[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Chenango 5-2-1977. Amendments noted where applicable.]
There is hereby designated in the Town of Chenango a public official to be known as the Building Official, who shall be appointed by the Town Board at a compensation to be fixed by it.
In the absence of the Building Official, or in the case of his inability to act for any reason, the Supervisor shall have the power, with the consent of the Town Board, to designate a person to act on behalf of the Building Official and to exercise all the powers conferred upon him by this chapter.
The Town Board may appoint one Building Inspector or more, as the need may appear, to act under the supervision of the Building Official and to exercise any portion of his powers and duties. The compensation of such Building Inspectors shall be fixed by the Town Board.
No officer or employee of the Building Department shall engage in any activity inconsistent with his duties or with the interests of the Building Department; nor shall he, during the term of his employment, be engaged directly or indirectly in any building business, in the furnishing of labor, materials or appliances for the construction, alteration or maintenance of a building or the preparation of plans or specifications thereof within the Town of Chenango, except that this provision shall not prohibit any employee from such activities in connection with the construction of a building or structure owned by him and not constructed for sale.
A. 
Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, ordinance or regulation, or except as herein otherwise provided, the Building Official shall administer and enforce all of the provisions of laws, ordinances and regulations applicable to the construction, alteration, repair, removal and demolition of buildings and structures, and the installation and use of materials and equipment therein, and the location, use, occupancy and maintenance thereof.
B. 
He shall have the power to adopt rules, with the consent of the Town Board, to secure the intent and purposes of this chapter and a proper enforcement of the laws, ordinances and regulations governing building construction, and such rules when duly adopted shall have full force and effect as law.
C. 
He shall receive applications and issue permits for the erection, alteration, removal and demolition of buildings or structures or parts thereof and shall examine the premises for which such applications have been received or such permits have been issued for the purpose of ensuring compliance with laws, ordinances and regulations governing building construction.
D. 
He shall issue all appropriate notices or orders to remove illegal or unsafe conditions, to require the necessary safeguards during construction and to ensure compliance during the entire course of construction with the requirements of such laws, ordinances and regulations. He shall make all inspections which are necessary or proper for the carrying out of his duties, except that he may accept written reports of inspection from Building Inspectors or other employees of the Department of Buildings or from generally recognized and authoritative service and inspection bureaus, provided that the same are certified by a responsible official thereof.
E. 
Whenever the same may be necessary or appropriate to assure compliance with the provisions of applicable laws, ordinances and regulations covering building construction, he may require the performance of tests in the field by experienced, professional persons or by accredited and authoritative testing laboratories or service bureaus or agencies.
F. 
He shall issue certificates of occupancy where appropriate and not inconsistent with existing provisions of the Town of Chenango Zoning Ordinance[1] for a building constructed or altered in accordance with the provisions of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, which such certificate shall certify that the building conforms to the requirements of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.
[Amended 10-3-1995 by L.L. No. 2-1995]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 73, Zoning.
A. 
The Building Official shall keep permanent official records of all transactions and activities conducted by him, including all applications received, permits and certificates issued, fees charged and collected, inspection reports and notices and orders issued. All such records shall be public records open to public inspection during business hours.
B. 
The Building Official shall, monthly, submit to the Town Board a written report and summary of all business conducted by the Department of Buildings, including permits and certificates issued, fees collected, orders and notices promulgated, inspections and tests made and appeals or litigation pending.
The Building Official may request and shall receive, so far as may be necessary in the discharge of his duties, the assistance and cooperation of the Police, Fire and Health Departments and of all municipal officials exercising any jurisdiction over the construction, use or occupancy of buildings or the installation of equipment therein.
[Amended 10-3-1995 by L.L. No. 2-1995; 4-3-2017 by L.L. No. 2-2017]
In accordance with § 382 of Article 18 of the Executive Law of the State of New York:
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to construct, alter, repair, move, equip, use or occupy any building or structure or part thereof in violation of any provision of law or ordinance, as well as any regulation or rule promulgated by the Building Official in accordance with applicable laws, or to fail in any manner to comply with a notice, directive or order of the Building Official, or to construct, alter, use or occupy any building or structure or part thereof in a manner not permitted by an approved building permit or certificate of occupancy.
B. 
Any person who shall fail to comply with a written order of the Building Official within the time fixed for compliance therewith, and any owner, builder, architect, tenant, contractor, subcontractor, construction superintendent or their agents, or any other person taking part or assisting in the construction or use of any building, who shall knowingly violate any of the applicable provisions of law, or any lawful order, notice, directive, permit or certificate of the Building Official made thereunder, shall, upon conviction thereof, be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine not exceeding $250 or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding 15 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. The continuation of an offense against the provisions of this chapter shall constitute, for each day the offense is continued, a separate and distinct offense hereunder.
C. 
Except as provided otherwise by law, such a violation shall not be a crime, and the penalty or punishment imposed therefor shall not be deemed for any purpose a penal or criminal penalty or punishment and shall not impose any disability upon or affect or impair the credibility as a witness, or otherwise, of any person found guilty of such an offense.
Appropriate action and proceedings may be taken at law or in equity to prevent unlawful construction or to restrain, correct or abate a violation or to prevent illegal occupancy of a building, structure or premises or to prevent illegal acts, conduct or business in or about any premises, and these remedies shall be in addition to penalties otherwise prescribed by law.
[Added 4-3-2017 by L.L. No. 2-2017]
The provisions of this chapter are separable and if any provision, clause, sentence, subsection, word or part thereof is held illegal, invalid, unconstitutional, or inapplicable to any person or circumstance, such illegality, invalidity or unconstitutionality, or inapplicability shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions, clauses, sentences, subsections, words, or parts of this local law or their application to other persons or circumstances. It is hereby declared to be the legislative intent that this local law would have been adopted if such illegal, invalid, or unconstitutional provision, clause, sentence, subsection, word or part had not been included therein, and as if such person or circumstance to which this chapter or part thereof is held inapplicable had been specifically exempt therefrom.
[Added 4-3-2017 by L.L. No. 2-2017]
All ordinances, local laws, and parts thereof inconsistent with this chapter are hereby repealed.
[Added 4-3-2017 by L.L. No. 2-2017]
This chapter shall take effect immediately upon filing with the New York State Secretary of State in accordance with § 27 of the Municipal Home Rule Law.