Source: https://ecode360.com/15571823
Timestamp: 2019-12-06 02:36:57
Document Index: 718312774

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 40', '§ 40', '§ 10', '§ 40', '§ 40', '§ 40', '§ 40', '§ 40', '§ 40', '§ 40', '§ 40', 'art 1226', '§ 40', '§ 40', '§ 40', '§ 382', '§ 382', 'art 1203']

Village of Bath, NY Building Construction and Fire Prevention
§ 40-1 Purpose and intent; applicability.
§ 40-9 Unsafe building and structures identified and addressed.
Chapter 40 Building Construction and Fire Prevention
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Bath 2-1-2011 by L.L. No. 1-2011.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
Outdoor furnaces — See Ch. 59.
Editor's Note: This chapter also repealed former Ch. 40, Building Construction and Fire Prevention, adopted 12-18-2006 by L.L. No. 6-2006.
[Amended 9-21-2015 by L.L. No. 7-2015]
This chapter provides for the administration and enforcement 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 the Village of Bath Code in the Village of Bath. This chapter is adopted pursuant to § 10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law. Except as otherwise provided in the Uniform Code, other state law, or other section of this chapter, all buildings, structures, and premises, regardless of use or occupancy, are subject to the provisions of this chapter, which is intended to address unsafe buildings or structures with violations that can reasonably be abated.
A permit issued pursuant to § 40-4 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.
An inspector appointed pursuant to § 40-4D of this chapter.
A permit issued pursuant to § 40-10 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 unsafe building or structure is one that is found to be dangerous to the life, health, property or safety of the public or the occupants of the structure by not providing minimum safeguards to protect or warn occupants in the event of fire or because such structure is unsanitary or unfit for human occupancy or contains unsafe equipment or is so damaged, decayed, dilapidated, structurally unsafe, or of such faulty construction or unstable foundation that partial or complete collapse is possible.
[Added 9-21-2015 by L.L. No. 7-2015]
The office of Code Enforcement Officer is hereby confirmed. The Code Enforcement Officer shall administer and enforce all the provisions of the Uniform Code, the Energy Code and this chapter. The Code Enforcement Officer shall have the following powers and duties:
To issue orders pursuant to § 40-15A of this chapter;
To collect fees as set by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Bath;
In consultation with the Village's attorney, to pursue such legal actions and proceedings as may be necessary to enforce the Uniform Code, the Energy Code and this chapter, or to abate or correct conditions not in compliance with the Uniform Code, the Energy Code or this chapter; and
The Code Enforcement Officer shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Bath. The Code Enforcement Officer 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.
The compensation for the Code Enforcement Officer and inspectors shall be fixed from time to time by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Bath.
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) of 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.
Temporary certificate. The Code Enforcement Officer shall be permitted to issue a temporary certificate allowing the temporary occupancy of a building or structure, or a portion thereof, prior to completion of the work which is the subject of a building permit. However, in no event shall the Code Enforcement Officer issue a temporary certificate unless the Code Enforcement Officer determines that the building or structure, or the portion thereof covered by the temporary certificate, may be occupied safely; that any fire- and smoke-detecting or fire protection equipment which has been installed is operational; and that all required means of egress from the building or structure have been provided. The Code Enforcement Officer may include in a temporary certificate such terms and conditions as he or she deems necessary or appropriate to ensure safety or to further the purposes and intent of the Uniform Code. A temporary certificate shall be effective for a period of time, not to exceed six months from the date of issuance, which shall be determined by the Code Enforcement Officer and specified in the temporary certificate. During the specified period of effectiveness of the temporary certificate, the permit holder shall undertake to bring the building or structure into full compliance with all applicable provisions of the Uniform Code and the Energy Code.
The chief of any fire department providing fire-fighting services for a property within the Village of Bath shall promptly notify the Code Enforcement Officer of any fire or explosion involving any structural damage, fuel-burning appliance, chimney or gas vent.
Unsafe structures and equipment in the Village of Bath shall be identified in accordance with the New York State Fire Prevention and Building Code and addressed in accordance with the procedures established by Chapter 40 of the Bath Village Code, as now in effect or as hereafter amended from time to time.
Buildings whose use or occupancy classification may pose a substantial potential hazard to public safety, as determined by a resolution adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Bath.
Fee. The fee specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions set forth in § 40-16, Fees, of this chapter must be paid at the time submission of an application for an operating permit, for an amended operating permit, or for reissue or renewal of an operating permit.
The Code Enforcement Officer shall not perform firesafety and property maintenance inspections of a building or structure occupied as a dormitory if OFPC performs fire safety and property maintenance inspections of such building or structure at least once every 12 months;
The Code Enforcement Officer shall not perform, firesafety and property maintenance inspections of a nonresidential building, structure, use or occupancy not included in Subsection A(1) or (2) of this section if OFPC performs firesafety and property maintenance inspections of such nonresidential building, structure, use or occupancy at intervals not exceeding the interval specified in Subsection A(3) of this section.
Fee. The fee specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions set forth in § 40-16, Fees, of this chapter must be paid prior to or at the time each inspection performed pursuant to this section. This subsection shall not apply to inspections performed by OFPC.
If a violation is found to exist, providing the owner of the affected property and any other person who may be responsible for the violation with notice of the violation and opportunity to abate, correct or cure the violation, or otherwise proceeding in the manner described in § 40-15, Enforcement; penalties for offenses, of this chapter.
The Code Enforcement Officer shall annually submit to the Board of Trustees of the Village of Bath 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 § 40-13, 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 Village of Bath, on a form prescribed by the Secretary of State, a report of the activities of the Village of Bath 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 Village of Bath is required to maintain, excepts, summaries, tabulations, statistics and other information and accounts of the activities of the Village of Bath in connection with administration and enforcement of the Uniform Code.
Notice of violation or compliance orders. The Code Enforcement Officer is authorized to issue an unsafe structure notice or notice of violation in accordance with 19 NYCRR Part 1226, Chapter 1, Section 108, or to order in writing the remedying of any condition or activity found to exist in, on or about any building, structure, or premises in violation of the Uniform Code, the Energy Code, or this chapter. Upon finding that any such condition or activity exists, the Code Enforcement Officer shall issue an unsafe structure notice or notice of violation.
The unsafe structure notice or notice of violation shall:
Specify the condition or activity that violates the Uniform Code, the Energy Code, Village of Bath Code, or this chapter;
The Code Enforcement Officer shall cause the unsafe structure notice or notice of violation, or a copy thereof, to be served on the owner of the affected property personally or by first-class mail. The Code Enforcement Officer shall be permitted, but not required, to cause the unsafe structure notice or notice of violation, or a copy thereof, to be served on any builder, architect, tenant, contractor, subcontractor, construction superintendent, or their agents, or any other person taking part or assisting in work being performed at the affected property personally or by first-class mail; provided, however, that failure to serve any person mentioned in this sentence shall not affect the efficacy of the unsafe structure notice or notice of violation.
Posting of unsafe structure notices.
Provisions concerning notice.
Whenever any Code Enforcement Officer or the Board of Trustees of the Village of Bath makes a determination pursuant to the New York State Fire Prevention and Building Code or the Property Maintenance Code Chapter thereof or the Bath Village Code that a structure is unsafe, unfit for occupancy or must be vacated (the "determination"), the Officer shall place a notice or placard on such structure stating that the structure is unsafe, unfit for occupancy or must be vacated (the "notice"), and that notice shall:
Identify with specificity each immediate hazard to life or health that is the basis for the determination or the posting of the notice;
Identify the date on which the notice was posted on the structure (the "posting date");
Identify all conditions that must be repaired, remedied or corrected, the date by which each condition must be repaired, remedied or corrected, and each and every penalty for failure to repair, remedy or correct each condition;
State that any owner, tenant or occupant of the structure may challenge the determination by requesting a hearing before the Village Board of Trustees (the "hearing"), so long as the hearing is requested no later than 4:00 p.m. on the third day after the notice is posted and dated if served in person on the Bath Village Clerk, or 5:00 p.m. on the third day after the notice is posted and dated if served by facsimile or email on the Bath Village Clerk; state that the written request for the hearing may be delivered by hand, facsimile or email to the Bath Village Clerk; identify the address, facsimile number and email address for service of such request; and shall state that a request for hearing shall identify the address, telephone number(s) and email address, if any, of the person requesting the hearing and the reasons or grounds for the appeal.
In addition to posting the notice on the structure, the Code Enforcement Officer shall provide the notice to all tenants or occupants of the structure by either affixing the notice to the door of each unit in the structure in which any tenant or occupant may reside or placing the notice under the door of each such unit; make an attempt to hand-deliver a copy of the notice to any person who is present in or at the structure at the time of posting; and mail the notice to the owner(s) of the structure on the same business day as the notice is posted at the address listed on the tax roll for the Village of Bath.
Mandated procedures upon posting of a notice.
The hearing will be held at the Bath Village Hall, 110 Liberty Street, Bath, New York, within five business days of the Board of Trustees' receipt of the request for the hearing, unless adjourned for good cause or the person requesting the hearing and the Board of Trustees agree otherwise. Persons requesting the hearing shall be notified of the date and time of the hearing at least 24 hours in advance of the hearing date by a notice sent to the person requesting the hearing at the address provided by said person pursuant to Subsection B(1)(a)[4] above.
If any Code Enforcement Officers explain the circumstances requiring posting at the hearing, they shall provide any person requesting the hearing with all available documentation or information concerning the determination. The person requesting the hearing will be afforded an adequate opportunity to present statements and other evidence regarding the need for the posting and to suggest alternatives. Persons attending the hearing may be represented by counsel.
No determination that the structure is unsafe, unfit for occupancy or must be vacated will be confirmed unless a majority of the quorum of Trustees present determines that it has been demonstrated that the determination is necessary to protect owners, tenants or occupants from an immediate threat to health or safety. Absent confirmation by the vote of at least a simple majority of Trustees who are present for the duration of the hearing, the determination shall be vacated. Upon a confirmation of the determination, the Board of Trustees shall also issue written findings and conclusions confirming, modifying, or otherwise setting forth all conditions that must be repaired, remedied or corrected, the date by which each condition must be repaired, remedied or corrected, and each and every penalty for failure to repair, remedy or correct each condition, which findings and conclusions shall be mailed to the owner of the structure at the address provided to the Village taxing authorities and to the person requesting the hearing at the address provided in the request for a hearing.
Neither the Village of Bath nor any of its Code Enforcement Officers shall order or direct the removal of any personal property from a structure to which a notice has been posted unless a Code Enforcement Officer makes a determination that such personal property constitutes a hazard to any owner, tenant or occupant of the structure. The Village is not responsible for any property remaining in the structure.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Subsection B, all occupants, tenants, landlords or their agents shall comply with any and all laws or local municipal laws or regulations, including but not limited to the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code and Property Maintenance Code of New York State and the Code of the Village of Bath.
The procedures set forth in § 40-15B shall apply to any action of the Code Enforcement Officer under Chapter 40 or Chapter 42 of the Code of the Village of Bath requiring a structure to be vacated as being unsafe or unfit for occupancy.
This ordinance also provided for the redesignation of former Subsections B through E as Subsections C through F, respectively.
Civil penalties. In addition to those penalties prescribed by state law, any person who violates any provision of the Uniform Code, the Energy Code or this chapter, or any term or condition of any building permit, certificate of occupancy, temporary certificate, stop-work order, operating permit or other notice or order issued by the Code Enforcement Officer pursuant to any provision of this chapter, shall be liable to a civil penalty of not more than $200 for each day or part thereof during which such violation continues. The civil penalties provided by this subsection shall be recoverable in an action instituted in the name of the Village of Bath.
Injunctive relief. An action or proceeding may be instituted in the name of the Village of Bath, 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 Village of Bath, 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 Board of Trustees of the Village of Bath.
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 § 40-6, 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 other remedy or penalty specified in this section, in § 40-6, Stop-work orders, of this chapter, in any other section of this chapter, or in any other applicable law. In particular, but not by way of limitation, each remedy and penalty specified in this section shall be in addition to, and not in substitution for or limitation of, the penalties specified in Subdivision (2) of § 382 of the Executive Law, and 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.
A fee schedule shall be established by resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Bath. 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 Board of Trustees of the Village of Bath may, by resolution, authorize the Supervisor of the Village of Bath to enter into an agreement, in the name of the Village of Bath, 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 the NYCRR, or any other applicable law.