9-101.1.
Effect
of this By-law. None of the provisions of this building inspection
department By-law shall be construed so as to conflict with the requirements
of state law or any regulations issued there under. The Commonwealth
of Massachusetts Department of Public Safety Board of Standards Building
Code, otherwise known as 780 CMR, and General Laws, Chapter 143, Section
3A are considered minimum standards and regulations when not provided
for in these By-laws. (Article XI, § 1)
9-101.2.
Department
Established. There shall be a department known as the building inspection
department which shall be furnished and maintained at the expense
of the town with office room and such supplies and implements as are
necessary for the transaction of its business. (Article XI,
§ 2)
9-101.3.
Inspector
of Buildings. The town manager shall in June of each year appoint
an inspector of buildings for the term of three years from that date
and until another is appointed and qualified. Said inspector shall
have charge and control of the enforcement of the regulations relative
to buildings or structures and see that such regulations are complied
with. The salary or compensation for the inspector of buildings shall
be such as the town may from time to time determine. (Article
XI, § 3)
9-101.4.
Restrictions
on Person Appointed Inspector of Buildings. The inspector shall have
no financial nor business interest in the doing of work, or the furnishing
of materials, for the construction, repair or maintenance of any building
or structure in this town, nor in the making of plans or specifications
therefor unless the inspector is the owner of the premises. (Article XI, § 4)
9-101.5.
Annual
Report of Inspector. The inspector shall keep a record of the business
of the building inspection department and submit to the town manager
a yearly report of such business and such other reports as the town
manager may require and the report of the inspector of buildings shall
be incorporated into the yearly report of the town; records to be
open for the inspection of any citizen. (Article XI, §
5)
9-101.6.
Applications
for Permits. It shall be unlawful to construct, reconstruct, alter,
repair, remove, or demolish a building or structure; or to change
the use or occupancy of a building or structure; or to install or
alter any equipment for which provision is made or the installation
of which is regulated by 780 CMR without first filing a written application
with the inspector of buildings and obtaining the required permit
therefor.
Before commencing any activity described above, an application
for a permit shall be filed with the inspector of buildings on forms
furnished by the building inspection department giving a description
of the building, pool, structure or additions, alterations or repairs
proposed. Plans and specifications shall be submitted for examination
and approval.
Also, a plan of the lot on which any proposed building is to
be erected is to be filed with the application.
The location of the structure and its elevation in relation
to the street is to be shown on the plot plan. All drawings are to
be submitted in duplicate and one copy is to remain on file, the other
copy to be stamped with this department’s seal of approval.
If the inspector is of the opinion that the requirements of this By-law
have been complied with, the inspector shall thereupon issue said
stamped permits to the applicants. (Article XI, § 6)
9-101.7.
Building
Permit Fees. Fees for building permits shall be established by the
building inspector, with the approval of the town manager.
9-102.1.
Permits
Required. All persons who desire to engage in, carry on or work at
the business of plumbing within this jurisdiction shall be registered
or licensed by the State Examiners of Plumbers, in accordance with
the provisions of MGL Chapter 142.
Before commencing work in a building every plumber shall first,
except in the case of the repair of leaks, file at the office of the
board of health, upon forms provided for that purpose, a notice of
the work to be performed. No such work shall be done in any building
except in accordance with plans to be submitted, if required, which
shall be approved by the inspector of plumbing and a permit issued
therefor. Permits to perform plumbing shall be issued to master plumbers
only. Permits may be recalled if the conditions are violated. No septic
tank shall be installed without a permit from the inspector of plumbing. (Article XII, § 1)
All work considered plumbing and covered within the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts State Plumbing Code, Chapter 358 Acts of 1965 as
amended will be performed within the rules and regulations of said
code. (Article XII, § 2)
9-103.1.
Notice
Required Before Installation of Wires, etc. No person shall install
wires, conduits, apparatus, fixtures or other appliances for carrying
or using electricity for light, heat or power within, or connected
to any building, without first notifying the inspector of wires in
writing of the proposed installations. (Article XIII, §
1)
9-103.2.
Notice
Required Before Enclosing or Covering Wires, etc. No wire, appliance
or apparatus shall be covered or enclosed without first notifying
and obtaining permission to do so from the inspector of wires. Said
notification to be given to the inspector at least 24 hours before
said work is covered or enclosed. (Article XIII, § 2)
9-103.3.
Permit
Required Before Any Electrical Work Begins. No person or corporation
shall do any electrical construction work, whether original work or
alterations, without obtaining from the inspector of wires a written
permit to do such work. (Article XIII, § 3)
9-103.4.
Application
of these Provisions. The above sections shall apply to all new construction
and changes in existing construction in private dwellings and other
buildings the owners of which do not regularly employ the full time
services of a licensed electrician. (Article XIII, §
4)
9-103.5.
Application
of State Electrical Code. The inspector of wires is hereby authorized
to enforce the rules and regulations as contained and provided in
the current edition of the Massachusetts Electrical Code (527 CMR
12.00) for the installation of electric wiring and apparatus, and
in accordance with the provisions and requirements therein contained. (Article XIII, § 5)
9-103.6.
Turning
Off Electrical Current. Whenever, in the opinion of the inspector
of wires, any electrical conductors or appliances used for the distribution
or consumption of a current, or electricity for light, heat or power
purposes are in a dangerous condition, said inspector is hereby authorized
to cause the current to be shut off, if the existing defect is not
remedied within a reasonable time after written notice has been given
to the owner or user of such defective conductor or appliance. (Article XIII, § 6)
9-103.7.
Installation
of Electric Meters. No meter shall be installed without a written
permit from the inspector of wires. (Article XIII, §
7)
[Amended 1-6-2017]
9-104.1.
INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE (IECC)
STRETCH ENERGY CODE
Definitions.
The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) is a building
energy code created by the International Code Council. It is a model
code adopted by many state and municipal governments in the United
States for the establishment of minimum design and construction requirements
for energy efficiency, and is updated on a three-year cycle. The baseline
energy conservation requirements of the MA State Building Code are
the IECC with Massachusetts amendments, as approved by the Board of
Building Regulations and Standards.
Codified by the Board of Building Regulations and Standards
as 780 CMR Appendix 115.AA of the 9th edition Massachusetts Building
Code, the Stretch Energy Code is an appendix to the Massachusetts
Building Code, based on further amendments to the International Energy
Conservation Code (IECC) to improve the energy efficiency of buildings
built to this code.
9-104.2.
Purpose.
The purpose of 780 CMR 115.AA is to provide a more energy efficient
alternative to the Base Energy Code applicable to the relevant sections
of the building code for new buildings.
9-104.3.
Applicability.
This code applies to residential and commercial building. Buildings
not included in this scope shall comply with 780 CMR 13, 24, 51, as
applicable.
9-104.4.
Stretch
Code. The Stretch Code, as codified by the Board of Building Regulations
and Standards as 780 CMR Appendix 115.AA, including any future editions,
amendments or modifications, is herein incorporated by reference into
the Code of By-laws, Town of Southbridge, Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
Chapter 9-104.
The Stretch Code is enforceable by the building inspector and/or
the director of inspectional services.
