There is hereby adopted by the Mayor and Commissioners, for
the purpose of establishing rules and regulations for the installation,
renewal, extension and reception of electrical wiring and electric
apparatus in existing buildings and structures and reconstruction,
alteration or repair of buildings and structures or outdoor electrical
displays or signs, that certain code known as the "National Electrical
Code" as recommended by the National Fire Protection Association, 2014
edition, of which not fewer than three copies are filed in the office
of the Town Clerk, provided that three copies of all amendments thereto,
unless specifically deleted from the National Electrical Code by ordinance
of the Mayor and Commissioners, shall be filed in the office of the
Town Clerk, and such code and amendments thereto are hereby adopted
and incorporated as fully as if set out at length in this article,
and the provisions thereof shall be controlling for all existing and
future electrical wiring and apparatus in buildings, structures or
outdoor electrical displays or signs within the corporate limits of
the Town.
Only the materials, fittings and devices enumerated in the List
of Inspected Appliances of Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc.,
as revised from time to time, shall be used in the electrical work
regulated by the electrical code adopted by this article.
The imposition of one penalty for any violation under this article
shall not excuse the violation or permit it to continue, and all such
persons shall be required to correct or remedy such violations or
defects within 30 days' time unless an appeal is taken to the
Circuit Court for the county, in which case such person shall be required
to correct or remedy such violations or defects within 30 days after
a final decision by the Circuit Court for the county. When not otherwise
specified, each 10 days that a prohibited condition exists shall constitute
a separate offense. The application of any penalty for a violation
of this article shall not be held to prevent the enforced removal
of prohibited conditions.
The electrical code adopted by this article shall be enforced
by the Building Official. The Building Official shall, upon the installation,
renewal, extension and reception of any electric wiring and electric
apparatus pursuant to this article, cause an inspection to be made
by himself or his duly authorized agents to determine that the electrical
work conforms to the provisions of such electrical code and to this
article.
The Building Official shall have the power to modify any of
the provisions of this article, upon application in writing by the
owner of a premises or his agent, when there are practical difficulties
in the way of carrying out the strict letter of this article, provided
that the spirit of this article shall be observed, public safety secured
and substantial justice done.
A.
Every applicant and owner of any premises and any other parties aggrieved
by a decision of the Building Official under this article shall have
the right to demand, in writing, a hearing before the Mayor and Commissioners
to contest any decision or order made by the Building Official. Such
demand for a hearing shall be signed by the contesting party, stating
what portions of the Building Official's decision or order are
contested and his interest in the premises.
B.
The Mayor and Commissioners shall fix a time and place for the hearing
not more than 30 days after receiving such demand for a hearing and
cause a notice of the hearing to be served personally, or by regular
mail, on the contestant, owner of the premises and other parties in
interest.
C.
The contestant, owner of the premises and other parties in interest
shall have the right to appear in person, or otherwise, and give testimony
at the hearing, and the rules of evidence prevailing in the courts
shall not be controlling.
D.
The Mayor and Commissioners, within a reasonable time after such
hearing, shall make their decision, in writing, and serve a copy of
their decision personally or by regular mail on the contestant, owner
of the premises and other parties in interest.
E.
Any applicant and owner of the premises and any other parties aggrieved
by the decision of the Mayor and Commissioners may appeal such decision
to the Circuit Court for the county within 30 days after the decision
of the Mayor and Commissioners.
All records of the Building Official relating to the subject
matter of this article shall be open to public inspection for good
and sufficient reasons during office hours but shall not be removed
from the office of the Building Official without his written consent.
A.
Required.
No person shall make any installation or renewal or extension of electrical
wire or conductors to be used for the transmission of electric current
for electric light, heat or power purposes in existing buildings,
structures or outdoor electrical displays or signs, or in the construction,
reconstruction, alteration or repair of buildings, structures, or
outdoor electrical displays or signs, without first applying for and
obtaining a permit to do so pursuant to the provisions of this section.
B.
Exceptions.
No electrical permit shall be required under this section for the
following electrical work:
(1)
Minor repair work such as the replacement of lamps and fuses.
(2)
The connection of portable electrical appliances to suitable permanently
installed appliances.
(3)
Equipment installed or work performed for a public utility.
(4)
Equipment installed or work performed by a railway utility in the
exercise of its function as a utility and located in or on its right-of-way.
(5)
Equipment used in connection with commercial radio and television
transmission.
(6)
Repair, manufacturing and maintenance work on premises occupied by
a firm or corporation and installation work on existing buildings
occupied by a firm or corporation and performed by a regular employee
who is a qualified journeyman electrician.
C.
Application.
(1)
All applications for electrical permits shall be made to the Building
Official, in writing, on forms supplied by the Building Official.
(2)
Such application form shall contain questions designed to elicit
information to determine whether or not the proposed electric wiring
and electric apparatus comply with the electrical code adopted by
this article and any other provisions of this Code or any other ordinances
of the Town.
(3)
Any person making any false answers to any of the questions or items
set forth in such application form shall forthwith forfeit and surrender
any permit issued pursuant thereto.
D.
Payment
of fees. No permit required by this section shall be issued until
all fees required by the Town for the permit are paid.
E.
Application
for inspection required prior to issuance. Each applicant for an electrical
permit shall furnish to the Building Official proof in writing that
an application for inspection of the proposed electric wiring and
electric apparatus has been made to Middle Department Inspection Agency,
a nonprofit organization, or a similar organization that specializes
in such inspections, to determine that the electrical work conforms
to the provisions of the electrical code adopted by this article and
with this article. The payment of all inspection fees and charges
of the underwriters or a similar organization shall be borne by the
applicant.
F.
Issuance;
expiration.
(1)
Upon determination by the Building Official that the proposed electric
wiring and electric apparatus comply with the electrical code adopted
by this article and with the provisions of this article and the laws
of the state, an electrical permit shall issue forthwith.
(2)
All electrical permits shall expire at the expiration of one year
from the date of issuance.
A.
Inspection
of proposed work.
(1)
Required. All inspections of work done pursuant to an electrical
permit shall be made to ensure that the proposed electrical work complies
with the provisions of the electrical code adopted by this article.
No electric wiring shall be concealed unless inspected and approved
by the Building Official and his agents and the representative of
the Middle Department Inspection Agency or other similar organization,
but such inspections or reinspection shall be made within a reasonable
time after notice of the completion of the electrical work sought
to be inspected for approval. A duplicate record of each written approval
made by the inspectors shall be filed with the Building Official.
(2)
Access to premises. Each applicant for an electrical permit shall
cause the premises covered by the application to be open for inspection
to the Building Official and his agents and the representatives of
the Middle Department Inspection Agency or similar organization at
all reasonable times.
(3)
Determination of compliance. All decisions made to determine whether
or not proposed electrical work complies with the provisions of the
electrical code adopted by this article shall be made by the Building
Official or his duly authorized agents.
(4)
Authority to stop work and order removal of work. The Building Official
shall have the power to stop electrical work and order the removal
thereof when he determines that such work is not being installed in
conformity with the electrical code adopted by this article and in
accordance with this article.
(5)
Waiver of inspection. The Building Official may waive his inspection
of all or that portion of any proposed electrical work for which he
shall have received a duplicate record of approval by the Middle Department
Inspection Agency or other similar organization that it complies with
the provisions of the electrical code adopted by this article and
with this article. Notice of the waiver of inspection shall be served
on the applicant so that the approved work can be concealed.
B.
Inspection
of existing installations.
(1)
In order to safeguard persons and property against the hazards and
perils incident to defective electric wiring and apparatus in existence
within the Town, the Building Official is hereby given the authority
to inspect, with his agents and the representatives of the Middle
Department Inspection Agency or other similar organization, when requested
by proper authority or when public interest so requires, any premises
within the Town, at reasonable times, to ensure that the existing
electric wiring system and apparatus are not defective and unsafe.
(2)
All decisions that the existing electric wiring system and apparatus
are defective shall be made by the Building Official, in writing,
on notice to the owner of the premises served forthwith personally
or by regular mail addressed to the address as shown on the latest
tax records, with the reasons for his decision.
(3)
Upon the Building Official's decision that the existing electric
wiring system is defective and unsafe, the system or portion of the
system which is defective and unsafe shall be discontinued until it
is corrected and made to comply with the provisions of the electrical
code adopted by this article and in accordance with this article.
