[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Gloucester City 1-17-1977 by Ord. No. 1-1977. Amendments noted where applicable.]
There is hereby established in the City of Gloucester City a State Uniform Construction Code enforcing agency to be known as the "City of Gloucester City Construction Enforcement Office," consisting of a Construction Official, Building Subcode Official, Plumbing Subcode Official, Electrical Subcode Official, Fire Protection Subcode Official and such other subcode officials for such additional subcodes as the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs, State of New Jersey, shall hereafter adopt as part of the State Uniform Construction Code. The Construction Official shall be the chief administrator of the enforcing agency.
Each official position created in § 37-1 hereof shall be filled by a person qualified for such position pursuant to P.L. 1975, c. 217, as amended and N.J.A.C. 5:23, provided that, in lieu of any particular subcode official, an on-site inspection agency may be retained by contract pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:23. More than one such official position may be held by the same person, provided that such person is qualified pursuant to P.L. 1975, c. 217, and N.J.A.C. 5:23 to hold each such position.
The public shall have the right to do business with the enforcing agency at one office location, except for emergencies and unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances.
[Amended 11-2-1978 by Ord. No. 18-1978; 8-2-1984 by Ord. No. 6-1984; 3-5-1987 by Ord. No. 2-1987; 11-2-1989 by Ord. No. 8-1989; 3-1-1990 by Ord. No. 4-1990; 7-2-1991 by Ord. No. 7-1991; 7-2-1991 by Ord. No. 11-1991; 11-5-1992 by Ord. No. 26-1992; 5-6-1999 by Ord. No. 4-1999; 4-6-2000 by Ord. No. 7-2000; 9-5-2002 by Ord. No. 19-2002; 5-27-2010 by Ord. No. O10-2010; 3-16-2011 by Ord. No. O04-2011; 4-25-2013 by Ord. No. O05-2013; 5-22-2014 by Ord. No. O08-2014; 11-25-2014 by Ord. No. O24-2014; 4-23-2015 by Ord. No. O05-2015; 5-18-2017 by Ord. No. O13-2017; 4-25-2019 by Ord. No. O05-2019; 6-18-2020 by Ord. No. O05-2020; 10-23-2023 by Ord. No. O23-2023]
The following fees are hereby established and shall be charged by the Gloucester City Construction Enforcement Office in accordance with the standards published by the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs of the State of New Jersey and N.J.S.A. 52:27D-130. Fees shall be rounded up to the nearest dollar amount. There shall be no fees for municipal construction projects concerning building, plumbing, fire or electrical permits.
A. 
Plan review fee. The fee for plan review shall be 25% of the amount that would be charged for the construction permit. Plan review fees are nonrefundable.
B. 
The basic construction fee shall be the sum of the parts computed on a basis of the volume or cost of construction, the number of plumbing fixtures and pieces of equipment, the number of electrical fixtures and devices and the number of sprinklers, standpipes and detectors (smoke and heat) at the unit rates provided herein, plus any special fees. The minimum fee for a basic construction permit covering any or all of building, electrical, plumbing or fire protection work shall be $70.
C. 
Building subcode fees:
(1) 
Minimum fee: $70.
(2) 
New construction and addition fees: $0.05 times cubic feet of volume.
(3) 
The fees for renovations, alterations, solar installations, and repairs shall be based upon the total cost of the work. The fee shall be computed as a unit rate of $45 per $1,000 of estimated cost.
(a) 
The minimum fee for solar panels shall be $275 per building.
(4) 
Demolition:
(a) 
Residential $275.
(b) 
All other use groups: Computed as alteration $45 per $1,000 of estimated cost.
(5) 
Signs: square foot surface area times $6. (A double-sided sign shall be calculated based on one side.)
(6) 
Pools: in-ground $175; above-ground $85.
(7) 
All other types of construction will be computed as alterations.
(8) 
There shall be no fees for residential ramps in R3 and R5 uses.
(9) 
Asbestos abatement:
(a) 
Residential $300.
(b) 
All other use groups: Computed as alteration $45 per $1,000 of estimated cost.
(10) 
Fences:
(a) 
Commercial building fences shall be calculated by linear foot times $1.75 with a minimum fee of $70.
(b) 
Residential pool barrier with a four foot minimum height and residential fences over six feet shall be the minimum permit fee of $70.
(11) 
The fee for a permit for lead hazard abatement work shall be $200.
D. 
Plumbing subcode fees:
(1) 
Minimum fee: $70.
(2) 
Fixtures and appliances connected to the plumbing system as listed: Water closet/bidet/urinals, bathtub, lavatory/sink, shower/floor drain, washing machine, dishwasher, commercial dishwasher, water heater, hose bibs, water cooler, garbage disposal, indirect connection, vent stack, and drinking fountain: $25 per fixture or appliance.
(3) 
Special devices as listed: Grease traps, oil separators, water-cooled air conditioners, refrigeration units, water utility connection, sewer utility connection, backflow preventers, steam boilers, gas piping/gas service entrance, active solar systems, sewer pumps, interceptors, fuel oil piping: $100 per special device.
(4) 
For cross connections and backflow preventers that are subject to annual retesting, the fee shall be $70 for each device.
E. 
Electrical subcode fees:
(1) 
Minimum fee: $70.
(2) 
Switching, lighting and receptacle outlets:
(a) 
1 to 50: $75.
(b) 
Each additional 25: $15.
(3) 
Electrical devices/generators/transformers:
(a) 
Over 1 kilowatt to 10 kilowatts: $25 each.
(b) 
Over 10 kilowatts to 45 kilowatts: $75 each.
(c) 
Over 45 kilowatts to 112.5 kilowatts: $145 each.
(d) 
Over 112 kilowatts: $650 each.
(4) 
Motors:[1]
(a) 
Over 1 horsepower to 10 horsepower: $25 each.
(b) 
Over 10 horsepower to 50 horsepower: $75 each.
(c) 
Over 50 horsepower to 100 horsepower: $145 each.
(d) 
Over 100 horsepower: $650 each.
[1]
Editor's Note: For the purpose of computing these fees, all motors except those in plug-in appliances shall be counted, including control equipment, generators, transformers and all heating, cooking or other devices consuming or generating electrical current.
(5) 
Service panels/service entrance/sub panels[2]
(a) 
0 to 200 amperes: $75 each.
(b) 
201 to 1,000 amperes: $145 each.
(c) 
Over 1,000 amperes: $650 each.
[2]
Editor's Note: For the purpose of computing these fees, all motors except those in plug-in appliances shall be counted, including control equipment, generators, transformers and all heating, cooking or other devices consuming or generating electrical current.
(6) 
For photovoltaic systems, the fee shall be based on the designated kilowatt rating of the solar photovoltaic system as follows:
(a) 
One to 50 kilowatts, the fee shall be $275;
(b) 
Fifty-one to 100 kilowatts, the fee shall be $350; and
(c) 
Greater than 100 kilowatts shall be $1,000.
F. 
Fire subcode fees.
(1) 
Minimum fee: $70.
(2) 
Alarms/supervisory/signaling:
(a) 
First 20: $100.
(b) 
Each additional 80: $100.
(3) 
Wet and dry sprinkler heads:
(a) 
1 to 20: $100.
(b) 
21 to 100: $200.
(c) 
101 to 200: $300.
(d) 
201 to 400: $800.
(e) 
401 to 1,000: $1,200.
(f) 
Over 1,000: $1,500.
(4) 
Standpipes: $300.
(5) 
Pre-engineered systems:
(a) 
Wet chemical: $145.
(b) 
Dry chemical: $145.
(c) 
CO2 suppression: $145.
(d) 
Foam suppression: $145.
(e) 
Halon suppression: $145.
(6) 
Kitchen hood exhaust system: $75.
(7) 
Smoke control system: $75.
(8) 
Gas- or oil-fired appliance: $75.
(9) 
Incinerator or crematorium: $600.
(10) 
Solar system: $70.
G. 
Mechanical Subcode fees.
(1) 
Minimum fee: $70.
(2) 
$25 per fixture for gas piping connections and fuel oil piping connections.
(3) 
Special devices as listed: steam boilers, hot water boilers, hot air furnace, oil tank, LPG tank, fireplace, generator, gas piping, fuel oil piping, central air conditioning, chimney liner, $100 per special device.
H. 
Certificate of occupancy:
(1) 
For new construction: $150, R3, R5; all others, 10% of cost of permit with a $150 minimum.
(2) 
Continued certificate of occupancy: $190.
I. 
Variations.
(1) 
Variation/application fee.
(a) 
Class I structure: $85.
(b) 
Class II structure: $45.
(c) 
Class III structure: $25.
(2) 
Variation application resubmission fee.
(a) 
Class I structure: $45.
(b) 
Class II structure: $25.
(c) 
Class III structure: $20.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Section 37-5, Fees for minor work, previously codified herein and containing portions of Ordinance Nos. 19-2002 and O18-2007, was repealed in its entirety by Ordinance No. O10-2010.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 37-6, Surcharge fee, was repealed 11-2-1989 by Ord. No. 8-1989.
This ordinance shall take effect after final passage and publication as required by law.