This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Electrical
Code."
[Amended 5-22-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007]
Since there is danger to life and property inherent in the use
of electrical energy, the Electrical Code is enacted to regulate the
business of installing, altering or repairing wiring and appliances
for electric light, heat or power in or on all real property within
the building lines in the City of Yonkers, and the administration,
implementation and enforcement of the provisions of the New York State
Uniform Fire Prevention & Building Code relevant to electrical
matters.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former §§ 56-105 through 56-109,
regarding the Board of Electrical Control, as amended, were repealed
5-22-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007.
[Amended 5-22-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
The Commissioner of the Department of Housing and Buildings.
The Department of Housing and Buildings.
Any person, firm or corporation engaged in the business of
installing or altering, by contract or otherwise, electrical wiring,
devices or equipment for the utilization of electricity supplied for
light, heat or power. The term "electrical contractor" shall not apply
to employees of electrical contractors doing electrical work.
[Amended 5-22-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007]
It shall be unlawful for any person, or a person representing
a firm or corporation, to engage in the business of an electrical
contractor in the manner herein set forth without being registered
and licensed as a master electrician with the Westchester County Electrical
Licensing Board.
[Added 5-22-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007[1]]
A.
Each electrical contractor at the time of the filing for a permit
shall also file with the Commissioner proof of the following:
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former § 56-112
through 56-120, regarding registration and licensing of electrical
contractors, as amended.
[Added 5-22-2007 by L.L. No. 5-2007[1]; 6-26-2012 by L.L.
No. 11-2012; 5-14-2019 by L.L. No. 5-2019]
A.
No wiring, devices or equipment for the transmission, distribution
or utilization of electrical energy for light, power or heat shall
be installed within or on any structure nor shall any alteration or
addition be made in any such existing wiring, devices or equipment,
without first securing a permit therefor, except as follows:
(1)
For minor repair work for the replacement of lamps, ballasts or fuses
or the connection of portable devices to suitable permanently wired
receptacles.
(2)
For maintenance and repair work on premises where one or more electricians
who hold a special license are regularly employed for the purpose.
B.
Upon an electrical contractor filing for a permit to correct violations,
notices of which have been served upon owner, agent, lessee or tenant,
the electrical contractor shall start said work within 10 days of
the issuance of the permit. If, in the opinion of the Commissioner,
the violation is not being promptly removed, the Commissioner shall
be empowered to summon the electrical contractor before the Westchester
County Licensing Board for appropriate action. Any failure to comply
shall be deemed a willful and persistent violation.
Application for permits shall be made on forms supplied by the
Department. All applications shall bear the personal signature of
the licensed electrical contractor making application for a permit.
All permits shall be issued in the form of a poster which shall bear
the name of the licensed electrical contractor to whom it is issued
and shall bear a permit number. This shall be placed on the premises
in which installation is to be made, adjacent to the service meter
or to the future location of the service meter.
The Commissioner shall require the following:
A.
Multiple dwellings: Electrical plans and specifications shall be
drawn up, signed and sealed by an electrical engineer who shall be
licensed and registered as a professional engineer in the State of
New York. Said plans and specifications shall be submitted for approval
to the Commissioner prior to the issuance of the building construction
permit.
B.
Other buildings (nonresidential): The Commissioner shall require
the submission of plans and specifications drawn by and signed and
sealed by an electrical engineer licensed and registered in the State
of New York prior to the issuance of the building construction permit.
[Amended 11-9-2010 by L.L. No. 6-2010; 5-14-2019 by L.L. No. 5-2019]
A.
The prescribed fees for a permit, based on the estimated cost stated
on the application for said permit, shall be:
(1)
A base fee of $175 plus $10 per $1,000 of estimated cost.
NOTE: The number of inspections included in the above fees is
two inspections for residential one- or two-family detached dwellings
and three inspections for other residential or commercial occupancies.
Additional or partial inspections may be requested subject to staff
availability, an additional fee of $150 per inspection will be required
prior to the inspection.
(2)
New, repair, replacement, or upgrade of electrical service or related
service entrance equipment:
B.
Reinspection fee if work is not completed or is not in compliance.
The prescribed fee for the reinspection shall be $250, and any subsequent
reinspection shall be $500.
[Added 11-9-2010 by L.L. No. 6-2010]
A.
Whenever any work for which an electrical permit is required pursuant to § 56-113 of this Code has been performed without such permit, a penalty shall be imposed as provided in this section.
B.
If an individual files an application with the Department of Housing
and Buildings to legalize work done on a property, or in a structure
or building on said property, where such work was performed without
the required permit(s), the individual shall pay a penalty of two
times the total fee otherwise due, for each permit required, in addition
to the regular permit fee(s) prescribed by this Code for work.
[Amended 6-26-2012 by L.L. No. 11-2012; 5-14-2019 by L.L. No. 5-2019]
C.
No permit shall be issued for any work described in Subsection A of this section until the additional penalty assessed pursuant to this section has been paid.
D.
Payment of the penalty required by this section shall not relieve
the applicant from compliance with the requirements of the Code of
the City of Yonkers, the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and
Building Code and all other applicable statutes, laws, codes, ordinances,
rules and regulations or from imposed fines or penalties.
No permit for the installation or alteration of any electric
wiring, devices or equipment shall be issued to any person, or a person
representing a firm or corporation, unless such person, firm or corporation
has been registered as an electrical contractor and holds a license
to work within the City of Yonkers limits.
[Amended 11-9-2010 by L.L. No. 6-2010]
A.
The Commissioner is hereby empowered in accordance with this chapter
and the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code to
issue permits for electrical installations to licensed electrical
contractors and special licensees and to supervise inspections of
electrical work.
B.
The Commissioner is also authorized and empowered to deputize in
any instance any regular inspector of the New York Electrical Inspection
Services, Inc., fully certified by IAEI (all three certifications
or Master Electrical Inspector certification) to inspect any electrical
installation such as is referred to in § 56-127 hereof and
to report on the same to the Commissioner, provided that such inspector
will make such inspection and report without compensation from the
City. Any use of such an inspector shall be within the limits authorized
by the New York Code, Rules and Regulations, Title 19, Chapter XXXII,
et seq., as it now exists or may hereafter be amended. All certificates,
permits and other approvals shall be issued only by an employee or
official of the City of Yonkers even if based upon the report or inspection
of an outside inspector.
C.
The Commissioner is hereby empowered to direct and authorize any
utility company to disconnect electric current, after notification
to the owner or his recognized agent or the occupant, when the current,
in his opinion, is dangerous to life, limb or property or when it
may interfere with work of the Fire Department. Such direction must
be in writing. Notification must be given in writing when approval
for the restoration of services is to be made.
A.
Upon completion of an electrical installation which has been authorized
by permit, the electrical contractor shall notify the Commissioner,
who shall inspect the installation. If it is found to be fully in
compliance with the provisions of the New York State Uniform Fire
Prevention and Building Code and with the provisions of this article,
he shall issue a certificate of approval or he may endorse his approval
upon the certificate of approval issued by the New York Board of Fire
Underwriters or the New York Electrical Inspection Services, Inc.,
for the same work. Such certificate, when so endorsed, shall be issued
to the electrical contractor to whom the permit for the work was issued
and shall constitute authorization for connection to the electrical
service and the use of the installation.
B.
Electrical inspections shall be made when, in the judgment of the
Commissioner, electrical defects exist which constitute a hazard to
persons and property. There shall be no inspection fees charged for
such inspections unless determined otherwise by the Commissioner.
When any part of any installation is to be concealed from view
by the permanent placement of parts of the building, the electrical
contractor shall notify the Commissioner, in writing, and such parts
of the installation shall not be concealed until they have been inspected
or until 48 hours, exclusive of Sundays and legal holidays, shall
have elapsed from the receipt of such notification by the Commissioner,
provided that on large installations where the concealment of parts
of the installation proceeds continuously, the electrical contractor
shall give the Commissioner due notice and inspections shall be made
periodically without further notice.
If, upon inspection, any installation is found to be not in
accordance with the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building
Code or the Yonkers Fire and Building Code, the Commissioner shall
notify the electrical contractor.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any person or persons representing a firm
or corporation to make a connection from a source of electrical energy
to any electric installation for which a permit is required or which
has been disconnected or ordered to be disconnected or the use of
which has been ordered discontinued by the Commissioner, until a certificate
of approval has been issued authorizing the connection and use of
such installation.
B.
A single-family home or dwelling shall be metered by a single electric
meter even if the home, dwelling or part thereof is occupied by an
extended family or in-laws, and no house meters shall be permitted
in such a home or dwelling. No more than two electric meters for a
two-family home or dwelling shall be permitted, even if the home,
dwelling or part thereof is occupied by an extended family member
or in-law. (No house meter shall be permitted in such a home or dwelling.)
A certificate may be issued authorizing the connection and use
of temporary work for a stated time, and a preliminary certificate
may be issued authorizing the connection and use of certain specific
portions of an uncompleted installation. Both such certificates shall
be revocable at the discretion of the Commissioner.
No certificate of approval shall be issued unless the electric
light, power or heating installation is in strict conformity with
the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, the
provisions of the Yonkers Fire and Building Code, the laws of the
State of New York and rules and regulations issued in accordance therewith
and unless they are in conformity with approved methods of construction
for safety to life and property.
A.
When the Commissioner condemns all or part of any electric installation
for a reason which is not related to or arising from matters addressed
in the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, then
the owner may, within 30 days after receiving written notice of such
condemnation, file with the regional board of appeals, pursuant to
the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations, Title 19, Chapter XXXII
et seq., and other applicable rules and regulations, a petition, in
writing, for review of said action. Upon receipt of the petition,
the board shall determine whether the action of the Commissioner will
be upheld, reversed or modified.
B.
When the Commissioner condemns all or part of any electrical installation
due to matters related to or arising from the New York State Uniform
Fire Prevention and Building Code, then the owner may appeal such
written notice of condemnation to the regional board of appeals pursuant
to the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations, Title 19, Chapter XXXII
et seq., and other applicable rules and regulations.
