There shall be a Department of Inspections, consisting of a
Construction Official, a Building Subcode Official, an Electrical
Subcode Official, a Plumbing Subcode Official, a Mechanical Subcode
Official and a Fire Subcode Official, as well as other designated
officials for the enforcement of certain other Township ordinances,
and other subcode officials for such additional subcodes as may be
required. Where it is determined by the Township Code that enforcement
of a subcode adopted under the State Uniform Construction Code Act
(N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq.) shall be performed by a third-party
on-site inspection and plan review agency, no person need be appointed
as such subcode official. The appointment of such officials shall
be made by the Township Manager, subject to law.
The Department of Inspections, subject to the direction and
supervision of the Township Manager and in accordance with the State
Uniform Construction Code Act (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq.) and regulations
adopted pursuant thereto, shall administer and enforce the several
subcodes and other laws and ordinances committed and entrusted to
the officers within the Department.
A Construction Official shall be appointed by the Township Manager. The Construction Official shall be the chief administrator of the Department of Inspections; shall enforce all subcodes as well as Chapter 272, Property Maintenance, and Chapter 370, Zoning; and shall exercise all powers, functions and duties prescribed by general law and ordinance.
The Fire Subcode Official shall be charged with the enforcement
of the Fire Subcode; shall encompass the functions of the Fire Marshal;
and shall have all of the powers, functions and duties prescribed
by general law and ordinance.
Each official position created in this article shall be filled
by a person qualified for such position, pursuant to the Code, provided
that, in lieu of any particular subcode official, an on-site agency
may be retained by contract pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:23. More than one
official position may be held by the same person, provided that such
person is qualified pursuant to the Uniform Construction Code and
N.J.A.C. 5:23 to hold each position.
For the purposes of the State Uniform Construction Code and
its enforcement, all personnel in the Department of Inspections shall
be subject to the procedures and policies of the Department and shall
be primarily responsible to the Construction Official. The public
shall have the right, irrespective of the location of the offices
of various officials, unless in the case of emergency or unforeseen
or unavoidable circumstances, to do business at the office of the
Department of Inspections.
There is hereby established a Construction Board of Appeals,
consisting of five members, pursuant to the regulations of the Commissioner
of Community Affairs.
The fees charged by the Department shall be in accordance with Chapter 150, Fees, of the Code of the Township of Willingboro and shall be paid before any permit is issued.
The Construction Official shall, with the advice of the subcode
officials, prepare and submit to the Council semiannually a report
recommending a fee schedule based on the operating expenses of the
agency and any other expenses of the Township fairly attributable
to the enforcement of the State Uniform Construction Code Act (N.J.S.A.
52:27D-119 et seq.).
In order to provide for the training, certification and technical
support programs required by the State Uniform Construction Code Act
(N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq.) and the regulations, the enforcing agency
shall collect, in addition to the fees specified above, a surcharge
fee as provided in § 150-6D. The surcharge fee shall be
remitted to the Bureau of Housing Inspection, Department of Community
Affairs, on a quarterly basis for the fiscal quarters ending September
30, December 31, March 31 and June 30, not later than one month next
succeeding the end of the quarter for which it is due. In the fiscal
year in which the regulations first become effective, the fee shall
be collected and remitted for the third and fourth quarters only.
The enforcing agency shall report annually at the end of each fiscal
year to the Bureau of Housing Inspection and, not later than July
31, the total amount of the surcharge fee collected in the fiscal
year.
