[Ord. No. 2948, 8-15-2022]
A. 
Certain documents listed below, a copy of which are on file in the office of the City Clerk, are hereby adopted as the Building Codes of the City of Higginsville, Missouri. Said codes shall regulate the design, construction, quality of materials, erection, installation, alteration, repair, location, replacement, addition to, use or maintenance of building systems in the City of Higginsville, and providing for the issuance of building permits and collection of fees therefore. Each and all of the regulations, provisions, conditions and terms of such International Building Codes, 2021 Edition volumes, listed below are hereby referred to, adopted, and made part hereof, as if fully set out in this Chapter. See Articles II through XII for specific adoptions, modifications and changes to same.
1. 
2021 International Building Code.
2. 
2021 International Residential Code.
3. 
2021 International Plumbing Code.
4. 
2021 International Mechanical Code.
5. 
2021 International Fire Code.
6. 
2020 National Electric Code.
7. 
2021 International Fuel Gas Code.
8. 
2021 International Property Maintenance Code.
9. 
2021 Private Sewage Disposal Code.
10. 
2021 International Pool and Spa Code.
11. 
2021 International Existing Building Code.
12. 
2009 International Energy Conservation Code.
B. 
All other ordinances or policies in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.
[R.O. 2009 §515.010; Ord. No. 2019 §1, 5-5-2003]
A. 
No building or structure shall be erected added to, or structurally altered until a permit has been issued by the Building Official. Except upon a decision by the Board of Adjustment, no such building permit shall be issued for any building where said construction, addition or alteration or use thereof would be in violation of any of the provisions of the City's Zoning Code.
B. 
It is a violation of City Code to begin construction without having obtained all required permits. Failure to obtain a building permit may result in assessment of a double permit fee and requiring the contractor to remove construction for which required inspection fees have not been obtained. No inspections will be made until required permits have been obtained.
[R.O. 2009 §515.020; Ord. No. 2019 §2, 5-5-2003]
A. 
For residential construction, it is not necessary to have the site plan prepared by a registered surveyor, engineer or architect. The plan provided, however, should be clear and detailed enough so the plan reviewer can determine that Zoning and Building Code requirements are in compliance with City ordinance. For commercial structures, the site plan must contain the seal of a registered engineer or architect. A site plan of the property shall give the following information.
1. 
Show north arrow and drawing scale.
2. 
Delineate all easements with dimensions.
3. 
Delineate proposed building setback lines.
4. 
Location of the property by address or legal description.
5. 
Locate all existing buildings and structures on property.
6. 
Indicate proposed use of building.
7. 
Indicate proposed method of handling stormwater.
8. 
Indicate proposed location of water and sewer taps.
[R.O. 2009 §515.030; Ord. No. 2019 §3, 5-5-2003]
A. 
Commercial and multi-family residential building plans, except duplexes, require the seal of a qualified engineer or architect registered in the State of Missouri. Single-family and duplex dwellings do not require an architect's or engineer's seal but should be of good enough quality to provide the following information.
1. 
Floor plan of all floors including basement.
a. 
Give overall dimensions of building and room dimensions.
b. 
Show location of furnace(s) and water heater(s).
c. 
Name and use of each room.
d. 
By note or detail, specify size of windows and doors in all rooms and basement.
e. 
Describe any special features by appropriate note.
2. 
Framing details are to include:
a. 
By notes on building floor plans or by details or cut elevations of buildings specify the size of all framing components, give grade and species, specify center to center spacing of members.
b. 
Show details of any special architectural features, e.g., vaulted ceilings, cantilevers, beams, etc.
c. 
Show clear load transfer path to all floor, ceiling and roof loads through structure to foundations.
3. 
Foundation plan is to include:
a. 
Footings—depth, width, thickness and reinforcing.
b. 
Foundation walls.
(1) 
Height and thickness.
(2) 
Reinforcing.
4. 
Elevation drawings. Front elevation is mandatory, sides and rear desirable.
a. 
Finished floor and grade elevations.
b. 
Material used for siding.
c. 
Roof pitches.
5. 
The following are special features of residential structures required to be designed and sealed by a Missouri professional engineer.
a. 
Vaulted roof/ceiling structures.
b. 
Framed walls and studs over ten (10) feet in length.
c. 
Load bearing cantilevers with two (2) feet or more of cantilever.
d. 
Foundation walls supporting nine (9) feet or more of unbalanced fill.
e. 
Suspended concrete slabs.
f. 
Bearing walls which are offset more than the depth of floor joists below from bearing element of structure.
g. 
Excessive point loading.
h. 
Pre-engineered truss systems shall have design and layout.
i. 
Manufactured I-joist system shall have a designed layout.
j. 
Exceptionally long floor spans.
B. 
This information may or may not be all that is required for each individual building design. If additional information is required during the review process, the permit applicant or designated design professional will be contacted.
C. 
A completed permit application supplied in the building permit application packet and drawings shall be submitted to the Building Official for review and approval before a building permit can be issued. Two (2) sets of drawings are required for commercial buildings and one (1) set for residential buildings.
[R.O. 2009 §515.040; Ord. No. 2019 §4, 5-5-2003]
A. 
After a complete application has been submitted to the City, a plan review will be conducted to determine if the plan meets the adopted Building Codes. Review of applications for single-family and duplex construction normally takes three (3) days. Review of applications for a commercial building may take two (2) to three (3) weeks depending upon the building complexity.
1. 
A building permit will be issued by the Building Official when the following conditions are met:
a. 
The plan review is successfully completed.
b. 
The setbacks and use complies with the City's Zoning Ordinance.
c. 
The applicable fees are received by the City Clerk.
[R.O. 2009 §515.050; Ord. No. 2019 §5, 5-5-2003; Ord. No. 2401 §1, 10-18-2010; Ord. No. 2405 §1, 11-1-2010]
All required permit fees must be paid at the time the building permit is issued. Permit fees for new commercial and residential buildings are calculated using a method recommended by the International Code Council (ICC). Fees for remodel, rehabilitation, or accessory buildings are calculated according to the cost of the construction being completed. Water and sewer tap fees as well as plumbing, electrical, and HVAC fees are also due before the building permit can be issued.
For rehabilitation, remodel, and accessory buildings, fees are:
Construction Cost
Fee
Up to $2,500.00
$25.00
$2,501.00 to $5,000.00
$50.00
$5,001.00 to $50,000.00
$75.00
$50,001.00 to $100,000.00
$150.00
Over $100,000.00
$250.00
For water and sewer tap fees, see applicable ordinances setting such fees.
[Ord. No. 2825, 2-3-2020]
A. 
The City of Higginsville will rebate a portion of fees on construction projects, pursuant to the following process:
1. 
Persons engaged in constructing a residential, commercial, or industrial structure shall be required to pay the building permit fees, as well as any applicable utility system development fee, as per current City ordinance. The applicant shall be the owner of the property for which the permit is issued.
2. 
The applicant must be a Higginsville Municipal Utility electric customer in good standing.
3. 
At the time of the purchase of the building permit, the City will provide the applicant with a development fee reimbursement application to be used to request a partial reimbursement of development fees.
4. 
To qualify for a reimbursement, the permitted project must purchase a minimum of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00) in construction materials from local Higginsville suppliers, with reimbursement limited to a sum equal to ninety percent (90%) of the City of Higginsville sales tax paid on those materials. The fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00) may represent a total of supplies purchased from several suppliers. Only materials purchased within the City of Higginsville and subject to City sales tax may be included. Contractor services and labor costs may not be included. The maximum amount that may be applied for is a sum equal to the total amount of the building permit previously purchased by the applicant.
5. 
Materials purchased must be used on the construction project for which applicant is seeking a reimbursement of previously paid development fees.
6. 
To claim a reimbursement, applicants must submit to the City Clerk a completed development fee reimbursement application summarizing local supply purchases with copies of receipts attached. All applications must be submitted within ninety (90) days of issuance of a certificate of occupancy. A job number or other means of verifying that the materials purchased were used on the project for which applicant is seeking a reimbursement of previously paid development fees must be provided.
7. 
Upon verification of the submitted documentation by the City Clerk, the City of Higginsville shall issue a rebate to the applicant within thirty (30) days, subject to availability of budgeted funds.
8. 
Rebates shall be payable only from funds budgeted for this purpose annually, and upon approval of rebates in an amount equal to this budgeted amount. No further rebates shall be issued for that fiscal year unless further funds are budgeted for that purpose.
[R.O. 2009 §515.070; Ord. No. 2019 §7, 5-5-2003]
A. 
Inspections will be performed by the Building Official to ensure compliance with adopted Building Codes. It is the responsibility of the builder/contractor to request inspections to be made by the Building Official. Inspections may be called for dispatching through the City Clerk or directly from the Building Official. Inspection requests will be taken throughout the day, but they will be distributed as work assignments once a day. Inspection requests must be received by 3:00 P.M. to be assigned for the following day's work. If a required inspection is not requested when needed, structural or other changes may have to be made at owner's expense, as necessary, to allow the inspection to be completed.
B. 
Exceptions to the scheduling of inspections may be made with inspections associated with placement of concrete. The Building Official will make every effort to perform these types of inspections on the day of the request if the request is received no later than 2:00 P.M. The City's response will depend on the workload already received. The Building Inspector should be able to determine at the time of the request if response can be made on the "same day."
C. 
Building permits must be available to the inspector upon initial inspection and posted at the job site thereafter. Approved plans relevant to a schedule inspection are required to be on the job site and available for review by the Building Official. If non-conformance is observed by the Building Official, a field correction notice is issued. Corrections and reinspection must be made before any work continues.
D. 
The following inspections will be made by the Building Official. All inspections must be called for with permit number and address of the site. No occupancy will be allowed without a final inspection and certificate of occupancy.
1. 
Prior to placement of concrete for footings.
2. 
Prior to placement of concrete for foundation walls.
3. 
Prior to placement of concrete for basement floor.
4. 
After the rough-in carpentry is complete.
5. 
After the electrical rough-in is complete.
6. 
After the plumbing rough-in is complete.
7. 
After the mechanical rough-in is complete.
8. 
After the insulation is installed.
9. 
Final inspection after all life safety items are completed and before the building is occupied.
[R.O. 2009 §515.080; Ord. No. 2019 §8, 5-5-2003]
A. 
If during the initial inspection by the inspector deficiencies are found, a correction notice will be left either on the job site or with the contractor, if present. All items on the correction notice are required to be corrected before a reinspection is requested. An exception may be granted if a specific item or items will not be concealed and can be reinspected on the final inspection.
B. 
If for any reason there is confusion concerning any of the items that have been found to be deficient, the contractor, builder or owner should contact the inspector who performed the inspection for clarification. The City's Building Code consultant may be contacted for an opinion. If there is a disagreement, the complete procedure for appealing decisions and interpretations of the Building Official are outlined later in this Chapter.
C. 
Reinspection requests will be responded to on the day following the request being received by the Inspector. If approval is received, the project may proceed to the next stage. If it is found that all items noted on the original corrections notice have not been corrected and additional corrections are required, a reinspection fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00) per reinspection after the first (1st) reinspection will be required. The contractor may not proceed with the project or conceal any items still remaining on the corrections notice until approval is received from the inspector's office. Inspectors will only inspect items noted on the original inspection correction notice when performing reinspections except as follows:
1. 
Additional work has been done which does not comply with Code requirements.
2. 
A major deficiency is found which could adversely affect the integrity of the structure or the life safety of its occupants.
[R.O. 2009 §515.090; Ord. No. 2019 §9, 5-5-2003]
If throughout the plan review or inspection process of the project there is confusion as to any specific Code requirement cited by the inspector, clarification may be obtained by requesting an official Code interpretation. The request will be made within one (1) working day. This response will either uphold or overturn the inspector's decision and will cite specific Code Sections or reference material used by the consultant in making his/her recommendation. This step will be required before making an appeal to the Building Code Board of Appeals.
[R.O. 2009 §515.100; Ord. No. 2019 §10, 5-5-2003]
When there are practical difficulties in complying with the provisions of the Code, the inspector may grant modifications for individual cases. Application for a Code modification shall be made in writing to the Building Inspector. The modification request shall include the reason that the strict letter of the Code is impractical and state how the modification is in conformance with the implied intent of the Code and will not lessen any fire protection requirements or lessen any degree of structural integrity of the building. The modification request shall include any documents on alternate materials or construction design alternatives that may be considered by the Building Official when making a decision. The decision of the Building Official shall be recorded in an official document and be recorded in the permanent file of the project.
[R.O. 2009 §515.110; Ord. No. 2019 §11, 5-5-2003]
A. 
Application to the Building Code Board of Appeals can be made for any order, decision, determination or interpretation of the Codes made by the Building Inspector by filing an appeal with the Building Inspector. The Building Code Board of Appeals shall consist of five (5) members appointed by the Mayor. Each member shall serve a three (3) year term.
B. 
When an appeal is filed, the Building Official shall forward the application to the Chairperson of the Board of Appeals who will schedule a date and time for hearing the appeal. Notice of the date and time of hearing will be given to the appeal applicant with a minimum of one (1) calendar week notice before the appeal is heard.
C. 
The appeal application shall cite a specific order, decision, determination or interpretation made by the Building Official and shall be filed within thirty (30) days of the order, decision, determination or interpretation. Please note that the Board of Appeals is not empowered to waive any requirements of the Building Codes. The Board of Appeals shall issue their decision in writing to the applicant within ten (10) days of the hearing.
[R.O. 2009 §515.120; Ord. No. 2019 §12, 5-5-2003]
Contractors and subcontractors required to install water and sewer service lines must contact the Building Official to arrange for a site meeting to select routes for the service lines prior to any excavation. The Building Inspector must inspect the completed installation before backfilling. Water and sewer connection fees are to be paid at the same time as the building permit fee is paid.
[R.O. 2009 §515.130; Ord. No. 2019 §13, 5-5-2003]
Littering during construction is prohibited. The builder/contractor will be responsible for avoiding littering on the building site and adjacent properties. Papers, cans, bottles, etc., shall be placed in containers or removed from the site. Spilling or tracking of soil, mud, rock or other material onto the streets must be avoided. Immediate cleanup of materials tracked onto the streets is required. Burning of wood waste material is to be coordinated with the Higginsville Fire Department.
[R.O. 2009 §515.140; Ord. No. 2019 §14, 5-5-2003]
Delivery and concrete trucks are to use care in use of City streets to the job site. Posted weights are to be observed. Concrete trucks are to limit the loads on their trucks to no more than eight (8) cubic yards of concrete.
[Ord. No. 2658 § 2, 2-6-2017]
Notwithstanding the provisions of the Building Code and International Residential Code, as amended and adopted by the City of Higginsville, Missouri, all builders of single-family dwellings or residences or townhouses shall offer to any purchaser on or before the time of entering into the purchase contract the option, at purchaser's cost, to install or equip fire sprinklers in the dwelling, residence, or unit, in accordance with Section 67.281, RSMo., and as the same is amended. This provision shall expire at the same time as Section 67.281, RSMo., and as amended.