Chapter 14.04 — GENERAL PROVISIONS

Title 14 shall be known as the "County Building and Safety Ordinance." (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

For the purpose of administering and enforcing this title, there is established in the county, within the department of public works, a building official.

• A. The building official is authorized and directed to enforce all the provisions of this title, and for such purpose, he or she shall have the powers of a peace officer, provided that he or she has obtained the required peace officer certifications under California law.

• B. The determination of value or valuation under any of the provisions of this title shall be made by the building official.

• C. The director of the Inyo County public works department shall serve as the Inyo County building official. The director of public works may appoint such deputies, officers, inspectors, assistants and other employees as shall be authorized by the board of supervisors in order to carry out his or her duties as the building official.

• D. The building official is designated as the county enforcement official referred to in Section 19121 of the Health and Safety Code of the state of California.

• E. Upon presentation of proper credentials and during the time that a building permit for a structure, building, or premises is in effect, the building official may enter at reasonable times said structure, building, or premises to perform any duty imposed upon him or her by this title and to make any inspections, reinspections or tests of any installation.

• (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

The provisions of this title shall apply to all buildings and structures in the unincorporated territory of Inyo County, except to the extent that any building or structure may be exempted from compliance by the California Building Code, state, or federal law. (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

Notwithstanding any provisions of this title, no one shall use as a place of habitation, residence or business any discarded, used, secondhand, salvaged, abandoned boxcar, refrigerator car, recreational vehicle, motor bus body or similar vehicle body; provided however, nothing herein shall prohibit the use of said structures for other than places of abode, habitation or business; and provided further, nothing contained herein shall prohibit the use of said structures for places of abode, habitation or business providing such structures are altered, changed or reconstructed so as to comply with all other conditions and requirements of this title. (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

Notwithstanding any state or federal law or county ordinance exempting certain buildings or structures from the application of this title, any person may submit an application for a permit to construct any building or structure otherwise exempted from the application of this title. If a permit is granted, the provisions of this title shall thereafter apply to said construction. (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

All building permits and plan checks will expire under the following conditions:

• A. All applications and plans submitted for plan review shall become void after a period of twelve months (one year) from the time of application. At this time any further application for the project will require a new plan check fee and new application submitted.

• B. All building division permits will become void thirty-six months (three years) after issuance, unless:

  1. A written request for a permit extension is submitted;

  2. The construction is progressing at a proponent's best rate; and

  3. The construction activity is posing no life-safety threat to the public or to any person.

• C. If the building or work authorized by such permit is not commenced within one year from the date of permit issuance, or work authorized by such permit is suspended or abandoned at any time after the work is commenced, the permit's suspension and/or abandonment shall be determined by a lack of progress inspections for a period of more than one year since the last previously documented inspection. If a permit has expired, no work can recommence until a new application is applied for, plan check is completed, all permit fees are paid, and a new permit is issued.

• D. To receive an extension of time on an expired building permit, the applicant shall submit a written request detailing the extenuating circumstances that prevented the completion of the project in the allotted time limits of the issued permit.

  1. Upon review and approval by the building inspector, an extension may be granted for an additional year. Should this additional twelve months (one year) time elapse, a new building permit shall be obtained prior to the continuation of work on the project.

  2. The new permit fee will be calculated on the hourly amount of plan check required to reissue the permit, the balance of the work to be completed, and number of inspections estimated to final the issued permit.

• (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

The provisions of this title or any amendment thereto, shall not apply to any building or structure, the foundations of which were completed prior to the effective date of the ordinance codifying this title, provided the construction is continued without undue interruptions or delays after the completion of such foundations. Provided, however, that nothing in this section shall be construed to exempt any building or structure from compliance with any pre-existing state or federal laws. (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

No building permits shall be issued for any building for which an individual sewage disposal system, a connection to a public sewage collection system, an individual water supply system and/or a connection to a public water supply system must be installed, altered or added to until the building official is satisfied that all required application reviews for permits issued by any other county department have been completed.

(Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)