A. 
The Building/Zoning Official shall be designated to administer and enforce this chapter. The Building Official may be provided with the assistance of such other persons as required. The Building/Zoning Official shall have minimum qualifications as set forth by the Town Administrator and approved by the Town Council.
B. 
The Building/Zoning Official shall be responsible for the following:
(1) 
Issuing of any required permits or certificates;
(2) 
Collection of required fees;
(3) 
Keeping of records indicating the compliance of uses of land;
(4) 
Authorizing commencement of uses or development under the provisions of this chapter;
(5) 
Inspection of suspected violations;
(6) 
Issuance of violation notices with required correction action;
(7) 
Collection of fines for violations;
(8) 
Performing such other duties and taking such actions as may be assigned in this chapter.
A. 
No building or other structure shall be erected, moved, added to, or structurally altered without a permit approved or issued by the Building/Zoning Official. No building permit shall be approved or issued by the Building/Zoning Official except in conformity with the provisions of this chapter.
B. 
Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to prevent the completion of any construction as defined in § 340-2.1 for which a valid building permit was previously issued.
A. 
All applications (see "application," Article XXVIII, Terminology) for building permits shall be accompanied by duplicate plans drawn to scale, showing the actual dimensions and shape of the lot to be built upon, the exact sizes and locations on the lot of buildings already existing, if any, and the location and dimensions of the proposed building, wetlands, water bodies or alteration. The application shall include all setbacks and such other information as lawfully may be required by the Building/Zoning Official, including existing or proposed building or alteration, existing or proposed uses of the building and land, the number of families, housekeeping units, or rental units the building is designed to accommodate, conditions existing on the lot, and such other matters as may be necessary to determine conformance with, and provide for the enforcement of this chapter.
B. 
One copy of the plans shall be returned to the applicant by the Building/Zoning Official, after he shall have marked such copy either as approved or disapproved and attested to same by his signature on such copy. The original, similarly marked, shall be retained by the Building/Zoning Official as a Town record.
C. 
The applicant, upon presentation to the Building/Zoning Official for the purpose of a building permit utilizing any combination of contiguous lots for the purpose of said building permit, shall be required to record an administrative subdivision merging said lots as per R.I.G.L. § 45-23, Rhode Island Land Development and Subdivision Review Enabling Act of 1992 as amended.
A. 
It shall be unlawful to use or occupy or permit the use or occupancy of any building or premises, or both, or part thereof hereafter created, erected, changed, converted, or wholly or partly altered or enlarged in its use or structure until a zoning certificate shall have been issued by the Building/Zoning Official stating that the proposed use of the building or land conforms to the requirements of this chapter, and the Building/Zoning Official shall state the facts upon which the certificate is issued.
B. 
No permit for erection, alteration, moving, repair of any building shall be issued until an application has been made for a zoning certificate, and the certificate shall be issued in conformity with the provisions of this chapter upon completion of work.
C. 
The Building/Zoning Official shall maintain a record of all zoning certificates, and a copy shall be furnished upon request to any person.
D. 
Failure to obtain a zoning certificate shall be a violation of this chapter and punishable under § 340-5.34 of this chapter.
The issuance of a building permit or a zoning certificate shall, in no way, relieve the applicant of the responsibility of obtaining such permits or approvals as may be required under the provisions of other codes, regulations and ordinances relating to the use, erection, alteration or modification of a building or structure or to the use or subdivision of land.
A. 
If the work described in any building permit has not begun within 180 days from the date of issuance thereof, said permit shall expire, it shall be canceled by the Building/Zoning Official and written notice thereof shall be given to the persons affected.
B. 
If the work described in any building permit has not been substantially completed within two years of the date of issuance thereof, said permit shall expire and be canceled by the Building/Zoning Official provided, however, that the Building/Zoning Official may upon application thereof and for cause shown, grant an extension. Said application should be filed prior to the expiration within the original two-year period of the permit and further provided that not more than one such extension for a period of one year be granted. In event of cancellation, written notice thereof shall be given to the persons affected together with notice that further work as described in the canceled permit shall not proceed unless and until a new building permit has been obtained.
Building permits or zoning certificates issued on the basis of plans and applications approved by the Building/Zoning Official authorize only the use, arrangement and construction set forth in such approved plans and applications. Any other use, arrangement, construction use, or construction differing from that authorized shall be deemed a violation of this chapter and punishable as provided by § 340-5.34 hereof.