HomeMy WebLinkAbout19288 ORD - 04/29/1986AN ORDINANCE
ADOPTING THE STANDARD MECHANICAL CODE, 1985 EDITION, WITH
CERTAIN CHANGES THEREIN AND ADDITIONS THERETO, AS THE
MECHANICAL CODE OF THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF JUNE 1, 1986.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI,
TEXAS:
SECTION 1. That the book entitled "Standard Mechanical Code, 1985
edition (copies of which are made a public record by this ordinance of the City
Council, and are on file in the City Secretary's Office) is hereby adopted as
fully as if copied at length in this ordinance, but with Chapter 1 -
ADMINISTRATION revised to read as follows:
"CHAPTER 1 - ADMINISTRATION
SECTION 101 - TITLE AND SCOPE
101.1 - Title
The provisions embraced within the following chapters and sections shall
constitute and be known and may be cited as "The Mechanical Code of the City of
Corpus Christi", hereafter referred to as "this code".
101.2 - Code Remedial
This code is hereby declared to be remedial, and shall be construed
to secure the beneficial interest and purposes thereof, which are health,
sanitation, general public safety and welfare, by regulating installation and
maintenance of all mechanical equipment.
101.3 - Scope
The provisions of this code shall apply to the installation of mechanical
systems, including alterations, repairs, replacement, equipment, appliances,
fixtures, fittings, and/or appurtenances thereto, including ventilating,
heating, cooling, air conditioning and refrigeration systems, incinerators, and
other energy-related system.
101.4 - Maintenance
All mechanical systems, both existing and new, and all parts thereof, shall
be maintained in a safe condition. All devices or safeguards which are required
by this code shall be maintained in good working order. The maintenance of
mechanical systems shall be the responsibility of the owner or his designated
agent.
05P.001.01
1928 MICROFILMED
SECTION 102 - ORGANIZATION
102.1 - Building Official And Inspectors
The Building Official is hereby designated as the person responsible for
the administration and enforcement of this code, and who shall discharge the
duties and have the authority hereinafter provided for the "Mechanical Official"
and the "Administrative Authority". The Building Official may delegate said
authority to assistants, inspectors and other employees of the Building
Inspection Department.
102.2 - Restriction On Employees
No employee of the Building Inspection Department shall be financially
interested in the furnishing of labor, material, or appliances for the
installation, alteration, or maintenance of mechanical systems or in the making
of plans or of specifications therefor, unless the employee is the owner of the
property on which the installation exists or is planned to take place.
SECTION 103 - POWERS AND DUTIES OF BUILDING OFFICIAL
103.1 - Right of Entry
The Building Official is authorized to enter any building, structure, or
premises to perform any duty imposed by this code.
103.2 - Stop Work Orders
Upon notice from the Building Official that work on anymechanical
installation is being done contrary to the provisions of this code or in a
dangerous or unsafe manner, such work shall be immediately stopped. Such
notice shall be in writing and shall be given to the owner of such property,
or to the owner's agent, or the person doing the work, and shall state the
conditions under which work may be resumed. Where any emergency exists, oral
notice shall be sufficient.
103.3 - Revocation of Permits
The Building Official may revoke a permit or approval issued under the
provisions of this code, if there has been any false statement or
misrepresentation as to any material fact in the application or plans on
which the permit or approval was based.
103.4 Unsafe Installations
All mechanical installations, regardless of type, which constitute a hazard
to human life, health, or welfare are hereby declared illegal and shall be
abated by repair or demolition.
05P.001.01
103.5 - Requirements not Covered by Code
Any requirement necessary for the strength or stability of an existing or
proposed building or structure, or for the safety or health of the occupants
thereof, not specifically covered by this Code, shall be determined by the
Building Official.
103.6 - Alternate Materials and Alternate Methods of Installations
Alternate materials and alternate methods of installations shall be
approved in accordance with this Section.
(a) Existing Premises
In existing buildings or premises in which mechanical installations are to be
altered, repaired, or renovated, the Building Official may authorize deviations
from the provisions of this Code, provided that a proposal to deviate is first
submitted for approval, and that such deviation is consistent with health and
safety standards as they pertain to mechanical installations.
(b) Approval
Provisions of this code are not intended to prevent the use of any material,
device, method of assemblage or installation, fixture, or appurtenance not
specifically authorized, provided such alternate has been approved.
(c) Evidence of Compliance
An application for approval shall include evidence that the proposed alternates
meet the requirements of this Code for safety and health.
(d) Tests
Where there is not sufficient evidence to substantiate claims for alternates the
Building Official may require tests of compliance as proof to be made by an
approved agency at the expense of the applicant. Tests shall be made in
accordance with generally recognized standards; but in the absence of such
standards, the Building Official shall specify the test procedure.
Tests may be required to be repeated if, at any time, there is reason to believe
that an alternate no longer conforms to the requirements on which its approval
was based.
103.7 - Liability
Any officer or employee, or member of any Board, charged with the
enforcement of this code, acting for the City of Corpus Christi in the discharge
of duties, shall not thereby be rendered liable personally and is hereby
relieved from all personal liability for any damage that may occur to
persons or property as a result of any act required or permitted in the
discharge of duties. Any suit brought against any officer or employee because
05P.001.01 3
of such act performed in the enforcement of any provision of this code shall be
defended by the City Attorney until the final termination of the proceedings.
SECTION 104 - APPLICATION FOR PERMIT
104.1 - When Required
A person, firm, or corporation shall not do or cause to be done, any
installations, alterations, repairs, or replacement of equipment or systems
covered by the provisions of this code, without first having obtained the proper
permit from the Building Official.
104.2 - Permits Not Required
(a) Ordinary minor repairs may be made without a permit, as outlined in
paragraph 104.2(b). The making of such ordinary minor repairs without a permit
but otherwise in compliance with the Code technical requirements shall not be
deemed violative of this Code.
(b) Permits shall not be required for the following:
1. any electrical portable heating appliance;
2. any portable ventilation equipment;
3. any portable cooling unit;
4. any steam, hot or chilled water piping within any heating or cooling
equipment regulated by this code;
5. replacement of any individual component part or composite component part
within an approved assembly unit, in which its replacement and replacement
part do not alter its original approval or make it unsafe and complies with
this code. This exception shall not be construed to include replacement of
a complete assembly unit such as a condensing unit, furnance, or other such
assembly units as assembled by the original equipment manufacturer.
6. any portable evaporative cooler;
7. any self-contained refrigeration system containing ten (10) pounds or less
of refrigerant and actuated by motors of one (1) horsepower or less;
(c) Where any industry occupies a site of twenty or more acres in the use of
said plant site and the conduct of general operation is such that the plant site
involves the assembly, disassembly, reassembly, alterations or improvements
under the supervision of a Registered Professional Architect or a Registered
Professional Engineer, no permit shall be necessary and no inspection shall be
performed by the City for the erection of the plant or the assembly,
disassembly, reassembly, remodeling, alterations or improvements of the plant or
any portion thereof used in any manufacturing process, pilot plant use,
laboratory testing or use of any mechanical process equipment or laboratory
testing of chemical or chemical manufacturing equipment.
Any building used principally as office building, shipping docks, assembly
room, warehousing, and not for any purpose related to the manufacturing or
testing of equipment or operations, shall not be exempt under this section from
the necessity of obtaining a permit and any construction or repair of any such
building or structure shall be required to have a permit and shall be permitted
only under a permit as for the same type of building elsewhere within the City
Limits.
05P.001.01 4
In order to qualify for an exemption of the provisions hereof, an affidavit
shall first be filed in the office of the Building Official, setting forth
sufficient facts to show that the affiant is entitled to the exemption
requested, on the form provided by the Building Official.
(d) Permits and inspections are not required for construction, repair or
alteration of any building which is being used exclusively in connection with
the ranching or agricultural use of any tract of land of ten acres or more in
area, within the City of Corpus Christi, at the time of annexation so long as
the entire premises being used for agricultural or ranching purposes at the time
of annexation is not converted to any other use. Any building for residential
occupancy shall not be exempt under this section from the requirements for
permits and inspections.
104.3 - Form
The applicant shall furnish information as may be required to complete the
application forms furnished by the Building Official.
104.4 - Drawings And Specifications
(a) The applicant shall furnish drawings and specifications of the work if
needed to ascertain whether the work for which the permit is requested complies
with the Code. Information on such drawings and specifications shall be
specific and this code shall not be cited as a whole or in part, nor shall the
term "legal" or its equivalent be issued as a substitute for specific
information.
(b) The Building Official may require details, computations, and other
data necessary to describe the construction, and basis of calculations, and they
shall bear the signature of the person responsible for the design.
(c) All drawings, specifications, and accompanying data shall bear the
name and address of the designer. In the case of buildings and structures
classified under the building code as Group E -Educational, Group
I -Institutional, and Group A -Assembly occupancies, and all buildings or
structures four (4) stories or more in height or ten -thousand (10,000) square
feet or more in area, except one and two family dwellings, and when otherwise
required by the Texas Engineering Practice Act, such designer shall be an
engineer registered in Texas and said drawings, specifications and
accompanying data shall bear the engineer's seal.
SECTION 105 - PERMITS
105.1 - Action on Application
(a) If the work described in an application for permit and the drawings
and specifications which may be filed therewith appear to conform to the
requirements of this code and all other pertinent laws and ordinances, the
Building Official shall issue a permit therefor to the applicant.
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(b) If the application for permit and the drawings and specifications
which may be filed therewith describes work which does not appear to conform to
the requirements of this code or other pertinent law or ordinance, the Building
Official shall not issue a permit, but shall notify the applicant of refusal to
issue the permit and the reasons therefor. Such notification shall, when
requested, be in writing.
(c) A permit issued shall be construed to be a license to proceed with the
work and shall not be construed as authority to violate, cancel, alter, or set
aside any of the provisions of this code, nor shall such issuance of a permit
prevent the Building Official from thereafter requiring correction of any error
in plans or in construction, or of violations of this code. Any permit issued
shall become invalid unless the work authorized by it shall have been commenced
with two (2) months after its issuance. Any permit issued shall become invalid
if the work authorized by such permit is suspended or abandoned for a period of
six (6) months after the time the work is commenced. Provided that for cause,
one or more extensions of time for periods not exceeding ninety days each may be
allowed by the Building Official. Permits are not transferable.
105.2 - Permits - To Whom Issued
Licensing of mechanical contractors is regulated by the Air Conditioning
Contractors License Law, Texas Civil Statutes, Article 8861. If an application
for a permit indicates that the work to be done is required by said ordinance to
be performed by a licensed contractor, then the Building Official shall issue
the permit only if the applicant holds the required license.
105.3 - Identification of Trucks
(a) Each license shall be displayed at the contractor's place of business
as listed with the commissioner.
(b) Each licensed contractor shall display the license number and class of
license in letters not less than two inches in height on both sides of all
vehicles, and/or posted at the job site, visible and readable from the nearest
public street.
105.4 - Permits for Part Jobs
When one person licensed as an Air Conditioning Contractor obtains a permit
and partially completes the work authorized by said permit, and then a second
person licensed as an Air Conditioning Contractor is called upon to complete the
work, a second permit shall be required. Each person shall be responsible for
the work he installed. When issuing the second permit, the Building Official
shall notify the holder of the first permit that the second permit is to be
issued. The issuance of the second permit shall cancel the first permit, and no
refund of fees shall be made.
05P.001.01 6
SECTION 106 - FEES
106.1 - General
A permit shall not be valid until the fees prescribed in this section shall
have been paid; nor shall an amendment to a permit be approved until the
additional fees, if any, shall have been paid.
106.2 - Schedule of Permit Fees
On all Mechanical installations or alterations requiring a mechanical
permit, a fee for each mechanical permit shall be paid as required in accordance
with the schedule prescribed by separate ordinance. Said schedule shall set
forth other fees for which payment is required by this Code or otherwise
provided for by ordinance.
106.3 - Failure to Obtain a Permit
In the event that work for
commenced prior to the issuance
shall be doubled. The collection
inspection work already done and
is not a penalty and is not precl
City to enforce this Code.
which a permit is required by this Code is
of the required permit, then the permit fee
made is to help defray the additional cost of
issuing a permit under such circumstances and
usive of any remedy otherwise available to the
106.4 - Investigation Fee
In the event that an inspection is made and the resultant discovery is that
work for which a permit is required by this Code, has been done, but the
required permit has not been issued, then an investigation fee shall be added to
the permit fee.
106.5 - Reinspection Fee
When an inspection is made as required by this Code and it has been found
that the portion of construction for which an inspection was requested is not
complete, or when corrections called for are not made, or when the premises are
not made readily accessible for inspection, and a reinspection is therefore
required, then the permit holder or his agent shall pay a reinspection fee prior
to the conducting of said reinspection.
SECTION 107 - INSPECTION REQUIRED
All new work and such portions of existing systems as may be affected by
new work, or any changes, shall be inspected to insure compliance with all the
requirements of this code and to assure that the installation and construction
of the mechanical system is in accordance with the approved plans.
05P.001.01 7
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107.1 - Notification
(a) Advance Notice: It shall be the duty of the installer to give
reasonable advance notice to the Building Official when work is ready for test
or inspection.
(b) Installer's Responsibility: It shall be the duty of the installer to
make sure that the work will stand the test prescribed before giving the above
notice.
(c) Retesting: If the work will not pass the test, the installer shall
make necessary corrections and the work shall then be resubmitted for
inspection. Where additional inspections are necessary for retesting there
shall be an additional fee for each such inspection.
107.2 - Material and Labor Inspections
The equipment, material, power, and labor necessary for the inspection and
test shall be furnished by the installer.
107.3 - Inspections
All equipment for which a permit is obtained under this code shall be
inspected. Any portion of any equipment intended to be concealed by any
permanent portion of the buildings shall not be concealed until inspected and
approved. When installation of any equipment is complete, a final inspection
shall be made. Equipment regulated by this code shall not be connected to the
fuel or power supply and placed in normal operation until it complies with all
applicable requirements of this code and a final inspection approval has been
issued.
A final inspection approval may, upon notice, be revoked by the Building
Official if it is found that the mechanical system fails in any respect to
comply with the requirements of this code, so that the installation is unsafe,
dangerous, or hazardous to life. The Building Official may accept inspection
certification reports from a nationally recognized approval agency.
SECTION 108 - CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL
108.1 - Final Inspection
Upon satisfactory completion and final inspection of the mechanical
installation a certificate of approval shall be issued by the Building Official.
The building shall not be occupied prior to completion of said system and/or
issuance of certificate of approval.
108.2 - Temporary Approval
A temporary certificate of approval may be issued for a portion or
portions of a mechanical system which may be safely operated prior to final
completion of the building.
05P.001.01 8
SECTION 109 - Mechanical Advisory Board
109.1 - Mechanical Advisory Board
"Mechanical Advisory Board" shall mean the Mechanical Advisory Board
appointed by the City Council.
109.2 - Power And Duties
It shall be the duty of the Mechanical Advisory Board to advise the City
Council and City Manager regarding any matter in the mechanical field which it
feels should be brought to the attention of the City Council. The Mechanical
Advisory Board shall prescribe a procedure for hearing appeals from the
decisions of the Building Official in regard to interpretation of this code.
Both the Building Official and the individual filing an appeal shall have the
right to appeal the decision of the Mechanical Advisory Board to the City
Council."
SECTION 2. That Ordinance No. 17821, adopted September 7, 1983, is
hereby repealed, and Sections 13-226 through 13-243 of the Code of Ordinances,
City of Corpus Christi, are hereby repealed.
SECTION 3. Any person, firm, or corporation who violates a
provision of this code or fails to comply therewith or with any of the
requirements thereof, or who installs or maintains mechanical systems within
the scope of this code in violation of a detailed statement or plans
submitted and approved thereunder, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall
be fined not more than $200. Each such person, firm or corporation shall be
guilty of a separate offense for each and every day during which any
violation of any of the provisions of this code is committed or continued.
The owner or owners of any mechanical systems filing to comply with any of
the provisions of this code, and the owner or owners of any premises wherein
a violation of this code occurs, and any architect, engineer, designer,
contractor, agent, person, firm, or corporation employed in connection
therewith and who has assisted in the commission of any such violation, shall
be guilty of a separate offense.
SECTION 4. If for any reason any section, paragraph, subdivision,
clause, phrase, word, or provision of this ordinance shall be held invalid or
unconstitutional by final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, it
shall not affect any other section, paragraph, subdivision, clause, phrase,
word, or provision of this ordinance, for it is the definite intent of this
City Council that every section, paragraph, subdivision, clause, phrase,
word, or provision hereof be given full force and effect for its purpose.
SECTION 5. This ordinance shall have an effective date of March 1,
1986, after its final passage and publication one time in the official
publication of the City of Corpus Christi, which publication shall contain the
caption stating in summary the purpose of the ordinance.
05P.001.01 9
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That the foregoing ordinance waA read for4he first time and P sed to its
second reading on this the ?,S day of /It,aj. , 19No , by the
following vote:
Luther Jones
Dr. Jack Best
David Berlanga, Sr.
Leo Guerrero
Joe McComb
Frank Mendez
Bill Pruet
Mary Pat Slavik
Linda Strong
That the foregoing ordinance w s read for e second time andssed to its
third reading on this the day of , 19�G , by the
following vote:
Luther Jones
Dr. Jack Best
David Berlanga, Sr.
Leo Guerrero
Joe McComb
Frank Mendez
Bill Pruet
Mary Pat Slavik
Linda Strong
That the fore O ng ordinanc as read for the ythird time and passed finally
on this the Ern. day of `l.1_ , 19� , by the following vote:
Luther Jones
Dr. Jack Best
David Berlanga, Sr.
Leo Guerrero
Joe McComb
Frank Mendez
Bill Pruet
Mary Pat Slavik
Linda Strong
PASSED AND APPROVED, this the 21- day of 44.l , 19 YA‘
ATTEST:
a
City Secretary
APPROVED:
2DAY OF
ity 'ttorney
MAYOR
THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS
19288
PUBLISHER'S AFFIDAVIT
STATE OF TEXAS,
County of Nueces. }ss: AD# 29724
CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI'
CITY SECRETARY •
Before me, the undersigned, a Notary Public, this day personally came..
MURIEL LA RUE
who being first dulysworn.
SENIOR ACCOUNTING CLERK ra. according to law, says
of the Corpus Christi Caller and The Corpus Christi Times,
Daily,Newspapers published at Corpus Christi, Texas, in said County and State, and that the publication of
NOTICE OF PASSAGE OF ORDINANCE NO. 1,4288
of which the annexed is a true copy, was published in %�a lz -�� __Pb
on the.__5thday of...._. MAY 19_$6.,
tt
and once each. . ......thereafter for ae....._
consecutive. day
ONE
26 45
Times.
MURIEL LA RUE
Subscribed and sworn to before me this
EDNA KOSTER .11-30-88
6th daylof
MAY
19 86
.[.fid
Notary Public, Nuecekcounty, Texas
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