Dorchester County, MD Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration

The BOCA International Mechanical Code is hereby adopted as the mechanical code of Dorchester County, Maryland, and each and all of the regulations, provisions, conditions, penalties and terms thereof are hereby referred to, adopted, incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this chapter as if fully set out in this chapter, with additions, insertions and deletions and changes more fully set forth in this chapter.

Section 101.1. Title. These regulations shall be known as the Dorchester County HVACR Code, hereinafter referred to as "This code."

Section 101.2. Scope. Add the following language to end of paragraph: "These regulations shall not apply to:

	.01	Installation of Mechanical equipment on lands located within an incorporated municipality in Dorchester County unless expressly authorized by the governing body of said municipality and the County Commissioners of Dorchester County.
	.02	HVACR installation in buildings and structures located on lands owned by or leased to federal, state or local governments."

Section 106.4.3. Expiration. Every permit issued by the building official under provisions of the code shall expire by limitation and become null and void if the work authorized by such permit is not commenced within one year from the issuance date of the permit. A permittee holding an unexpired permit may have said permit extended for up to one additional year for good and satisfactory reasons.

Section 106.3.1. For one- and two-family dwellings, only a Manual J, or its equivalent, shall be required. Plans shall indicate how required structural and fire-resistant rating integrity will be maintained and where penetrations will be made for electrical, mechanical, plumbing and communication conducts pipes and systems.

Section 106.5.2. Fee schedule: Delete and insert the following, "The County Commissioners shall establish a schedule of fees, charges and expenses and a collection procedure for HVACR permits issued pursuant to this chapter. Such schedule shall be posted in the Office of Permits, Inspections and Licensing and may be altered or amended from time to time without a public hearing, only by the County Commissioners. Until all applicable fees, charges and expenses have been paid in full, no permit shall be issued."

Section 108.4. Violation penalties. Persons who shall violate a provision of this code or shall fail to comply with any of the requirements thereof or who shall erect, install or alter mechanical work in violation of the approved construction documents or directive of the code official, or of a permit or certificate issued under the provisions of this code, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, or by imprisonment not exceeding 30 days, or both such fine and imprisonment. Each day that a violation continues after due notice has been served shall be deemed a separate offense.

Section 108.5. Stop-work orders. Unlawful continuance: Last sentence to read: "Any person who shall continue any work on the system after being served with a stop-work order, except such work as the person is directed to perform to remove a violation or unsafe condition, shall be deemed to be in violation of this chapter."

Section 109. Means of appeal: For purposes of interpretation, the "Board of Appeals" shall mean the "Board of Building Appeals."

Section 109.8. Fees. Section 109.8, Fees, is added to read as follows: "Fees: the local jurisdiction shall cause the levy of an appeal fee set at a level necessary to recover the direct and incidental cost to the local jurisdiction of hearing said appeal."

Section 110. License required. The code requires that any person who provides or assists in providing HVACR services must hold a current State HVACR license.