City of Rochester, NY Permits, Applications, Drawings and Specifications

[1]

Editor's Note: Former Art. III, Licenses for Inspectors, as amended, was repealed 1-18-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-12, which ordinance also redesignated former Art. VII as this Art. III and renumbered the sections therein accordingly.

A building permit is required for the installation, reinstallation, removal, demolition or major alteration of any conveyance. A building permit is not required for simple repairs. Written application shall be made by an authorized agent of a licensed installation company for permission to perform work. No work shall be commenced until the application has been approved by the Commissioner of Neighborhood and Business Development. The permit card shall be conspicuously posted on the premises where work is being done. The permit shall cover only the work specified in the application.

[Amended 12-17-1991 by Ord. No. 91-536; 6-16-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-179; 1-18-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-12]

A building permit shall be required for all work other than simple repairs as defined in § 50-7A and including but not limited to the following major alterations to all elevators:

[Amended 1-18-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-12]

(1)

Increase in rated load or speed.

(2)

Increase in deadweight of a car by more than 5%.

(3)

Increase in the rate of travel.

(4)

Change in the type of operation or control.

(5)

Change in the size or number of suspension ropes.

(6)

Change in the size or type of guide rails.

(7)

Replacement, change in type or addition of a car or counterweight safety.

(8)

Permissive use of freight elevators to transport employees.

(9)

Change in classification from freight to passenger service.

(10)

Change in power supply.

(11)

Replacement of an existing machine.

(12)

Addition of hoistway-door-locking devices or car-door or gate-electric contacts.

(13)

Addition of hoist-door and/or car-door or gate-operating devices.

(14)

Addition of car-leveling or truck-zoning devices.

(15)

Addition of automatic transfer devices.

A building permit shall also be required for the following major alteration to hydraulic elevators:

(1)

Increase in working pressure of more than 5%.

(2)

Change in type of operation.

(3)

Change in type of control.

Permits shall be obtained from the City of Rochester with the following exception: Mercantile and factory operations shall obtain permits from the New York State Department of Labor, as defined by 12 NYCRR, Part 8.

A certificate of inspection is required prior to the operation or use of any conveyance in any building or structure in the City which has been installed, constructed or altered. Any such operation or use without the required certificate of inspection is unlawful.

A valid certificate of inspection is required for the continuing operation or use of any conveyance in any building or structure in the City and prior to the subsequent operation of any such conveyance which has been placed out of service or secured. Any such operation or use without the required certificate of inspection is unlawful.

The Commissioner may permit the temporary use of any conveyance during its installation or construction, prior to certification for use by the general public, upon compliance with such conditions as the Commissioner may impose. A notice bearing the information that the equipment has not been finally approved shall be conspicuously posted on, near or visible from each entry to such device. In the case of elevators, such permission shall not be granted until the elevator shall have been tested with the rated load and the car safety and the terminal stopping equipment have been tested to determine their safety and until either permanent or temporary guards or enclosures are placed on the car and around the hoistway and at the landing entrances on each floor. Landing entrance guards shall be provided with locks that can be released from the hoistway side only. Automatic and continuous pressure elevators shall not be placed in temporary operation by the use of landing push buttons unless door-locking devices and/or interlocks are installed and in operation.

Any person, firm, association, partnership or corporation who is the owner, lessee or occupant of a building or structure in the City and who operates or causes to be operated therein any conveyance herein defined shall be responsible for compliance with the provisions of this chapter.

Failure to obtain a permit will result in penalties as established in § 39-225 of the Building Code of the City of Rochester.