[HISTORY: Adopted by the City of Rochester 6-6-1995 as Ch. 40 of the 1995 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fires and fire safety — See Ch. 75.
Health and sanitation — See Ch. 94.
Nuisances — See Ch. 149.
Sewers — See Ch. 200.
Stormwater management and erosion control — See Ch. 218.
Water — See Ch. 260.
Zoning — See Ch. 275.
The provisions of New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated Chapter 673, as amended, pertaining to an inspector of buildings, building plans, regulations, and appeal are hereby adopted.
The power of a Building Code Board of Appeals in Chapter 673 of the New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated shall be vested in the Rochester Zoning Board of Adjustment.
[Amended 4-19-2005]
The City of Rochester hereby recognizes that the State Building Code under RSA 155-A and the State Fire Code under RSA 153 are applicable within the City of Rochester and for enforcement purposes adopts the provisions of the same.
[Amended 4-19-2005; 10-15-2013]
For enforcement purposes by the City of Rochester, all references in the State Building Code under RSA 155-A, or in any applicable successor code, to the "department of building safety" shall be deemed to refer to the Department of Building, Zoning, and Licensing Services for the City of Rochester, and all duties as defined therein, including those imposed upon the "Building Official," shall be assumed by said Director of the Building, Zoning, and Licensing Services Department, along with the right to enforce the same.
[Amended 4-19-2005; 9-4-2007; 5-18-2010; 10-15-2013; 8-6-2019; 4-6-2021]
A. 
Pursuant to the provisions of RSA 42:8, 47:17, 47:22, 674:51 and 674:51-a and any other State law delegating authority to do so, there are hereby adopted by the City of Rochester for the purpose of establishing rules and regulations, including the issuance of permits for the construction, alteration, removal, demolition, equipment, location, maintenance, use and occupancy of buildings and structures, installation of plumbing, use of concrete, masonry, metal, iron and wood, and other building material, the installation of electric wiring, and fire protection incident thereto and for the prevention of fires, the following codes:
(1) 
International Property Maintenance Code (2015 edition), published by the International Code Council, Inc., Copyright 2015 with the following additions and deletions:
(a) 
Section 101.1. Insert: [City of Rochester].
(b) 
Section 304.14. Insert: [May 15th to September 1st].
(c) 
Section 602.3. Insert: [September 1st to May 15th].
(d) 
Section 602.4. Insert: [September 1st to May 15th]
(e) 
[A] 102.3 Application of other codes. Repairs, additions or alterations to a structure, or changes of occupancy, shall be done in accordance with the procedures and provisions of the State Fire Code as defined in RSA 153:1, VI-a and the State Building Code as defined in RSA 155-A:1, IV. Nothing in this code shall be construed to cancel, modify or set aside any provision of the Rochester Zoning Ordinances contained in Chapter 275.
(f) 
[A] 112.4 Failure to comply. Any person who shall continue any work after having been served with a stop work order, except such work as that person is directed to perform to remove a violation or unsafe condition, shall be liable to a fine in accordance with RSA 676:17.
(g) 
Delete sections 103.5, 302.4, 304.1.1, 305.1.1, and 306.1.1.
(2) 
International Existing Building Code, as codified at RSA 155-A.
B. 
Three copies of each of the aforesaid codes have been and are now on file in the office of the City Clerk of the City of Rochester and three copies of such codes are filed with the Department of Building, Zoning, and Licensing Services for the City of Rochester. Such codes are hereby adopted and incorporated as fully as if set out at length herein, and from the date on which this section shall take effect, the provisions thereof shall be controlling on the construction of all buildings and other structures within the corporate limits of the City of Rochester. There are annexed to such of the aforesaid codes, as filed in the office of the City Clerk and the Department of Building, Zoning, and Licensing Services, as set forth below, the following exhibits setting forth the insertions in, deletions from, exceptions to and/or changes in such codes, which insertions, deletions, exceptions and/or changes are adopted as part of the aforementioned codes:
(1) 
Exhibit A, Statement dated January 4, 2011, of insertions in, deletions from, exceptions to and changes in the International Existing Building Code (2009 edition) by the City of Rochester, New Hampshire.
[Amended 4-19-2005; 8-6-2019]
The duties defined in and the enforcement of the Life Safety Code, as codified at RSA 153 or any applicable successor code, shall be assumed by the Fire Chief of the City of Rochester or his/her authorized representative.
[Amended 4-19-2005; 9-4-2007; 10-15-2013; 8-6-2019; 6-1-2021]
The duties defined in and the enforcement of the NEC 2005, National Electrical Code, as codified by RSA 155-A, and the International Property Maintenance Code (2015 edition), or any applicable successor codes, shall be assumed by the Director of Building, Zoning, and Licensing Services or his/her authorized representative.
[Amended 4-19-2005; 9-4-2007; 10-15-2013; 3-5-2019; 8-6-2019]
The duties defined in and the enforcement of the International Plumbing Code, as codified at RSA 155-A, or any applicable successor code, shall be assumed by the Director of Building, Zoning, and Licensing Services, or his/her authorized representative, except as otherwise provided in Chapter 200, Sewers, of the Code of the City of Rochester where the same are defined as the duties of the Commissioner of Public Works, with inspections to be done by the Director of Building, Zoning, and Licensing Services or an authorized member of the Division of Water Supply Works or Division of Sewage and Waste Treatment Works.
Any individual or entity engaged in excavation, development, construction, building, and/or similar project within the City and involving the outside storage of construction and/or related equipment and/or materials shall forthwith cease to store such equipment and/or materials upon the premises involving such excavation, development, construction, building and/or similar project upon the expiration of the building permit or other similar authorization for such project, or upon the written notification by the City Engineer that such project has been completed, whichever event shall first occur. Upon removal of such equipment and/or material upon the completion of a project, the land disturbed by such storage shall be returned to its original state.
[Amended 10-15-2013]
The Director of Building, Zoning, and Licensing Services, the Fire Chief, or their authorized representatives in the discharge of their official duties and upon proper identification shall have authority to enter any building, structures, or premises at any reasonable hour.
Where the word "municipality" is used in any code adopted herein, it shall be deemed to mean the City of Rochester. Where the words "corporate counsel" or "legal representative" are used in any code adopted herein, they shall be deemed to refer to the Rochester City Solicitor.
A. 
Any person who shall violate any provisions of any code adopted herein, or fail to comply therewith or with any requirements thereof, or who shall erect, construct, alter, or repair or has erected, constructed, altered, or repaired a building or structure or portion thereof in violation of a detailed statement or plan submitted and approved thereunder, or of a permit or certificate issued thereunder, shall be punishable by a civil penalty of two hundred seventy-five dollars ($275.) for the first offense and five hundred fifty dollars ($550.) for subsequent offenses, for each day that such violation is found by a court to continue after the conviction date or after the date on which the violator receives written notice from the City that he/she is in violation thereof, whichever date is earlier. Each day that a violation continues shall be a separate offense. The owner of a building or structure or portion thereof or of the premises where anything in violation of any code adopted herein shall be placed or shall exist, and an architect, building contractor, agent, person or corporation employed in connection therewith and who may have assisted in the commission of such violation, shall be guilty of a separate offense and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable by a civil penalty of two hundred seventy-five dollars ($275.) for the first offense and five hundred fifty dollars ($550.) for subsequent offenses, for each day that such violation is found by a court to continue after the conviction date or after the date on which the violator receives written notice from the City that he/she is in violation thereof, whichever date is earlier. Each day that a violation continues shall be a separate offense.
[Amended 4-5-2016; 3-5-2019]
B. 
The imposition of the penalties herein prescribed shall not preclude the City Solicitor from instituting an appropriate action or procedure to prevent any unlawful erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, conversion, maintenance or use, or to restrain, correct or abate a violation or to prevent the occupancy of a building, structure, or premises, or portion thereof, or of the premises, or to prevent an illegal act, conduct, business or use in or about the premises.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 40-13, Fire limits established, as amended, was repealed 6-1-2021.
When the provisions of any codes adopted herein cover essentially the same subject matter, the more restrictive provisions shall apply.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 275, Zoning. Original § 40.14, Access to basements, was repealed 9-6-2011.
A. 
Permits shall be obtained from the Director of Building, Zoning, and Licensing Services for the construction, alteration, removal, demolition, or repair of any foundation, footing, building or structure or for the installation of plumbing, use of concrete, masonry, metal, iron and wood, and other building material, the installation of electric wiring, and fire protection incident thereto for the prevention of fires, including but not limited to swimming pools, signs, and fences, except that no permit shall be required for painting, papering, laying floors, or upkeep in maintenance of any structure. Separate permits shall be required for building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire protection, and demolition. Prior to the issuance of a foundation or building permit by the Director of Building, Zoning, and Licensing Services, the applicant for such permit shall file with the Department of the Building, Zoning, and Licensing Services a foundation certification plan bearing the stamp of a New Hampshire licensed land surveyor and containing a statement from such surveyor to the effect that the proposed building or structure complies with all applicable building or structure setback requirements and that no portion of the new building or structure is located within any of the setback areas required by law. The requirement for a foundation certification plan may be waived, in writing, by the Director of Building, Zoning, and Licensing Services if, in the discretion of the Director of Building, Zoning, and Licensing Services there are reasonable grounds to conclude that the preparation and submission of a foundation certification plan is unnecessary to ensure that the new building or structure does not violate any required setback.
[Amended 6-15-1999; 6-15-2004; 10-15-2013]
(1) 
The following fees shall be charged for said permits, based upon the estimated cost of construction as presented to the Director of Building, Zoning, and Licensing Services upon application forms provided by him/her: on proposed work, the fee of nine dollars ($9.) per one thousand dollars ($1,000.) of estimated cost of work, or any portion thereof, with a minimum fee of ten dollars ($10.), in addition to an application fee of ten dollars ($10.) for each permit. The following permits shall be a charged only the minimum permit fee of ten dollars ($10.), in addition to an application fee of ten dollars ($10.) for each permit:
[Amended 10-1-2019]
(a) 
Fences.
(b) 
Roofing (re-shingling only).
(c) 
Siding.
(d) 
Sheds under 200 square feet.
(e) 
Window replacements.
[Added 6-1-2021]
(2) 
Each building permit shall expire 12 months from the date of issuance unless renewed by the Director of Building, Zoning, and Licensing Services prior to the expiration date. Any renewal shall require reapplication and payment of required fees based on the remaining work to be done. The Director of Building, Zoning, and Licensing Services may issue no building permit until such other permits or approvals as may be required by any code, other ordinances, or state statutes have been acquired.
(3) 
(Reserved)[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection A(3), regarding requirements for separate permits for specific projects, was repealed 6-1-2021.
(4) 
Fees for building permits shall be waived for an honorably discharged veteran or an active duty, National Guard or reserve member of the United States Armed Forces who plans to construct or have constructed for himself/herself a home or appurtenance to a home already owned by him/her for exclusive occupancy by himself/herself and his/her immediate family.
[Amended 1-12-2016]
(5) 
Permits issued to or for the City of Rochester are exempt from the above fees.
B. 
The estimated cost of construction for purposes of Subsection A of this section shall be calculated on the following basis:
[Amended 9-4-2007; 1-4-2011]
(1) 
For contract work, new buildings and newly constructed additions, the building permit fee shall be based on the greater of all contract/construction costs associated with the total construction project or the cost of construction as determined using the latest "Building Valuation Data" as published periodically by the International Code Council. When construction costs are determined using the "Building Valuation Data" as published by the International Code Council, such costs shall be multiplied by a modification factor of 0.60. Construction costs shall include, but not be limited to, pile driving, foundations, structural and nonstructural framing, interior finish (as regulated by this chapter), fire protection systems and any other work which would render the building complete and ready for occupancy.
[Amended 3-5-2019]
(2) 
For non-contract work, not covered under Subsection B(1), such as when a homeowner furnishes his/her own or has furnished free labor but purchases the materials, the fee shall be based on the actual cost of all materials with a multiplier of two applied. For example, total materials of five thousand dollars ($5,000.): $5,000 x 2 = $10,000. The permit fee would therefore be ninety dollars ($90.) (or 10.0 x $9). If, in the opinion of the Building Official, the cost of construction is underestimated on the application, the permit shall be denied, unless the applicant can show detailed documentation to meet the approval of the Building Official. Final building permit cost of construction shall be approved by the Building Official.
(3) 
Any person who is found to have demolished, constructed, altered, removed, or changed the use of a building or structure without the benefit of a building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire protection or demolition permit shall, before issuing the permits, be assessed a permit fee of twice the normal rate outlined in Subsection A of this section or twenty-five dollars ($25.), whichever is greater. Example: Cost of materials = $15,392; Labor = Self; Permit Fee = 16.0 x $9 x 2 (self labor) x 2 (added fee) = $576.
[Amended 6-1-2021]
(4) 
In the case of a revocation of a permit or abandonment or discontinuance of a building project, the portion of the work actually completed shall be computed and any excess fee for the uncompleted work shall be returned to the permit holder upon written request. All plan examination and permit processing fees and all penalties that have been imposed on the permit holder under the requirements of this chapter shall first be collected. The permit processing fee shall be 10% of the building permit application fee with a minimum fee of ten dollars ($10.).
[Amended 3-5-2019]
Nothing in this chapter or in the codes hereby adopted shall be construed to affect any suit or proceeding now pending in any court or any rights acquired or liability incurred, nor any causes of action accrued or existing, under any act or ordinance repealed hereby, nor shall any right or remedy of any character be lost, impaired, or affected by this chapter. This chapter shall have prospective application only.
The invalidity of any section or provision of this chapter or of the codes hereby adopted shall not invalidate any other sections or provisions thereof.
[Amended 2-4-1997; 10-15-2013]
Within 30 days of the issuance of a certificate of occupancy or, in the case of a project which is terminated or delayed indefinitely, within 30 days of appropriate notification by the Director of Building, Zoning, and Licensing Services, the land at any construction site must be reclaimed. Such reclamation includes removal of all vehicles, equipment, materials, and temporary structures related to the construction project and restoration of any disturbed land to a grassed, planted, or otherwise erosion-free condition.