[HISTORY: Adopted by The Commissioners of St. Michaels 12-11-1984 by Ord. No. 159. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Site plan review — See Ch. 110.
Numbering of buildings — See Ch. 113.
Erosion and sediment control — See Ch. 154.
Housing standards — See Ch. 191.
Property maintenance — See Ch. 243.
Subdivision of land — See Ch. 290.
Zoning — See Ch. 340.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Building Code."
The purpose of this chapter is to provide regulations to help assure that buildings constructed in the Town of St. Michaels will be safe for use, occupancy and habitation.
The provisions of this chapter shall be applicable to and shall govern and control the manner in which all structures are constructed within the corporate limits of the Town of St. Michaels.
It shall be unlawful for any person to construct or cause to be constructed any structure within the Town of St. Michaels without first obtaining a permit therefor approved by the St. Michaels Building Inspector.
No building permit shall be valid unless actual work is commenced thereunder within a period of one year after the date of its issuance, and unless the project for which the permit is issued is completed within two years from the date the permit is issued; unless a longer period of time is specified in the permit by the Building Inspector or unless an extension of time is approved by the Building Inspector for good cause shown. Actual construction is hereby defined to include the placing of construction materials in permanent position and fastened in a permanent manner, except that where demolition or removal of an existing building has been substantially begun preparatory to rebuilding, such demolition or removal shall be deemed actual construction, provided that work shall be diligently carried on until the completion of the construction involved.
No person shall construct or cause to be constructed any structure within the Town of St. Michaels in violation of the terms, conditions, and restrictions of a building permit, or beyond the scope of the work as set forth in a building permit.
[Amended 8-8-1995 by Ord. No. 223; 10-9-2001 by Ord. No. 268; 5-28-2014 by Ord. No. 450; 5-10-2023 by Ord. No. 545]
No person shall construct, cause to be constructed, or modify any structure within the Town of St. Michaels that is in violation of the International Building Code, 2018 edition, the International Residential Code, 2018 edition, and/or the International Energy Conservation Code, 2018 edition, as published by the International Code Council, Inc., which International Building Code and the International Energy Conservation Code are hereby adopted and approved as the standard to which all structures located within the Town of St. Michaels shall be constructed or modified. Notwithstanding anything in either adopted code to the contrary, appeals from a decision of the Town's Permit Official relating to the application of such codes shall be governed by § 108-9 of this chapter.
[Added 12-20-2006 by Ord. No. 349; amended 6-20-2007 by Ord. No. 353; 10-8-2014 by Ord. No. 455[1]]
The requirement for interior automatic fire sprinkler systems shall apply to all new one- and two-family dwellings for any existing lot or proposed new subdivision which has received preliminary plan approval for which a building permit has not been issued as of the effective date hereof.
A. 
Placement of modular homes is considered new construction.
B. 
The requirement for interior sprinkler systems shall not apply to accessory or uninhabitable structures (e.g., detached carports, garages, greenhouses, and sheds).
C. 
Automatic fire sprinkler systems required under this section shall be connected to the municipal water supply serving the residence, provided the water supply is of adequate pressure, capacity, and sizing for the combined domestic and sprinkler system requirements, and property back flow valves are installed.
D. 
Interior automatic fire sprinkler systems shall be installed and maintained in all new one- and two-family dwelling units in accordance with the most recent version of the Maryland Building Performance Code and the International Residential Code for one- and two-family dwellings, as amended from time to time.
E. 
No person shall do work in the Town of St. Michaels as a sprinkler contractor without first applying for and receiving a license of the appropriate class from the State Fire Marshal's Office.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided that it shall apply retroactively to and be interpreted to affect any project for which a building permit was issued on or after 8-8-2014, but for which a certificate of occupancy has yet to be obtained.
The Building Inspector shall be appointed by resolution of The Commissioners of St. Michaels, and shall serve from time to time at the pleasure of The Commissioners of St. Michaels. The Building Inspector shall enforce the provisions of this chapter, and shall have authority to enter upon all property in the Town at reasonable times for the purpose of conducting such inspections as he or she may deem necessary for the enforcement of this chapter.
A. 
The owner, builder, and all subcontractors shall render to the Building Inspector any assistance requested in making inspections of any work or structure coming under his or her jurisdiction.
B. 
The Building Inspector may request and receive, so far as may be necessary in the discharge of his or her duties, the assistance of the St. Michaels Police Department in enforcing orders and in prosecuting violations of this chapter.
C. 
No oversight or failure by the Building Inspector to do his or her duty shall legalize the erection, construction demolition or alteration of any structure that is not in conformity with this chapter and the BOCA Code.
D. 
The Building Inspector shall keep records of all applications, of permits issued, of reports rendered, and of notices or orders which he or she issues. All records concerning building permit applications, building permits, drawings, plans, reports, inspections, notices and orders shall be kept at the Town office and shall be a part of the public records of the Town.
E. 
The Building Inspector may require that an applicant submit such site plans, elevation drawings, floor plans, and/or other plans, documentation and information as the Building Inspector may, in his or her discretion, require.
F. 
All construction shall be in conformity with the application, together with such plans and drawings, as approved, and no deviation therefrom shall be permitted unless approved in writing by the Building Inspector.
G. 
The Building Inspector shall be authorized to issue such order or orders as he or she may deem necessary upon his or her determination that there is a violation of the Building Code, that a structure is being erected in violation of the Building Code, or that a structure is being erected in violation of or contrary to that for which a building permit was issued. Upon his or her determination of a violation, the Building Inspector shall be authorized, by order, to suspend or revoke a building permit, and to order such corrective action by the owner, builder or contractor as the Building Inspector may deem necessary in order to correct such violation. All such orders by the Building Inspector shall be in writing.
Decisions of the Building Inspector to issue, revoke, suspend or deny a building permit may be appealed by an aggrieved party or the Town to the St. Michaels Board of Zoning Appeals in the same manner, and pursuant to the same procedures, as appeals are taken from decisions of the St. Michaels Zoning Inspector to the St. Michaels Board of Zoning Appeals; and appeals may be taken from the decision of the St. Michaels Board of Zoning Appeals, on such matters in review of decisions of the Building Inspector, by a party to the proceeding before the Board of Zoning Appeals, or by the Town, to the Circuit Court for Talbot County in the same manner and pursuant to the same procedures, as are set forth in Chapter 340, Zoning, as amended from time to time.
The Building Inspector or any sworn police officer of the Town may issue a citation to anyone who violates this chapter. No such citation shall be issued except upon first-hand knowledge of the issuing officer. The Building Inspector shall be promptly notified of the issuance of any such citation. Procedures set forth in Chapter 33, Municipal Infractions, as amended, for issuance of citations, payment of fines, election to stand trial, and court proceedings, shall apply.
Any person who shall violate any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a municipal infraction, and shall be subject to a fine of $100 for any single violation of this chapter or $500 for each repeat or continuing violation. Each day a violation of this chapter continues shall constitute a separate offense.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).