[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of
the City of Colonial Heights as indicated in article histories. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 4-8-1975 as Ch. 6, Art.
I, of the 1975 Code]
[Amended 5-12-1987 by Ord. No. 87-11; 9-13-1988 by Ord. No. 88-33; 4-9-1991 by Ord. No. 91-5; 6-9-1992 by Ord. No. 92-18; 7-12-1994 by Ord. No. 94-17; 6-10-1997 by Ord. No. 97-15; 9-9-2003 by Ord. No. 03-24[1]]
A.
There is hereby adopted by the City Council, by reference,
the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, as amended, including
all future amendments thereto and editions thereof; a copy of which
is and shall remain on file in the office of the City Clerk, and such
code is hereby incorporated in and made a part of this section as
fully as though it were set out at length herein, and the provisions
of the code hereby adopted shall control all matters concerning the
design, construction, alteration, addition, enlargement, repair, removal,
demolition, conversion, use, location, occupancy and maintenance of
all buildings and structures and all other functions which pertain
to the installation of systems vital to all buildings and structures
in their service equipment as defined by the Virginia Uniform Statewide
Building Code and shall apply to existing and proposed buildings or
structures in this City to the extent provided therein.
B.
The Building Maintenance Code therein shall be enforced
in its entirety.
C.
The Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code may be
referred to and cited as the "City of Colonial Heights Building Code"
or simply as the "Building Code."[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Original Sec. 6-1.5, entitled
"Amendments," which was added 2-27-1979 by Ord. No. 79-7 and immediately
followed this subsection, was deleted 5-12-1987 by Ord. No. 87-11.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided
an effective date of 10-1-2003 and stated that the standards adopted
herein would include any provisions adopted by the Virginia Board
of Housing and Community Development prior to the adoption of this
ordinance but that such provisions would have the same effective date
as this ordinance.
[Added 5-12-1987 by Ord. No. 87-11; amended 9-13-1988 by Ord. No. 88-33]
A.
The Building Official (Code Official) shall cause
necessary work to be done pursuant to New Construction Code § 120.8
and Building Maintenance Code § 107.7 upon prior approval
of the City Manager and within available funds appropriated for the
purpose.
B.
Whenever the Building Official (Code Official) shall
determine, with the concurrence of the City Manager, that any building,
wall or any other structure might endanger the public health or safety
of other residents of the city, he shall give, by certified mail,
return receipt requested, a reasonable notice to the owner of the
property, which shall order that the building, wall or structure shall
be removed, repaired or secured, as the Building Official (Code Official)
may deem necessary to protect the public health or safety of other
residents. If the person served with such notice and order shall fail,
within a reasonable time stated in the notice, to comply with the
requirements thereof, the Building Official (Code Official) may remove,
repair or secure the building, wall or structure. In that event, the
cost or expenses thereof, including the removal, if necessary, of
the materials from the land shall be charged to the person owning
such building, wall or structure, and the Building Official (Code
Official) shall cause to be recovered for the City from such owner
the cost and expenses to the City of doing such work, and such cost
and expenses to the City shall be and remain a lien on the land upon
which said building or structure is located until the same shall be
paid.
[Amended 5-12-1987 by Ord. No. 87-11; 5-10-2016 by Ord. No.
16-14]
A.
There is hereby established a division within the Department of Planning
and Community Development titled Building Inspections, which shall
consist of the Building Official and such assistants or inspectors
as the City Council authorizes and the City Manager or his designee
approves. It shall be the Building Official's duty to administer
and enforce the provisions of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building
Code within the City, and for this purpose the Division of Building
Inspections shall be deemed to be the local building department and
enforcing agency within the purview of § 36-105 of the Code
of Virginia.
B.
The City Council may enter into an agreement with the governing body
of a neighboring county or municipality or with some other appropriate
agency whereby the provisions of the Building Code shall be administered
and enforced within the City; and while any such agreement is in force,
such agency shall be deemed to be the City's Division of Building
Inspections, and the officer of the agency having administrative and
enforcement responsibility shall be deemed to be the City's Building
Official.
Other rules and regulations necessary for the
administration and enforcement of the Building Code may be promulgated
by the Building Official, with the approval of the City Council, and
it shall be unlawful for any person to violate or fail to comply with
any such rule or regulation so promulgated and approved when a copy
thereof has been placed on file in the office of the City Clerk and
there is made available to the public for inspection and use during
all regular business hours.
It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly
embody any false statement, as to any material matter, in an application
submitted in pursuance of the provisions of this article, which includes
the Building Code.
No permit to begin work for new construction or other building operation which, by way of illustration and not by way of limitation, is set forth in § 109-1, shall be issued until the fees prescribed in this chapter have been paid.
[Amended 6-22-1976 by Ord. No. 76-11; 6-14-1983 by Ord. No. 83-25; 11-10-1987 by Ord. No.
87-31; 3-8-1988 by Ord. No. 87-31A; 5-11-1988 by Ord. No. 88-15; 5-9-1995 by Ord. No. 95-10; 5-8-2001 by Ord. No. 01-10; 10-2016 by Ord. No. 16-14[1]]
The City Council shall approve a schedule of fees for permits,
inspections and certificates required under the provisions of the
Building Code and may from time to time amend any such schedule so
promulgated. Each such schedule which is in effect shall be placed
on file in the office of the City Clerk and shall be available to
the public for inspection and use during regular business hours.
A.
General.
(1)
The fees in this schedule shall apply to all group classifications
as set forth in the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code.
(2)
No permit this Chapter requires shall be issued until the following
fees have been paid to the City of Colonial Heights through the Division
of Building Inspections. For the purpose of this schedule, in the
calculation of all square footage, a structure's area shall be
determined by the exterior dimensions.
|
NOTE: The fee(s) shall be doubled in instances where work has
commenced without obtaining a required permit.
|
B.
Building permit fees shall be as follows:
|
Residential
|
Fees
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Single or two-family dwellings, including additions, garages,
carports, storage buildings, covered porches, and covered decks
|
$75 base fee + $0.20 per square foot
| |
|
Basements, unfinished interior areas, uncovered porches, and
uncovered decks
|
$75 base fee + $0.15 per square foot
| |
|
Swimming pool
|
$50 base fee - when actual cost not exceeding $15,000
In excess of $15,000 actual cost - $50 base fee + 1% of amount
over $15,000
| |
|
Demolition, moving or relocation, addition of brick, masonry
fireplace including relining or replacement
|
$75 base fee - when actual cost not exceeding $15,000
In excess of $15,000 actual cost - $75 base fee + 1% of amount
over $15,000
|
|
Commercial
|
Fees
| |
|---|---|---|
|
New construction
|
$75 base fee + 1% of contract price
| |
|
Additions
|
$75 base fee + 1% of contract price
| |
|
Tenant upfits
|
$75 base fee + 1% of contract price
|
|
Residential and Commercial
|
Fees
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Permit reinstatement (when renewed within 90 days of permit
expiration dates)
|
$75
|
C.
Electrical permit fees shall be as follows:
|
Residential
|
Fees
| |
|---|---|---|
|
New single family dwelling
|
$75 base fee + $0.06 per square foot
| |
|
Additions
|
$75 base fee + $0.06 per square foot
| |
|
Service change or temporary service
|
$75
|
|
Commercial
|
Fees
| |
|---|---|---|
|
All service activity
|
$75 base fee + 1% of contract price
|
|
Residential and Commercial
|
Fees
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Permit reinstatement (when renewed within 90 days of permit
expiration dates)
|
$75
|
D.
Plumbing permit fees shall be as follows:
|
Residential
|
Fees
| |
|---|---|---|
|
New single family dwelling
|
$75 base fee + $0.06 per square foot
| |
|
Additions
|
$75 base fee + $0.06 per square foot
|
|
Commercial
|
Fees
| |
|---|---|---|
|
All commercial plumbing activity
|
$75 base fee + 1% of contract price
|
|
Residential and Commercial
|
Fees
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Permit reinstatement (when renewed within 90 days of permit
expiration dates)
|
$75
|
E.
Mechanical permit fees shall be as follows:
|
Residential
|
Fees
| |
|---|---|---|
|
New single family dwelling
|
$75 base fee + $0.06 per square foot
| |
|
Additions
|
$75 base fee + $0.06 per square foot
|
|
Commercial
|
Fees
| |
|---|---|---|
|
All commercial mechanical activity
|
$75 base fee + 1% of contract price
|
|
Residential and Commercial
|
Fees
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Permit reinstatement (when renewed within 90 days of permit
expiration dates)
|
$75
|
F.
Miscellaneous permit fees shall be as follows:
|
Miscellaneous
|
Fees
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Passenger elevator, escalator per unit, freight elevator, hood
system, tank permit, trailer permit, well permit, and all other areas
covered under Uniform Statewide Building Code
|
$75 base fee + 1% of contract price
| |
|
Temporary certificates of occupancy
|
$75
| |
|
State levy on all permits
|
2% of total cost of permits
| |
|
Reinspections. Reinspection fees are charged for each inspection
made in excess of two if such inspection is made necessary due to
work not being completed for inspection when request for inspection
is made, or if corrections are not made before calling for reinspection.
|
$75
|
[1]
Editor’s Note: This ordinance also repealed the Schedule
of Building and Related Permit Fees, as amended, that was included
as an attachment to this chapter.
[Amended 4-12-1983 by Ord. No. 83-3; 5-10-2016 by Ord. No. 16-14]
For the purpose of control of use and construction of buildings,
fire limits the Building Official establishes shall conform to the
boundaries of the BB, GB, IN, and RO Zoning Districts as established
and amended from time to time pursuant to Chapter 288, Zoning, of
this Code; and he shall enforce the relevant restrictions within the
limits.
The buildings to be erected within the fire
limits shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Building
Code, and, in addition thereto, such buildings shall conform to a
uniform building line of one foot from the sidewalk.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any person to erect, place
or allow to remain any billboard, sign or other advertisement of any
kind or description on any of the bridges of the City or upon any
other City property.
B.
No sign of any type commonly known as a "billboard"
shall be located, erected or allowed to remain within 80 feet of the
Boulevard or any other street or alley of the city. For the purposes
of this subsection, the word "billboard" shall be construed to mean
any sign which exceeds four feet in height and eight feet in length.
C.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to relate
to any sign or notice erected or posted on any bridge or other City
property by authority of the City Council or the Commonwealth of Virginia.
A.
The owner of a building or structure or his duly authorized
representative who has been served with an unsafe order and notice
to make such structure safe, secure or habitable, or to take down
and remove such structure, shall have the right, except in cases of
emergency, to demand the appointment of the Board of Survey if he
deems such order to be unnecessary, improper or unreasonable. Such
demand shall be in writing, with a statement of reasons therefor.
B.
The Board of Survey shall be appointed and function
in conformance with Section 126 of the BOCA Basic Code.
C.
Compensation for the third member of the Board of
Survey shall be at the rate of $20 per day, to be paid by the applicant.
A.
The owner of a building or structure or any other
person may appeal from a decision of the Building Official refusing
to grant a modification of the provisions of the Basic Code covering
the manner of construction or materials to be used in the erection,
alteration or repair of a building or structure to the Board of Appeals.
Application for appeal may be made when it is claimed that:
B.
The Board of Appeals shall be appointed and function
in conformity with Section 127 of BOCA Basic Building Code and the
administrative amendments.
It shall be unlawful for any electrical supply
company to furnish electrical power to any building or structure covered
by this article until it has verified that a building permit has been
issued for the structure in question, or that none was required, and
that all necessary inspections have been completed, or that none was
required. Any electrical power company found guilty of a violation
hereof shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $500.
It shall be unlawful for any person within the
City to violate or fail to comply with any provision of the Building
Code. Any person convicted of a violation or failure to comply with
any provision of the Building Code within the City shall be punished
by a fine of not more than $500.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Section 6-15, entitled "Adoption
of Housing-Property Maintenance Code," and Sec. 6-16, entitled "Amended,"
both of which were added 3-14-1978 by Ord. No. 78-1, were repealed
5-12-1987 by Ord. No. 87-11.
[Added 3-8-1983 by Ord. No. 83-2]
A.
Smoke detectors shall be installed in all of the following
structures or buildings constructed within the City prior to the adoption
of the Uniform Statewide Building Code:
(1)
Any multifamily building containing four or more dwelling
units.
(2)
Any hotel or motel regularly used, offered or intended
to be used to provide overnight sleeping accommodations for one or
more persons.
(3)
Rooming houses regularly used, offered or intended
to be used to provide overnight sleeping accommodations and which
contain more than four units.
B.
Smoke detectors installed pursuant to this section
shall be installed in conformance with the provisions of the Uniform
Statewide Building Code. The type of smoke detector may be either
battery-operated or AC-powered units.
C.
With respect to multifamily buildings containing four
or more dwelling units, the owner of each unit which is rented or
leased, at the beginning of each tenancy and at least annually thereafter,
shall furnish the tenant with a certificate that all required smoke
detectors are present, have been inspected and are in good working
order.
D.
Smoke detectors located in multifamily buildings containing
four or more dwelling units and not located in hallways, stairwells
and other public or common areas shall be tested on an interim basis,
repaired and maintained by the tenant; provided, however, that the
owner shall be obligated to service, repair or replace any malfunctioning
smoke detectors within five days of receipt of written notice that
such smoke detector is in need of service, repair or replacement.
E.
All other smoke detectors required pursuant hereto
shall be repaired and maintained in working order by the owner of
the structure or building.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Art. II, Certification
of Plumbers, Electricians and Building-Related Mechanical Workers,
adopted 10-13-1981 as Ord. No. 81-41, was repealed 4-9-1996 by Ord.
No. 96-7.
