on a per-diem basis for the cost of each service.
The Town Code Enforcement Officer shall be authorized to assign the service of any appearance ticket for a violation of the Town Building and Fire Prevention Code to any duly appointed process server.
It shall be unlawful for any person to construct, alter, repair, demolish, move, equip, use, occupy or maintain any building, structure, sign or portion thereof in violation of any provision of this chapter or fail in any manner to comply with a notice order of the Code Enforcement Officer or inspector or to construct, alter or use and occupy any building, structure or part thereof in a manner not permitted by an approved building permit or certificate of occupancy.
Any person, having been served with a notice of violation, who shall fail to comply with such notice within 30 days of such service or within the time fixed by the Code Enforcement Officer for compliance, whichever is greater, shall be punishable as follows: for a first offense, by a fine of not more than $250 or imprisonment for not more than 15 days, or both; for a second offense, by a fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or both; and for a third and each subsequent offense, by a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both. Each day that a violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense.
Appropriate actions and proceedings may be taken at law or in equity to prevent unlawful construction or to restrain, correct or abate a violation or to prevent illegal occupancy of a building, structure or premises or to prevent illegal acts, conduct or business in or about any premises, and these remedies shall be in addition to penalties prescribed.
Injunctive relief. An action or proceeding may be instituted in the name of the Town, in a court of competent jurisdiction, to prevent, restrain, enjoin, correct, or abate any violation of, or to enforce, any provision of the Uniform Code, the Energy Code, this chapter, or any term or condition of any building permit, certificate of occupancy, temporary certificate, stop-work order, operating permit, compliance order, or other notice or order issued by the Code Enforcement Officer pursuant to any provision of this chapter. In particular, but not by way of limitation, where the construction or use of a building or structure is in violation of any provision of the Uniform Code, the Energy Code, this chapter, or any stop-work order, compliance order or other order obtained under the Uniform Code, the Energy Code or this chapter, an action or proceeding may be commenced in the name of the Town, in the Supreme Court or in any other court having the requisite jurisdiction, to obtain an order directing the removal of the building or structure or an abatement of the condition in violation of such provisions. No action or proceeding described in this subsection shall be commenced without the appropriate authorization from the Town Board of the Town of Thompson.
Remedies not exclusive. No remedy or penalty specified in this section shall be the exclusive remedy or penalty available to address any violation described in this section, and each remedy or penalty specified in this section shall be in addition to, and not in substitution for or limitation of, the other remedies or penalties specified in this section, in § 108-6, Stop-work orders, of this chapter, in any other section of this chapter, or in any other applicable law. Any remedy or penalty specified in this section may be pursued at any time, whether prior to, simultaneously with, or after the pursuit of any penalty specified in Subdivision (2) of § 382 of the Executive Law.
Every application requiring both a building permit and a certificate of occupancy shall be accompanied by the payment of a fee as set forth by the Town Board.
Such fees apply to all permits and are in addition to any other fees provided for by the Town.
If work is commenced prior to obtaining a building permit, there shall be an inspection fee as set by the Town Board in addition to the fees required by this section prior to the issuance of a building permit. This section shall not relieve the owner of any fines or penalties which may be applicable for a building with a permit.
Fees and fee categories may be established and changed from time to time by resolution of the Town Board.
Costs of engineering reviews and related expenses required by the Town in connection with the review of an application or for ascertaining compliance with this chapter may be charged to the applicant.
Additional or special inspections by the Code Enforcement Officer deemed necessary by the Town or at the request of the applicant/owner, due to extenuating circumstances caused by the applicant/owner, shall be performed for a fee as set by the Town Board per inspection.
Applications for a certificate of occupancy without a building permit shall be accompanied by payment of a fee as set by the Town Board.
The Planning Board shall consider the circumstances related to such violation, the reasons for such violation and the significance of such violation and impose a special fee of not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000 as a condition of reconsideration of such application. The special fee shall be paid in addition to any other application fees, professional fees, and other charges for such application imposed in the same manner as if such application were for an initial consideration of the applicant's request for relief. All regular and special fees may be charged to such deposit. Any excess remaining after all regular and special fees have been paid shall be refunded to the applicant without interest.
In any case where an applicant shall have failed to apply for an initial building permit as required by any chapter of this Code, such Board shall impose a special fee equal to 1% of the project cost or $1,000, whichever sum is greater, and no certificate of occupancy shall be issued until the actual cost of such project shall have been provided to the Building Department under oath, and if such cost shall be greater than the estimate, any additional special fee or other fee shall have been assessed and paid.
For the purposes of this Subsection H, the applicant also shall be deemed to have committed the violation if any person or officer of the applicant or any person hired by the applicant shall have been the responsible party in causing such violation.
In making any determination required by this Subsection H, such Board shall hold a hearing upon the same conditions as are required for a hearing on granting any approval authorized to be granted by such Board.
A fee schedule shall be established by resolution of the Town Board. Such fee schedule may thereafter be amended from time to time by like resolution. The fees set forth in, or determined in accordance with, such fee schedule or amended fee schedule shall be charged and collected for the submission of applications, the issuance of building permits, amended building permits, renewed building permits, certificates of occupancy, temporary certificates, operating permits, firesafety and property maintenance inspections, and other actions of the Code Enforcement Officer described in or contemplated by this chapter.
The Town Board may, by resolution, authorize the Supervisor of the Town to enter into an agreement, in the name of the Town, with other governments to carry out the terms of this chapter, provided that such agreement does not violate any provision of the Uniform Code, the Energy Code, Part 1203 of Title 19 of NYCRR, or any other applicable law.

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 § 382