City of Watertown, NY Code Enforcement Supervisor

§ 120-2 Duties and powers.

The Code Enforcement Supervisor and his or her deputies shall administer and enforce the provisions of the Residential Code of New York State; the Building Code of New York State; the Plumbing Code of New York State; the Mechanical Code of New York State; the Fuel Gas Code of New York State; the Fire Code of New York State; and the Property Maintenance Code of New York State, all as amended, (hereinafter "the codes").

§ 120-3 Responsibility for inspection.

Property inspection(s) as required by any of the codes shall be the responsibility of the City of Watertown Code Enforcement Supervisor and such other persons as shall be designated by the City Manager.

§ 120-4 Restriction of employees.

No official or employee connected with the administration or enforcement of any of the codes shall be engaged in, or directly or indirectly connected with, the furnishing of labor, materials or appliances for the construction, alteration or maintenance of a building within the City, or the preparation of construction documents therefor, unless that person is the owner of the building.

§ 120-5 Liability.

Neither the Code Enforcement Supervisor nor any of his or her deputies, while acting for the City, shall thereby be rendered liable personally, and each is hereby relieved from all personal liability for any damage accruing to persons or property as a result of an act required or permitted in the discharge of official duties in connection with any of the codes.

Any suit instituted against any supervisor, officer or employee because of an act performed by that supervisor, officer or employee in the lawful discharge of duties under the provisions of any of the codes shall be defended by the City as permitted by New York Public Officers Law § 18, as amended.

[Amended 4-16-2007 by L.L. No. 6-2007]

§ 120-6 Inspections.

[Amended 4-16-2007 by L.L. No. 6-2007]

The Code Enforcement Supervisor and his or her deputies (code personnel) shall make all of the required inspections, or shall accept reports of inspection by approved agencies or individuals. All reports of such inspections shall be in writing and be certified by a responsible officer of such approved agency or by the responsible individual. The Code Enforcement Supervisor is authorized to engage such expert opinion as deemed necessary to report upon unusual technical issues that arise, subject to the approval of the City Manager.

Work shall remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted by the Code Enforcement Supervisor or by an inspector authorized by the Code Enforcement Supervisor. The permit holder shall notify the Code Enforcement Supervisor when any element of work described hereafter by this section is ready for inspection.

The following elements of the construction process shall be inspected where applicable:

(1)

Work site prior to the issuance of a building permit;

(2)

Footing and foundation;

(3)

Preparation for concrete slab;

(4)

Framing;

(5)

Building systems, including underground and rough-in;

(6)

Fire-resistant construction;

(7)

Fire-resistant penetrations;

(8)

Solid-fuel-burning heating appliances, chimneys, flues or gas vents;

(9)

Energy Code compliance; and

(10)

A final inspection after all work authorized by the building permit has been completed.

After inspection the work or a portion thereof shall be noted as satisfactory as completed, or the permit holder shall be notified as to where the work fails to comply with the Uniform Code or Energy Code. Work not in compliance with any applicable provision of the Uniform Code and Energy Code shall remain exposed until such work shall have been brought into compliance with all applicable provisions of the Uniform Code and the Energy Code, reinspected, and found satisfactory as completed.

§ 120-7 Right of entry.

Code personnel are authorized to enter a structure or premises at reasonable times to inspect, subject to constitutional restrictions on unreasonable searches and seizures. If entry is refused or not obtained, the code personnel are authorized to pursue an inspection as provided by law.

§ 120-8 Identification.

All code personnel shall carry proper identification when inspecting structures or premises in the performance of duties under any of the codes.

§ 120-9 Notices and orders.

Code personnel shall issue all necessary notices or orders to ensure compliance with any of the codes.

§ 120-10 Coordination of inspection.

Whenever in the enforcement of any of the codes or ordinances the responsibility of more than one official of the City is involved, it shall be the duty of the Code Enforcement Supervisor to coordinate their inspections and administrative orders as fully as practicable so that the owners and occupants of the structure shall not be subjected to visits by numerous inspectors or multiple or conflicting orders. Whenever an inspector from any City agency or department observes an apparent or actual violation of some provision of some law, ordinance or code not within the inspector's authority to enforce, the inspector shall report the findings to the City official having such jurisdiction.