[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Westbrook as Ch. XXIII-B of the 1942 Code (Ch. 11 of the 2007 Code); amended 4-2-1963. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
STATE LAW REFERENCES
Municipal authority to adopt technical codes by reference — 30-A M.R.S.A. § 3003.
Electrical installations — 30-A M.R.S.A. §§ 4152 to 4174.
[Amended 11-3-1965; 9-30-1974; 7-16-1984; 1-9-2006; 5-18-2009; 7-2-2012; 11-3-2014; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
For the purpose of establishing rules and regulations to safeguard persons and buildings and the contents thereof from hazards arising from the use of electricity for light, heat, power and other purposes, and prescribing minimum standards considered necessary for the public safety, the City of Westbrook hereby adopts the most current National Electrical Code adopted by the State of Maine.
It is intended by this chapter that all buildings within the boundaries of the City shall conform with the provisions and requirements of the National Electrical Code, and the provisions and requirements of said code shall be the minimum standards for the construction, alteration, use and maintenance of all buildings and the electrical fixtures and equipment therein contained within the limits of the City.
Any person, being the owner of or having control of any building or structure or part thereof, which violates any of the provisions of the National Electrical Code or who fails to conform to any of the provisions thereof in making any electrical installation within the City, after having received a ten-day notice of such violation and has not corrected same within such period, shall be subject to the penalty provisions of § 1-8 of this Code. Each and every day such a violation continues after such ten-day notice period shall constitute a separate offense.
This chapter shall not be construed to relieve or lessen the responsibility or liability of any party owning, operating, controlling or installing any electric wiring devices or equipment for damages to persons or property caused by any defect therein, nor shall the City be held as assuming any such liability by reason of the inspection authorized herein or by issuing a permit as herein provided for.
[Amended 1-9-2006; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
A permit shall be obtained from the Department of Code Enforcement before beginning any electrical installation work covered by the National Electrical Code within the City by the person intending to do such installation or by the owner of the premises in which it is to be done, but no permit shall be required under any of the following exceptions:
A. 
For any electrical repair work done for normal maintenance purposes.
B. 
Any person under the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission of this state or of the Federal Communications Commission.
C. 
Any electrical equipment and work, including construction, installation, operation, maintenance and repair, in or about industrial or manufacturing plants.
D. 
Any electrical installations or equipment involved in the manufacture, test or repair of electrical equipment in the manufacturer's plant.
Applications for permits required by the previous section shall be filed with the Department of Code Enforcement and shall set forth the nature of the proposed electrical installation work and all other information necessary to show whether or not the installation work will conform with the provisions and requirements of the National Electrical Code.
A. 
If the Building Inspector or the Electrical Inspector is satisfied that the application required by this chapter is in proper form and that the proposed installation will conform with the National Electrical Code, either of them may issue the permit to the applicant on receipt of payment of the fee therefor in accordance with the schedule of fees set forth in Chapter A400, Master Fee Schedule, and shall keep a record thereof for the Department of Code Enforcement.
B. 
All such fees shall be deposited in the treasury.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Sec. 11-8, Permits to be valid for one year; renewable, which immediately followed this section and was added 2-7-1967, was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II). See now § 153-9, Schedule of fees.
[Added 2-7-1967; amended 1-9-2006]
In the event a permit required by this chapter is denied or any person is aggrieved by any order or decision of the Building Inspector or the Electrical Inspector relative to the provisions or enforcement of this chapter, the applicant or aggrieved person may file an appeal, in writing, with the Council in accordance with the provisions of 30-A M.R.S.A. § 4103, which provisions shall apply to such an appeal.
[Added 2-7-1967; amended 12-3-1977; 7-6-1982; 1-22-1991; 1-25-1999; 11-25-2005; 1-9-2006]
The schedule of fees is set forth in Chapter A400, Master Fee Schedule. For fee purposes, outlets will be classed as lights, lighting and small appliance receptacles (plugs), and lighting switches. Unless otherwise stated, each permit issued will be valid to one year from the date of issue, except temporary permits, and may be renewed by the original contractor for a period of not more than one year, for 1/4 of the previous permit fee.
[Added 12-27-1973; amended 1-9-2006]
When an electrical permit is not applied for within two business days after the work has been started, the fee for such a belated permit shall be double the amount of the fee as per schedule.
[Amended 1-9-2006]
The Electrical Inspector and the Building Inspector shall have the authority to make such inspections of all buildings and electrical installations therein within the City as they may deem necessary to see that the provisions of this chapter and the National Electric Code are strictly enforced, and they shall have the authority to institute any proceedings which may be necessary for enforcing or preventing violations of this chapter and the National Electrical Code.
No person shall cover or conceal or cause to be so covered or concealed any wiring for which a permit has been issued or is required before such wiring has been inspected and approved without having officially notified the Electrical Inspector at least 48 hours prior to such covering or concealment.
When any electrical work or wiring is found to have been installed without a proper permit having been secured, or not to be in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, the Electrical Inspector, if he deems such work or wiring to be a hazard to the safety of persons or property, is hereby authorized and empowered to remove the fuses, cut the wires or otherwise render the system inoperative until such permit has been secured and the work of wiring reinspected and approved.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Sec. 11-14, Classification of outlets, which immediately followed this section and was added 2-7-1967, was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II). See now § 153-9, Schedule of fees.