This chapter shall be known as the "Plumbing
and Heating Code of the City of Norwich, New York."
Since there is danger to individual life, health,
and property, as well as a hazard to the general public health, inherent
in the installation of plumbing and heating equipment and related
appliances, this chapter is enacted to regulate the installation,
alteration or repair of plumbing and associated equipment in or on
all real property within the City of Norwich, New York, and the licensing
of those individuals wishing to perform this line of work, excluding
minor repairs made by property owners themselves.
A.
All Plumbing, heating and related appliance installations
heretofore mentioned shall be made in conformity with the requirements
of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (hereinafter
referred to as the State Code).[1]
(1)
Sewers under public ways and within property lines,
underground sanitary drainage piping within buildings, above ground
sanitary drainage piping within buildings and the fittings for such
piping shall be not less than ABS or PVC, DWV Schedule 40 or heavier
pipe.
B.
Except where such pipe enters or exits floors, walls,
partitions, ceilings and roofs, fire stop devices shall be installed
to prevent the passage of heat, smoke and fire gases in the event
of fire.
The City Council will appoint one or more plumbing
inspectors upon recommendation of the Examining Board of Plumbers,
herein noted as the "Plumbing Board," who will in turn make such recommendation
based upon the qualifications of the potential appointee. All plumbing
inspectors who are so appointed shall not be engaged directly, or
indirectly, in the business of plumbing, heating, or related appliance
installation during the period of employment as inspector. They shall
be citizens and actual residents of the City of Norwich or Chenango
County, and before entering upon the discharge of their duties as
such inspectors, they shall be required to obtain a certificate of
competency from the Plumbing Board. The compensation for such plumbing
inspector(s) shall be fixed by the City Council of Norwich. In the
absence of the duly appointed plumbing inspector, qualified members
of the Plumbing Board (excluding ex officio members) shall make all
necessary inspections. No member of this Board shall inspect installations
or work performed by himself or his firm.
It shall be the duty of the plumbing inspector
to report, in writing, to the Code Enforcement Officer (CEO), whose
duty it shall be to enforce all the provisions of this code, all violations
of or deviations from or omissions of the provisions of the State
Code, and of all local laws, ordinances and the Building Code as referred
to in this chapter,[1] insofar as any of the same apply to plumbing, heating
or related appliances. The inspector shall make inspections and reinspections
of the plumbing installations in and on properties in the City of
Norwich upon the written request of an authorized official of the
City of Norwich or as herein provided. The inspector is authorized
to make inspections and reinspections of plumbing, heating and related
appliance installations, devices, appliances and equipment in and
on properties within the City of Norwich where he deems it necessary
for the protection of life, health and property. In the event of an
emergency, it is the duty of the inspector to make inspections upon
the oral request of an official or officer of the City of Norwich.
It shall be the duty of the inspector to furnish written reports to
the proper official of the City of Norwich and owners and/or lessees
of property where defective installations and equipment are found
upon inspection. He shall issue a certificate of compliance to the
permit holder when installations and equipment are in conformity with
this chapter, and shall issue a copy of the certificate of compliance
to the City of Norwich to the attention of the Code Enforcement Officer.
It shall be a violation of this chapter for
any person, firm or corporation to install or cause to be installed,
or to alter or repair plumbing or heating equipment or related appliances,
or connect or cause to be connected any plumbing or heating appliance
to any City sewer or water system or any New York State Electric and
Gas pipeline in or on properties in the City of Norwich without benefit
of an unexpired, unsuspended, unrevoked master's plumbing or heating
license and an application for a permit being filed with the Code
Enforcement Officer of the City of Norwich and/or New York State Electric
and Gas.
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate
any of the provisions of this chapter or any rule or regulation made
pursuant thereto shall be guilty of a violation and, upon conviction
thereof, may be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment
not to exceed one year, or both, and each day on which such violations
continue shall constitute a separate offense.
This chapter shall not apply to any building
which is owned or leased in its entirety by the government of the
United States or the State of New York, nor shall it apply to manufacturing
units which employ regular plumbing and heating maintenance personnel.
A.
This chapter
shall not be construed to relieve from or lessen the responsibility
of any person owning, operating, controlling or installing any plumbing
or heating devices, appliances or equipment for loss of life or damage
to person or property caused by a defect therein, nor shall the City
of Norwich, New York be deemed to have assumed any such liability
by reason of any inspection made pursuant to this chapter.
B.
Any firm
or person engaged commercially in plumbing, heating or installation
of related appliances shall carry a minimum insurance policy within
limits of $500,000 general aggregate , $300,000 bodily injury, $300,000
property damage and workers' compensation as required by the State
of New York. This requirement shall be satisfied immediately, by those
contractors not on file with the City of Norwich Code Enforcement
Office, upon enactment of this chapter.
All ordinances and parts of ordinances inconsistent
with this chapter are hereby repealed. This chapter also specifically
repeals the plumbing codes of the City of Norwich, New York, as adopted
in 1940, and any amendments thereto.
A.
In the event of conflict between the provisions of
this chapter and those of the State Code, the State Code shall prevail.
In the event of conflict between this chapter and the Building Code
of the City of Norwich, enacted August 15, 1967, and replaced September
22, 1987,[1] said Building Code shall prevail.[2]
B.
In the event of a conflict between any other law or
ordinance of the City of Norwich, New York, this chapter shall prevail
in matters of plumbing, heating, or the installation of related appliances.
This chapter shall not be construed to affect
the responsibility or liability of any party owning, operating, controlling,
or installing any plumbing, heating or related equipment for damages
to persons or property caused by any defect in such equipment or in
the installation thereof, nor shall either any duly designated plumbing
inspector of the City of Norwich, any member of the Plumbing Board
of the City of Norwich, nor the City of Norwich assume any liability
by reason of inspections, reinspections, the issuance of permits,
or the issuance of licenses.
A.
From time to time, it is anticipated that, in the opinion of the Code Enforcement Officer, a violation of the code exists. Since neither the plumbing inspector nor the Code Enforcement Officer of the City of Norwich are empowered to allow violations of the letter of this chapter, a written notice shall be issued to the alleged violator. The notice shall specify the sections of the code of which the individual is in violation and shall require that the individual comply within 14 days of the date of the notice or to file an appeal to the Board of Appeals as established by the City of Norwich Common Council. The penalties for failure to comply are as noted under § 392-7.
C.
An appeal shall stay all proceedings in furtherance
of the action unless the Code Enforcement Officer, from whom the appeal
is taken, certifies that the stay would cause imminent peril to life
and property.
This chapter shall take effect as of the first
day of July 1999, as approved by the Mayor and the Common Council
of the City of Norwich, New York.
