No activity for which a permit application is required may commence until a permit is issued in accordance with this section and any other applicable laws and regulations.
(a) Permits required.
(1) Building permits. A building permit is required for the following activities, except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section:
(A) Construction or erection of a structure;
(B) Construction of an addition to a structure;
(C) Altering, modifying, or improving a structure;
(D) Demolishing, moving or removing a structure;
(E) Making a change of use and occupancy classification as defined in the building code; and
(F) Installing or altering any equipment which is regulated by the building code or mechanical code.
(2) Fire permits.
(A) A permit or license is required for those operations, facilities, trades and hazardous materials specified in the fire prevention code.
(B) Multiple permits or licenses. Any person carrying on two (2) or more activities for which permits or licenses are required by the fire prevention code shall have a permit or license for each such activity, except where facilities store, use, dispense or handle two (2) or more hazardous materials on the premises at any one time, only one permit shall be required which lists each such hazardous material.
(3) Electrical permits. An electrical permit is required for the installation, alteration, replacement or repair of electrical and communication wiring and equipment within or on any structure or premises and for the alteration of any such existing installation, except as otherwise set forth in subsection (b) of this section.
(4) Plumbing permits. A plumbing permit is required for the following activities:
(A) Installation of new inside plumbing;
(B) Additions, alterations, or repairs and remodeling to existing plumbing;
(C) Construction of water and sewer lines from property line to a building;
(D) Installation of air-conditioning, refrigeration compressors, machinery and other devices or arrangements that use water for cooling purposes;
(E) Construction of water and sewer taps, swimming pools, aquaria, baptistries, and similar structures;
(F) Hydronic heating equipment installations;
(G) Water treatment equipment installations;
(H) Replacing of fixtures or replacement of piping; and
(I) Additions, alterations or repairs to a water service connected to city water lines even if located outside the corporate limits of the city.
(b) Permits not required.
(1) Building permits. Notwithstanding the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, no building permit is required for ordinary repairs to structures, including painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops, and similar finish work. Such repairs shall not include the cutting away of any wall, partition or portion thereof, the removal or cutting of any structural beam or load-bearing support, or the removal or change of any required means of egress, or rearrangement of parts of a structure affecting the egress requirements; nor shall ordinary repairs include addition to, alteration of, replacement or relocation of any standpipe, water supply sewer, drainage, drain leader, gas, soil, waste, vent or similar piping, electric wiring or mechanical or other work affecting public health or general safety.
(2) Fire prevention permits. No permit or license is required for those quantities of materials or conditions exempted by the applicable provisions of the fire prevention code.
(3) Electrical permits. Notwithstanding the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, no electrical permit is required for the following activities:
(A) Minor repair work including, but not limited to, the replacement of broken lamps, circuit breakers and fuses; repairing or replacement of switches, lamp sockets, ballasts, drop cords, receptacles, bulbs; taping bare joints; and replacing lighting fixtures to existing connections.
(B) The connection of approved portable electrical equipment to approved, permanently-installed receptacles.
(C) The installation, alteration or repair of electrical equipment of a regulated public utility for its use in the generation, transmission, distribution or metering of electricity.
(D) The installation of a temporary system required for the testing or servicing of electrical equipment or apparatus.
(E) Removal of electrical wiring in the total demolition of a structure.
(F) The installation of electrical components used in connection with the installation or reinstallation of partition systems listed in published reports of inspected electrical equipment by the Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL).
(G) Electrical work where the total cost of materials, equipment, labor, overhead and profit is less than one hundred dollars ($100.00). This exception does not include the installation or modification of an electric service.
(4) Plumbing permits. A plumbing permit is not required for the following activities:
(A) Replacement or repair of dishwasher, lawn faucets, and resetting water closets;
(B) Installation, replacement or repair of water control or flushing device for any water closet, faucets, traps, air gaps, waste and overflows, P-O plugs, garbage disposals, pressure reducing valves, saddle valves one-eighths inch, domestic ice makers, and humidifiers;
(C) Repairing or maintenance of fixtures provided there is no interference thereby with the original design or construction.
(c) Permit applications.
(1) The application for a permit shall be submitted in such written form as the department prescribes and shall be accompanied by the required fee as established by the mayor and board of aldermen by ordinance or resolution.
(2) The application for a permit shall be made by the owner or lessee of the building or structure; by the agent of either; by the registered design professional employed in connection with the proposed work; or by any other licensed person authorized or required to apply by the technical codes. If the application is made by a person other than the owner, it shall be accompanied by an affidavit of the owner certifying that proposed work is authorized by the owner and that the applicant is authorized to make such application. The full names and addresses of the owner, lessee, applicant and the responsible officers, if the owner or lessee is a corporate body, shall be stated in the application.
(3) Every permit application shall, to the extent applicable:
(A) Contain a general description of the proposed work.
(B) Provide the specific street address of the proposed work.
(C) Further identify the location of the proposed work if in a portion of a structure.
(D) State the occupancy of the structure and for which the proposed work is intended.
(E) State the total valuation of the work for which application is made.
(F) Be signed by the applicant or when required, by the licensed holders.
(G) State the name, address and license number of licensed contractor(s) who will perform work under the permit. Provide the business privilege license numbers of contractors, design professionals, agents, owners, lessors, etc., as appropriate to the application.
(H) Give such additional information as required by the department.
(4) Applications for a building permit shall be accompanied by four (4) sets of construction documents. Plans shall be drawn to scale and shall be of sufficient clarity to indicate the location, nature and extent of the work proposed and show in detail that it will conform to the provisions of the technical codes and all applicable standards, regulations and ordinances. The department is authorized to establish plan submission standards and to waive any or all of the requirements for filing construction documents when the scope of the work so dictates. When the quality of the materials is essential for conformity to the technical codes, specific information shall be given to establish such quality, and the code shall not be cited, nor shall the term “legal” or its equivalent be used as a substitute for specific information.
(5) Construction documents shall include adequate details of structural, mechanical and electrical work, including computations, diagrams and other essential technical data as determined by the code official. The construction documents for new construction, alteration, repairs, expansion, addition or modification for buildings or structures required for a permit application shall be prepared by a registered design professional consistent with the professional registration laws of the State of Maryland. The construction documents shall include the name and address of the registered design professional and shall be signed, sealed and dated by the registered design professional in accordance with the professional registration laws of the State of Maryland.
(6) In the case of new construction, additions and demolition, the building permit applications shall be accompanied by a site plan showing to scale the size and location of all new construction and all existing structures on the site, distances from lot lines, the established street grades and the proposed finished grades; and it shall be drawn in accordance with an accurate boundary line survey. In the case of demolition, the site plan shall show all construction to be demolished and the location and size of all existing structures and construction that are to remain on the site or plot.
(7) Subject to the limitations of subsection (c)(8) of this section, amendments to a plan, application or other records accompanying the same, shall be filed at any time before completion of the work for which the permit is issued. Such amendments shall be deemed part of the original application and shall be filed therewith and requisite fees paid.
(8) An application for a permit for any proposed work shall be deemed to have been abandoned six (6) months after the date of filing, unless such application has been diligently prosecuted or a permit shall have been issued; except that the code official may grant one or more extensions of time for additional periods not exceeding ninety (90) days each if there is reasonable cause.
(d) Action on permit applications.
(1) The code official shall examine or cause to be examined all applications for permits required by this article and amendments thereto. If the application or the construction documents do not comply with the requirements of all pertinent laws, the code official shall reject such application in writing, stating the reasons therefore. If the code official is satisfied that the proposed work complies with the requirements of this article and any applicable technical code and any other applicable laws, the code official shall issue a permit for the proposed work. No permit shall be issued until all applicable fees have been paid.
(2) Any permit issued shall become invalid if the authorized work is not commenced within six (6) months after issuance of the permit, or if the authorized work is suspended or abandoned for a period of six (6) months after the time of commencing the work. The code official may for reasonable cause extend the time for commencing the work for a period not exceeding six (6) months upon written request of the permittee. No permit shall be extended more than once. In order to proceed with the work authorized by an expired permit, a new permit shall be obtained.
(3) Neither this section and the technical codes shall not require changes in the construction documents, construction or designated use group of a building for which a lawful permit has been heretofore issued or otherwise lawfully authorized, and the construction of which has been actively prosecuted within ninety (90) days after the effective date of the applicable code(s) and is completed with dispatch.
(4) The code official shall affix a signature of approval to each approved application and/or permit in accordance with procedures of the department.
(5) Upon approval, the code official shall stamp or endorse in writing “Approved” on two (2) sets of construction documents, unless otherwise specified.
(6) The approved sets of construction documents shall be distributed as follows:
(A) One set shall be retained in the records of the building department according to the established retention schedule.
(B) One set shall be returned to the applicant. This set shall be retained by the applicant at the construction site and shall be available for inspection by the appropriate inspection agency.
(7) Construction documents approved by the department are approved with the intent that such construction documents comply in all respects with this article and the applicable codes. Any omissions or errors on the construction documents do not relieve the applicant or other responsible persons of having to comply with all applicable requirements of this Code, or any other applicable law.
(8) The code official is authorized to issue a permit for the construction of foundations before the construction documents for the entire structure have been submitted provided that appropriate construction documents and any other required documentation have been filed and approved by the appropriate agencies. A permit shall not be issued until all applicable fees have been paid.
(9) Issuance of a foundation permit for a structure shall be the basis for issuance of plumbing and electrical permits for such work below grade.
(e) Permit requirements and conditions.
(1) The owner of a structure for which a foundation and related permits have been issued shall proceed at the owner’s risk without assurance that a permit for the entire structure will be granted. Issuance of a foundation permit shall not be construed to establish vested rights to the building or related permits on the part of any party to the construction project.
(2) Permit documents, approved construction drawings, site plans, or other documents pertinent to the permit shall be kept on the premises designated therein at all times and shall be readily available for inspection by the applicable inspection agency. A true copy of permits authorizing construction activity shall be posted on the site of the operations, open to public inspection during the entire time of the performance of the work for which the permit has been issued. The permit placard, issued with the building permit, shall be posted on the site, visible from the public way.
(3) A permit shall not be issued until the all-applicable fees have been paid. A permit is license to proceed with the work and shall not be construed as authority to violate, cancel or set aside any of the provisions of this article or the technical codes, except as specifically stipulated by legally granted variance.
(4) All work shall conform to the approved application and the approved construction documents for which the permit has been issued and any approved amendments to the approved application or the approved construction documents. Permits are not transferable except by application to the department.
(5) All new work shall be located strictly in accordance with the approved final site plan. (Ord. No. G-05-18, § 13, 12-19-05)