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").
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.
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.
[Amended 4-16-2007 by L.L. No. 6-2007]
A. 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.
B. 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.
C. The following elements of the construction process
shall be inspected where applicable:
(1) Work site prior to the issuance of a building permit;
(3) Preparation for concrete slab;
(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.
D. 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.
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.
All code personnel shall carry proper identification
when inspecting structures or premises in the performance of duties
under any of the codes.
Code personnel shall issue all necessary notices
or orders to ensure compliance with any of the codes.
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.