[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Colonial Heights as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Regional Building Code Appeals Board — See Ch. 13, Art. IV.
Fire prevention — See Ch. 128.
Sewers and sewage disposal — See Ch. 238.
Subdivision of land — See Ch. 250.
Water — See Ch. 277.
Zoning — See Ch. 286.
[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.
[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:
(1) 
The true intent of the Basic Code or the rules legally adopted thereunder have been incorrectly interpreted;
(2) 
The provisions of the Basic Code do not fully apply; or
(3) 
An equally good or better form of construction can be used.
B. 
The Board of Appeals shall be appointed and function in conformity with Section 127 of BOCA Basic Building Code and the administrative amendments.
C. 
Compensation of the members of the Board of Appeals shall be set by the City Council.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Sec. 6-12, entitled "Certification and bonding of building contractors, electricians and plumbers," was repealed by Ord. No. 78-58.
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.