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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrd 1991-2459 ORDINANCE NO. 2459 ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA REPEALING CHAPTER 15.24 AND ADOPTING A NEW CHAPTER 15.24 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA RELATING TO THE ADOPTION OF THE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE, 1990 EDITION The City Council of Chula Vista does ordain as follows: SECTION I. That Chapter 15.24 is hereby repealed. SECTION II. That a new Chapter 15.24 is added to the Chula Vista Municipal Code to read as follows: Sec. 15.24,010 National Electrical Code, 1990 Edition, Adopted by Reference. There is hereby adopted by reference that certain document known and designated as the National Electrical Code, 1990 Edition, as published by the National Fire Protection Association, a copy of which is on .file in the Office of the City Clerk. Said document is hereby adopted as the Electrical Code of the City of Chula Vista, California regulating the installation, repair, operation and maintenance of all electrical wiring and electrical apparatus of any nature whatsoever, whether inside or outside of any building, and issuance of permits and providing for the inspection thereof. Sec. 15.24,015 Advisory and Appeals Board. In order to hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the Building Official relative to the application and interpretations of this code, there shall be and is hereby created a Board of Appeals and Advisors consisting of seven members who are qualified by experience and training to pass upon matters pertaining to electrical aspects of construction. The director of Building and Housing shall be an ex-officio member who shall not be entitled to vote and who shall act as Secretary of the Board. The Board of Appeals and Advisors shall be appointed by the City Council from the qualified electors of the City in accordance with the provisions of Section 600 et seq. of this Charter. The Board shall render all decisions and findings in writing to the Director of Building and Housing with a duplicate copy to the appellant. The decision of the Board is final. The Board of Appeals and Advisors shall recommend to the City Council such new legislation deemed necessary to govern electrical aspects of construction in the City of Chula Vista. Ordinance No. 2459 - Page 2 Sec. 15.24.025 Definitions. For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section: A. "Apartment House" is a building or portion thereof which contains three or more dwelling units and, for the purpose of this code, includes residential condominiums. B. "Approved" means acceptable to the authority enforcing this chapter. C. "Department" means the Department of Building and Housing. D. "Director of Building and Housing" means the head of the Department of Building and Housing. Also known as the Building Official. E. "Dwelling" is any building or portion thereof which contains not more than two dwelling units. F. "Dwelling Unit" is any building or portion thereof which contains living facilities, including provisions for sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation, as required by the Uniform Building Code, for not more than one family. G. "Electrical Inspector" means the Director of Building and Housing or his/her designee. H. "Hotel-Motel" is a building containing six or more guest rooms intended or designed to be used, or which are used, rented or hired out to be occupied, or which are occupied for sleeping purposes by guests. I. "Woodworking Shop" (see definition in Uniform Building Code). Sec. 15.24.030 Enforcement Authority Powers and Duties of the Director of Building and Housing. It shall be the duty of the Director of Building and Housing to enforce the provisions of this code. That person shall, upon application approval, grant permits for the installation or alteration of electrical wiring, devices, appliances and equipment, and shall make inspections of all new electrical installations and reinspections of all electrical installations as provided in this code. He/she shall keep complete records of all permits issued, inspections and reinspections made, and other official work performed in accordance with the provisions of this code. The Director of Building and Housing may delegate powers or duties to any assistant. Ordinance No. 2459 Page 3 The Director of Building and Housing shall have the right, during reasonable hours or at any time when extreme danger exists, to enter any building in the discharge of his/her official duties or for the purpose of making an inspection, reinspection or test of the installation of electrical wiring, devices, appliances and equipment contained therein. The Director of Building and Housing shall have the authority to disconnect any wire in cases of emergencies where necessary to the safety of life or property, or where such wire may interfere with the work of the Fire Department. The Director of Building and Housing is authorized to disconnect or order discontinuance of electricai service to any electrical wiring, devices, appliances or equipment found to be hazardous to life or property because they are defectively installed or not adequately inspected. Sec. 15.24.035 Liability and Responsibility for Compliance. This chapter shall not be construed to relieve from or lessen the responsibility of any party owning, operating, controlling or installing any electrical wiring, electrical device or electrical materials for damage to person or property caused by any defect therein nor shall the City or any officer or employee thereof enforcing this chapter be held as assuming any such liability by reason of the inspections authorized herein, or certificate of inspection issued in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. Sec. 15.24.040 Permits - Required When. A. No electrical wiring, devices, appliances or equipment shall be installed within or on any building, structure or premises nor shall any alteration or addition be made in any such existing wiring, devices, appliances or equipment without first securing a permit therefor from the Department of Building and Housing, except as stated in Section 15.24.045. B. Permits shall be obtained before work is started, except in cases where emergency or urgent necessity can be shown to exist, provided a permit is obtained within twenty-four hours exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. C. Permits for privately owned conduits or other materials in and across streets and alleys may be issued only after approval has been granted by the Director of Public Works for the installation. Sec. 15.24.045 Permits - Not Required When. A. No permit shall be required for minor repair work, such as repairing flush or snap switches, replacing fuses or repairing lamp sockets and receptables, providing such work is done in accordance with the provisions of this code. Ordinance No. 2459 Page 4 B. No permit shall be required for the replacement of lamps or the C. No permit shall be required for the install ation, alteration or repair of wiring, devices, appliances or equipment for the operation of signals or the transmission of intelligence, not including the control of lighting or appliance circuits, where such wiring, devices, appliances or equipment operate at a voltage not exceeding twenty-five volts between conductors and do not include generating or transforming equipment capable of supplying more than one hundred watts of energy. D. No permit shall be required for the i~stallation, alteration or repair of electrical wiring, devices, appliances and equipment installed by or for a public service corporation in the operation of signals of transmission of intelligence. E. No permit shall be required for the installation of temporary wiring for testing electrical apparatus or equipment. F. The United States, the State, Counties, Cities, School Districts and other public agencies shall be exempt from payment of fees. Sec. 15.24.050 Permits - Application - Contents Required. Application for a permit, describing the work to be done, shall be made in writing to the Director of Building and Housing. The app]ication shall be accompanied by such plans, specifications and schedules as may be necessary to determine whether the installation as described will be in conformity with the requirements of the code. If it shall be found that the installation as described will generally conform with the requirements of this code, and if the applicant has complied with all of the provisions of this code, a permit for such installation shall be issued. Provided, however, that the issuance of the permit shall not be taken as permission to violate any of the requirements of the code. Applications for permits accompanied by two sets of electrical line drawings and load and distribution calculations showing service panel and branch panel capacities and location, service switch and branch switch capacities, conduit and feeder sizes. Sec. 15.24,055 Previously Used Materials. Previously used materials shall not be reused in any. work without approval by the Director of Building and Housing or an authorized deputy. Sec. 15.24,060 Fees for Permits and Inspections. A. Fees for processing and inspecting electrical permits shall be as specified in the Master Fee Schedule. Ordinance No. 2459 Page 5 NOTE: Ampere rate shall apply to the secondary side of the transformer or transformers. B. Reinspections. A reinspection fee may be assessed for each inspection or reinspection which such portion of work for which inspection is called is not complete or when corrections called for are not made. This subsection is not to be interpreted as requiring reinspection fees the first time a job is rejected for failure to comply with the requirements of this code, but as controlling the practice of calling for inspections before a job is ready for such inspection or reinspection. Reinspection fees may be assessed when the permit card is not properly posted on the work site, the approved plans are not readily available to the Electrical Inspector, for failure to provide access on the date for which inspection is requested, or for deviating from plans requiring the approval of the Building Official. In instances where reinspection fees have been assessed, no additional inspection of work will be performed until the required fees have been paid. C. Investigation Fees - Work Without a Permit. 1. Investigation. Whenever any work for which a permit is required by this code has been commenced without first obtaining said ermit, a special investigation shall be made before a permit may ~e issued for such work. 2. Fees. An investigation fee, in addition to the permit fee, shall be collected whether or not a permit is then or subsequently issued. The investigation fee shall not exceed the amount of the permit required by the Master Fee Schedule. The payment of such investigation fee shall not exempt any person from compliance with all other provisions of this code nor from any penalty prescribed by law. Sec. 15.24.065 Permits Null and Void When Period of Validity Renewal. A. Expiration. Each permit issued by the Building Official under the provisions of this code shall shall expire by limitation and become null and void if the building or work authorized by such permit is not commenced within 180 days of the date of such permit or if the building or work authorized by such permit is suspended or abandoned at any time after the work is commenced for a period of 180 days. Work for which an inspection approval has not been obtained shall be considered suspended. Before such work can be recommenced, a new Ordinance No. 2459 Page 6 permit shall be first obtained and the fee shall be one-half the amount required for a new permit for such work, provided no changes have been made or will be made in the original plans and specifications for such work and provided further that such suspension or abandonment has not exceeded one year. B. Suspension or Revocation. The Building Official may in writing suspend or revoke a permit issued under provisions of this code whenever the permit issued in error on the basis of incorrect information supplied or in violation of any ordinance or regulation or any of the provisions of this code. Sec. 15.24.070 Inspections. All el ectrical work for which a permit is requi red shall be subject to inspection by the Director of Building and Housing or his/her designee. It shall be the duty of the person doing the work authorized by a permit to notify the Department of Bull ding and Housing that such work is ready for inspection. The Electrical Inspector shall have the authority to require removal of any obstruction that prevents proper inspection of any electrical work. Sec. 15.24.075 Disapproved Installations - Notification Required Correction. If, upon inspection, the installation is not found to be in full conformance with the provisions of this code, the Electrical Inspector shall at once notify the person making the installation, stating the defects which have been found to exist. All defects shall be corrected within ten days after inspection and notification, or within other reasonable time as permitted by the Electrical Inspector. Sec. 154.24.080. Distribution Panels - Separate Required When. Each store in a store building, each flat in a flat building, and each building used as a dwelling shall be so wired that each store, apartment, flat or dwelling shall have separate lighting and/or power distribution panels. Such panels shall not serve other portions of the building. Hotels, motels, hotel apartments and similar types of buildings may be wired from one or more distribution panels. Sec. 15.24.085 Circuit Cards to be Posted When. When requested by the Director of Building and Housing, a complete schedule of circuits showing the number, kind and capacity of each outlet ' on each circuit shall be posted on each job prior to rough inspection. Ordinance No. 2459 Page 7 Sec. 15.24.090 Electric Fences - Defined - Prohibited. A. As used herein, the term electric fence includes all fences which in any way use electrical energy as an additional deterrent or have wires charged with electricity which are not covered with adequate insulation to protect persons and animals coming in contact therewith. B. No electric fence may be construed, maintained or operated within the City. Sec. 15.24.095 Phase Arrangement - Amended. Section 384-3(f) of the 1990 National Electrical Code is hereby amended to read: Phase Arrangement. The phase arrangement on three-phase buses shall be A, B, C from front to back, top to bottom, or left to right as viewed from the front of the switchboard or panelboard. The C phase shall be that phase having the higher voltage to ground on three-phase, four-wire delta-connected systems. Other busbar arrangements may be permitted for additions to existing installations and shall be marked. Sec. 15.24.100 Communication Systems - Deleted. Chapter 8 of the 1990 National Electrical Code is hereby deleted. SECTION III. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force on the thirtieth day from and after its passage and approval. Presented by Approved as to form by Director of Building & using City Atiorn°gaa Ordinance No. 2459 Page 8 PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Chula Vista, California, this 4th day of June, 1991, by the following vote: AYES: Councilmembers: Malcolm, Moore, Nader, Rindone NOES: Councilmembers: None ABSENT: Councilmembers: None ABSTAIN: Councilmembers: None n e ard M. Moore Mayor, Pro-Tempore ATTEST: Beverly N. Authelet, City Clerk STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO ) ss. CITY OF CHULA VISTA ) I, Beverly A. Authelet, City Clerk of the City of Chula Vista, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance No. 2459 had its first reading on May 28, 1991, and its second reading and adoption at a regular meeting of said City Council held on {he 4th day of June, 1991. Executed this 4th day of June, 1991.