As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
The City Attorney for the City of Hometown.
The City of Hometown.
"Residential buildings," as used in this Code, shall mean and
include:
(A)
Single-family residences, not over two stories and an attic in height.
(B)
Duplex houses (two units, side by side), and two-, three-, and four-family
apartments or flats, not over two stories in height.
(C)
Buildings customarily accessory to the foregoing.
(D)
Any residential portions of offices, stores, and other business buildings,
not higher than the second floor, subject to such additional requirements
as may apply to such buildings.
All heat ducts to be laid in concrete shall be raised above
concrete before pour to allow concrete to flow under ducts.
"A" frame houses are not permitted.
A third roof covering on any roof in the City is prohibited.
Roofs requiring such recovering shall be stripped one layer or to
the sheathing and boards and all such roofs shall be recovered as
if it were a new roof or a roof first to be covered.
All new or replacement furnaces shall be subject to the following
additional requirements:
(A)
All furnaces must be on a coil box, a minimum of 12 inches off the
floor.
(B)
All furnace room doors must have fixed (permanent or nonadjustable)
vents or louvers.
(C)
The furnace must have a minimum of four inches of clearance from
the door to the furnace.
(D)
Installation of chimney restraints such as flue dampers must have
at least eight inches of clearance from the door to the furnace room.
(E)
New louvered doors should be installed and moved out into and open
into a hall.
(F)
A new flue (smoke pipes) must be installed when the furnace is installed;
i.e., the old flue must be removed.
[Added 5-26-2009 by Ord.
No. 6-2009]
(A)
All replacement hot water heaters installed in an existing structure
shall be subject to the following installation requirements:
(1)
All new or replacement hot waters heaters must be ANSI certified.
(2)
The safety relief valve must have an attached 3/4 inch copper
or galvanized pipe, a minimum of three feet in length.
(3)
A new flue (smoke pipes) must be installed when the hot water
heater is installed (i.e., the old flue must be removed); the flue
pipe must be pitched upward, the high hat must be screwed to the top
and each flue section must be screwed together (any tape on flue sections
is prohibited).
(4)
The gas line installed must be solid black gas piping, have
an appropriate gas shutoff valve and be installed directly to the
gas burner control module.
(5)
Water lines installed directly to the hot water heater must
be metal piping; a shut-off valve for the cold water supply must also
be installed. (The use of flexible copper piping is allowed; however,
the shut-off valve must be installed before any connection is made
to this flexible piping.)
(B)
For all new hot water heaters being installed in a new/remodeled
structure, the above-noted specifications apply, in addition to the
following requirement:
(1)
A floor drain must be properly installed within the structure
that is housing the new water heater in order to properly handle any
discharge by the relief valve or any leakage by the hot water heater.
The floor drain will not be allowed to empty into a crawl space or
other open area but must be properly connected into the household's
wastewater connection and vented properly. This provision also includes
any 90% or higher furnaces, air conditioners or humidifiers (except
where a slab foundation exists and installation of a pump is required).
(C)
In a case of an emergency, involving after-hours or weekend installation,
the application for a permit must be received by the City Clerk's
office within the first business day following the installation of
the hot water heater.
[Amended 6-28-2005 by Ord. No. 4-2005; 7-27-2010 by Ord. No. 10-2010]
The following additional requirements shall be adhered to by
the owners and occupants of any premises within the City of Hometown
for the installation and maintenance of smoke detectors and heat-sensing
devices:
(A)
Each owner/occupant shall install and maintain smoke detectors and
heat-sensing devices in compliance with the Fire Codes adopted by
the City of Hometown.
(B)
Smoke detectors or heat-sensing devices shall be required in every
building containing one or more dwelling units.
(C)
Smoke detectors and heat-sensing devices shall be required in every
commercial store and building and shall be located and installed according
to manufacturer specifications.
(D)
Smoke detectors and heat-sensing devices shall be required in any
building containing places of assembly of 50 or more persons.
(E)
Smoke detectors and heat-sensing devices shall be required in all
of the buildings where a fire safety hazard exists as determined by
the Hometown Fire Department (which shall mean the Hometown Fire Protection
District) after investigation and recommendation.
(F)
The location of panels and pull stations shall be determined by the
Hometown Fire Department and Hometown Building Department.
(G)
There shall be a smoke detector or heat-sensing device in every closet,
storage area, electrical closet and furnace room in every commercial
store.
(H)
In new constructions and major remodeling in dwelling-type occupancies,
the requirement for smoke detectors shall be (1) 120 volts on its
own circuit and shall be equipped with a battery back-up; and (2)
installed outside sleeping quarters and furnace rooms. If more than
one smoke detector or heat-sensing device is required to be installed
and maintained in the same building or structure, and the devices
are not located in close proximity or are located on different stories,
they shall be wired together so that if one detector is activated,
all are activated.
(I)
In every commercial store or building, buildings containing places
of assembly of 50 or more persons, or in any other location the Fire
Department deems appropriate, the smoke detectors and heat-sensing
devices shall be installed, connected to and monitored by a U.L.-certified
central monitoring company of the owner's/occupant's choice. All existing
buildings required to be connected to and monitored by a U.L.-certified
central monitoring company shall be so connected by October 1, 2010.
(J)
Any person or entity found to be in violation of any provision of
this section shall be fined not less than $250 or more than $750,
and a separate offense shall be deemed committed each day a violation
occurs or is permitted to continue.
[Amended 7-27-2010 by Ord. No. 11-2010]
(A)
A fee of $25 per false alarm shall be charged to the owner or occupant
of any premises for each false alarm transmitted to the City in excess
of two per calendar year. A fee of $50 shall be charged to the owner
or occupant for each false alarm in excess of five per calendar year.
For the purposes of this section, "false alarm" shall mean any emergency
alarm signal, either audible outside or transmitted to the Police
or Fire Department, that requires a response of emergency fire or
police equipment and personnel, where no emergency exists, due to
the improper installation, maintenance or operation of an alarm system
or the result of human error in transmitting the alarm signal. False
alarms shall not include those situations where the false signal was
caused by an act of God, a power outage, a malfunction attributable
to the telephone company, or similar unanticipated extraordinary circumstances.
The burden of proving the nonchargeability of the false transmission
shall be on the owner or occupant of the premises.
(B)
The failure to pay fines for excessive false alarms shall also be
deemed just cause to disconnect the alarm service to the premises.
A written notice of the City's intent to disconnect the service shall
be sent by certified mail to the business licensee or occupant of
the premises as well as the alarm company monitoring the premises.
The notice shall inform the recipient of the reason for disconnection
and shall allow the recipient a predisconnection opportunity to be
heard before the City Council. If a party fails to request a hearing,
or if a hearing is held and the party fails to demonstrate the nonchargeability
of the false transmissions to the City Council, the service shall
be disconnected.
(C)
Notwithstanding the above, the City Council may order the disconnection
of an alarm service to any premises which has transmitted 10 or more
false alarms in a calendar year. A written notice of the City's intent
to disconnect the service shall be sent by certified mail to the business
licensee or occupant of the premises as well as the alarm company
monitoring the premises to be disconnected. The notice shall include
the nature of the charge and allow the recipient a predisconnection
opportunity to be heard before the City Council. If a party fails
to request a hearing, or if a hearing is held and the party fails
to demonstrate good cause as to why the alarm service should not be
disconnected, the City Council shall authorize the disconnection of
the alarm service.
(A)
Front porches and decks shall be allowed 100 square feet maximum,
with the exception of U-shaped original three-bedroom Hometown houses,
which will be allowed 132 square feet for a front porch or deck, which
cannot extend beyond the front corner of the house.
(B)
Height. Decks shall be no higher than the front door sill.
(C)
Railings shall be no higher than four feet from the deck.
(D)
Footings must be at least eight square and 42 inches below grade.
(E)
A deck must be attached to the house.
(F)
Screened or enclosed porches, decks, gazebos, etc. are not allowed
in front yards. In addition, no deck or porch attached to the front
of the home shall include a roof, eave, awning, or similar covering.
On interior lots, any porch or deck constructed on the front of the
home must be attached to the residence. On corner lots, any front
porch or deck must be attached to that side of the residence containing
the front entrance to the home.
