[Amended 12-6-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007]
A. 
No person, firm or corporation shall commence the erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, removal, improvement, demolition, conversion or change in the nature of the occupancy of any building or structure or install a solid-fuel-burning heating appliance, inside or out, chimney or flue in any dwelling unit without first obtaining a separate building permit from the Building Inspector for each such building or structure.
B. 
No permit shall be required for the following. However, it shall nonetheless be the responsibility of the property owner to verify that any applicable setback requirement(s) of the specific Zoning District are met prior to such construction. Owners are encouraged to verify the same directly with the Town Building Inspector.
[Amended 12-17-2009 by L.L. No. 8-2009; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(1) 
Construction or installation of one-story detached structures associated with one- and/or two-family dwellings or multiple single-family dwellings (townhouses) which are used for tool and storage sheds, playhouses or similar uses, provided the gross floor area does not exceed 64 square feet.
(2) 
Installation of swings and other playground equipment associated with a one- and/or two-family dwelling or multiple single-family dwellings (townhouses).
(3) 
Installation of swimming pools associated with a one- and/or two-family dwelling or multiple single-family dwellings (townhouses) where such pools are designed for a water depth of less than 24 inches and are installed entirely above ground.
(4) 
Installation of fences having a maximum height of eight feet, constructed so that the finished side faces adjoining lots and all posts and/or supports shall face the owner's side, which are not part of an enclosure surrounding a swimming pool.
(5) 
Construction of retaining walls, unless such walls support a surcharge or impound Class I, II or IIIA liquids.
(6) 
Construction of temporary motion-picture, television and theater stage sets and scenery.
(7) 
Installation of window awnings supported by an exterior wall of a one- and/or two-family dwelling or multiple single-family dwellings (townhouses).
(8) 
Installation of partitions or movable cases less than five feet nine inches in height.
(9) 
Painting, wallpapering, tiling, carpeting, or other similar finish work.
(10) 
Installation of listed portable electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation or cooling equipment or appliances.
(11) 
Repair of any equipment, provided the repair does not alter the equipment's listing or render it inconsistent with the equipment's original specifications.
(12) 
Repairs, provided that such repairs do not involve:
(a) 
The removal or cutting away of a load-bearing wall, partition, or portion thereof, or of any structural beam or load-bearing component.
(b) 
The removal or change of any required means of egress or the rearrangement of parts of a structure in a manner which affects egress.
(c) 
The enlargement, alteration, replacement or relocation of any building system.
(d) 
The removal from service of all or part of a fire-protection system for any period of time.
A. 
Information required. Application for a building permit shall be made to the Building Inspector on forms provided by him or her and shall contain the following information:
(1) 
A description of the land on which the proposed work is to be done.
(2) 
A statement of the use or occupancy of all parts of the land and of the building or structure.
(3) 
The valuation of the proposed work.
(4) 
The full name and address of the owner and of the applicant and the names and addresses of their responsible officers, if any of them are corporations.
(5) 
A brief description of the nature of the proposed work.
(6) 
Sets of plans and specifications as set forth in Subsection C of this section.
(7) 
Such other information as may reasonably be required by the Building Inspector to establish compliance of the proposed work with the requirements of the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, this Code and applicable building laws, rules and regulations.
[Amended 12-6-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007]
(8) 
Substantiation that the proposed work will comply with the Uniform Code and the State Energy Conservation Construction Code.
[Added 12-6-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007]
B. 
Applications shall be made by the owner or lessee or agent of either or by the architect, engineer or builder employed in connection with the proposed work. Where such application is made by a person other than the owner, it shall be accompanied by an affidavit of the owner or applicant that the proposed work is authorized by the owner and that the applicant is authorized to make such application.
C. 
Plans and specifications required.
(1) 
Each application for a building permit shall be accompanied by duplicate copies of plans and specifications, including a plot plan, drawn to scale, and showing the location and size of all proposed new construction and all existing structures on the site, the nature and character of the work to be performed and the materials to be incorporated, distance from lot lines, the relationship of structures on adjoining property, widths and grades of adjoining streets, walks and alleys and, where required by the Building Inspector, details of structural, mechanical and electrical work, including computations, stress diagrams and other essential technical data.
(2) 
Plans and specifications shall bear the signature of the person responsible for the design and drawings. The Building Inspector may waive the requirement for filing plans for minor improvements.
(3) 
For one-lot residential developments, site plan applications shall be furnished as required at § 151-18B.
[Amended 9-1-1994 by L.L. No. 1-1994; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(4) 
The Building Inspector shall stamp, sign and date all accepted construction documents. The Building Inspector shall retain one set of accepted construction documents. The Building Inspector shall return one set to the applicant to be kept at the work site so as to be available for use.
[Added 12-6-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007]
(5) 
The building permit shall contain a statement directing that all work shall be performed in accordance with the construction documents submitted and accepted as part of the application and shall include the directive that the Building Inspector shall be notified immediately in the event of changes occurring during construction.
[Added 12-6-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007]
(6) 
Building permits shall be visibly displayed at the work site and are to remain visible until the project has been completed.
[Added 12-6-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007]
D. 
Demolitions.
(1) 
In the case of demolitions, the Building Inspector shall not issue a permit until the applicant shall furnish business excess liability insurance in the amount of $2,000,000 or such additional coverage as he/she may determine is necessary to adequately protect the public. Such policy shall be canceled only on 10 days' written notice to the Town and shall be subject to approval as to form by the Town Counsel.
[Amended 9-1-1994 by L.L. No. 1-1994]
(2) 
The applicant shall also indicate in his or her application his or her method and place of disposal of the debris from the demolition and a plan for the restoration of the property, including filling of all excavations or below ground level openings and the capping or removal of sewer and water lines if there is no intention to immediately rebuild on the site.
(3) 
Failure to restore the property in accordance with the approved plan shall constitute a violation of this chapter.
(4) 
The Building Inspector may waive any provisions of this subsection for minor demolition.
E. 
Amendments to application. Amendments to the application or the plans and specifications accompanying the same may be filed at any time prior to the completion of the work, subject to the approval of the Building Inspector.
A. 
The Building Inspector shall examine or cause to be examined all applications for permits and the plans, specifications and documents filed therewith. He/she shall approve or disapprove the application within a reasonable time.
B. 
Upon approval of the application and upon receipt of the legal fees therefor, he/she shall issue a building permit to the applicant upon the form prescribed by him or her and shall affix his or her signature or cause his or her signature to be affixed thereto.
C. 
Upon the approval of the application, both sets of plans and specifications shall be endorsed with the word "approved." One set of such approved plans and specifications shall be retained in the files of the Building Inspector, and the other set shall be returned to the applicant, together with the building permit, and shall be kept at the building site open to inspection by the Building Inspector or his or her authorized representative at all reasonable times.
D. 
If the application, together with plans, specifications and other documents filed therewith, describes proposed work which does not conform to all the requirements of the applicable building regulations, the Building Inspector shall disapprove the same and shall return the plans and specifications to the applicant. Upon the request of the applicant, the Building Inspector shall cause such refusal, together with the reasons therefor, to be transmitted to the applicant in writing.
[Amended 12-6-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007]
A. 
A building permit shall be effective to authorize the commencing of work in accordance with the application, plans and specifications on which it is based. Building permits shall expire 12 months from the date of issuance. Permits shall become invalid unless the work authorized is commenced within six months following the date of issuance. Building permits may be renewed for a period of 12 months, provided the work has commenced in such a manner as to be ongoing and upon payment of the appropriate fee.
B. 
The issuance of a building permit shall constitute authority to the applicant to proceed with the work in accordance with the approved plans and specifications and in accordance with the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, this Code and applicable building laws, rules and regulations. All work shall conform to the approved application, plans and specifications.
C. 
Building permits which are issued in error because of incorrect, inaccurate or incomplete information or when the work for which such permit was issued violates the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code shall be revoked or suspended until such time as the permit holder demonstrates that all work completed and all work proposed is and shall be in compliance with applicable provisions of the code.
[Amended 6-16-2005 by L.L. No. 3-2005]
Fees associated with an application for a building permit are set forth at the Town of Walworth Fee Schedule on file with the Walworth Town Clerk, which fees shall be determined by Town Board resolution.
The Building Inspector may revoke a building permit theretofore issued and approved in the following instances:
A. 
Where he/she finds that there has been any false statement or misrepresentation as to a material fact in the application, plans or specifications on which the building permit was based.
B. 
Where he/she finds that the building permit was issued in error and should not have been issued in accordance with the applicable law.
C. 
Where he/she finds that the work performed under the permit is not being prosecuted in accordance with the provisions of the application, plans or specifications.
D. 
Where the person to whom a building permit has been issued fails or refuses to comply with a stop order issued by the Building Inspector.
[Amended 12-2-1999 by L.L. No. 7-1999; 2-3-2005 by L.L. No. 2-2005; 12-6-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Whenever the Building Inspector or his or her designated representative has reasonable grounds to believe that work on any building, structure, site, lot or parcel of land is being prosecuted or performed in violation of the provisions of the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, the Municipal Code of the Town of Walworth or other applicable building laws, rules or regulations, including work not in conformance with approved plans and specifications which have been approved pursuant to this Code, whether or not a building permit has been issued, or in the event work is being carried out in an unsafe and dangerous manner, he or she shall notify the owner of the property or the owner's agent or the person performing the work to suspend all work or any portion of the work which is being performed, and any such person, persons, partnership, corporation, limited-liability company or other entity shall forthwith stop work and suspend all building or construction activities which are set forth in the stop-work order until the stop-work order has been rescinded. Rescission of the stop-work order may be made by the Town Board by resolution or the Building Inspector or his or her designated representative in writing and shall state the conditions under which the work may be resumed, including the payment by such person, corporation or other entity of the removal of stop-work order fee, and if made in writing by the Building Inspector, or his or her representative, the rescission order may be served upon a person or persons to whom it is directed either by delivering it personally to him, her or them or, if it is a partnership, corporation, limited-liability company or other entity, to a person employed by or representing the entity who may be served with legal process (for the purpose of obtaining jurisdiction of a court of competent jurisdiction) by posting the same in a conspicuous location at the construction site and sending a copy of same by registered mail to the person, persons, partnership, corporation, limited-liability company or other entity who notice is directed to at his, her or its last known address. The fee for removal of a stop-work order (referred to above) shall be paid by the permit holder to the Town, said fee to be an amount as set forth from time to time by resolution of the Town Board and on file in the office of the Town Clerk.
A. 
The Building Inspector shall be authorized, in the performance of his or her duties, to conduct inspections of premises or parts of premises at such times and in such manner as the building official may find convenient or necessary, with the consent of the person in possession or occupancy.
B. 
If admission is refused or cannot be obtained from the person, in possession or occupancy, the Building Inspector shall be authorized to obtain a warrant to make an inspection, provided that reasonable or probable cause is shown.
C. 
In case of an emergency, the Building Inspector may, without a warrant, enter any premises or parts of premises to inspect the same, at any time, without the permission of the person in possession or occupancy.
[Added 12-6-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007]
A. 
Permitted work shall remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted by the Building Inspector or his or her representative. It shall be the responsibility of the owner, applicant, or his or her agent to notify the Building Inspector when construction work is ready for inspection.
(1) 
If entrance to make an inspection is refused or cannot be obtained, the Town Board, after being notified by the Inspector of the situation, may apply for an order to make inspection to any court of competent jurisdiction.
B. 
The following elements of the construction process shall be inspected as determined by the Building Inspector to be applicable:
(1) 
Work site prior to the issuance of a permit;
(2) 
Footing and foundation;
(3) 
Preparation of 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;
(10) 
A final inspection after all work authorized by the building permit has been completed; and
(11) 
Any other inspection deemed necessary by the Building Inspector.
C. 
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 Fire Prevention and Building Code. Construction work not in compliance with code provisions shall be required to remain exposed until it has been brought into compliance with the code, been reinspected, and been found satisfactory as completed.