Chapter 14.08 — BUILDING REGULATIONS

This chapter is enacted for the purpose of adopting rules and regulations for the protection of the public health, safety and general welfare of the occupants and the public; governing the creation, construction, enlargement, conversion, alteration, repair, moving, removal, demolition, occupancy, use, height, court area, sanitation, ventilation, and maintenance of any building used for human habitation; provided, however, that nothing in the codes adopted in this chapter shall be construed to prevent any person from performing his or her own building, mechanical, plumbing, or electrical work when performed in compliance with this chapter. (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

The Inyo County board of supervisors makes express findings that the listed local modifications, additions, and amendments to the building standards contained in California Building Standards Codes, Title 24, are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological or topographical conditions, including snow loads, freezing temperatures, high winds, and remote mountain terrain. These local government amendments also provide a more restrictive building standard than that contained in California Building Standards Codes, Title 24, by including listed appendices and codes detailing requirements specific to the local climatic, geological or topographical conditions of Inyo County.

(Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

All parts of the most recent version of the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, are hereby adopted in the county of Inyo as a matter of state law, subject to the modifications and amendments contained in this chapter.

(Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

All permit fees, including building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits, shall be paid to the building department in an amount set forth and adopted by resolution of the board of supervisors. The fee shall be calculated so as to recover the total cost of administration and enforcement of all rules and regulations surrounding building permits, but shall not exceed the actual cost of the regulatory program authorized by this title. (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

Permit applications containing engineered design submitted to the Inyo County building department for plan check review exceeding conventional light-frame construction code provisions in order to address seismic design, wind load, ground snow load, or because of unconventional or irregular design, may be subject to plan check review by in-house personnel or contract engineering consultants as determined on a case-by-case basis by the building official. All commercial structures containing engineering design requirements shall be subject to plan check review. The expense for such plan check and design review by in house personnel and/or contract engineering consultants shall be paid by the project applicant. (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

• A. Unlawful Acts. It is unlawful for any person, vendor, or corporation to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert, demolish, equip, use, occupy or maintain any building, structure, or building service equipment or cause or permit the same to be done in violation of this title and the technical codes as amended and adopted by the county. The use or occupancy of any building in violation of any of the provisions of this code or the technical codes as adopted by the county is declared to be a public nuisance per se.

• B. Notice of Violation. The building official shall be vested with the necessary powers and duties to enforce the provisions of this title. The building official and his or her deputy inspectors may issue citations for violations and serve a notice of the citation on the person responsible for the erection, construction, alteration, expansion, repair, moving, removal, demolition or occupancy of a building or structure in violation of this title or in violation of a permit or certificate issued under this title.

  1. The building official shall have the discretion to determine the time within which the citation will require the cessation of the unlawful act(s). The building official is authorized to order the immediate cessation of unlawful act(s) if he or she determines that immediate cessation is necessary to preserve public health and safety.

  2. In determining the timeframe within which cessation of the unlawful act must occur, the building official may consider the following list of non-exclusive factors:

     • a. The degree of danger posed to any occupants or inhabitants of the structure in question;

     • b. The degree of danger posed to the public due to the unlawful condition of the structure in question;

     • c. Any good faith efforts by the owner of the structure in question to voluntarily abate the unlawful condition;

     • d. The availability of contractors, engineers, or other construction professionals whose expertise will be necessary to abate the unlawful condition.

  3. A citation issued pursuant to this subsection shall constitute an order or final determination as that term is used in Section 14.08.090.

• C. Violation Penalties.

  1. Where work for which a permit is required by this code has been started prior to obtaining the required permits, the permit fees shall be assessed at a rate to recoup the time and materials spent by the building division staff to mitigate the violation. The payment of such assessed fees shall not relieve any persons from fully complying with the requirements of this title in execution of the work nor from any other penalties, prescribed herein.

  2. In addition to any remedy set forth in any of the codes enumerated in this chapter, any person, association or corporation violating any of the provisions of this title is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars per day that the offense is maintained or by imprisonment in theCounty Jail for not more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Each day's maintenance of a violation of this title shall be considered a separate offense.

• D. The procedures described in Sections 14.08.060 and 14.08.090 shall constitute the means of enforcing the provisions of this title. Except where expressly adopted, the abatement procedures described in Title 22 of the Inyo County Code shall not apply to any alleged violations of this title.

• (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

The prosecution of a criminal action pursuant to Section 14.08.060 shall not preclude the initiation of any civil or administrative action, or vice versa. (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

This title shall not be construed as imposing upon the county, or upon any of its officers or employees, any liability or responsibility for damage resulting from defective building, plumbing or electrical work; nor shall the county, or any officer or employee thereof, be held as assuming any such liability or responsibility by reason of any inspection under this title. (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

The building official may enforce this title via the process set forth in Section 22.12.040 of the Inyo County Code. Any individual who believes that he or she has been aggrieved by an order or final determination made by the building official relative to the application and interpretation of this title must challenge that order or determination via the process set forth in Section 22.12.040 of the Inyo County Code.

(Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020; Ord. 1314, 12/10/2024)

It is unlawful for any person, including utility companies, to connect electric power lines or liquefied petroleum gas permanently to any building or structure for which a permit is required by this title until such structure complies with all applicable ordinances and codes and has been approved by the building official in a final inspection as required under the California Building Code. This section shall not prohibit the erection and use of temporary power poles when approved by the building official; provided that such temporary electrical connections and facilities must be removed prior to connection of permanent lines. (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

Where no building is located on a lot or parcel, no permit shall be issued for an electrical connection, a septic system, or an accessory building prior to issuance of a permit for a primary structure to be constructed on the lot or parcel.

• A. Exception—Temporary Power Poles to Be Used During Construction.

  1. Such power poles may be issued prior to the main use being established, provided the following conditions have been met:

     • a. All required plans have been submitted.

     • b. All plan check fees, building permit fees, and any special fees have been paid in full.

     • c. All temporary electric power poles shall be installed per the requirements found in Article 590 of the most current version of the California Electrical Code (California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 3).

  2. All permits for temporary power poles are valid for a maximum of six months from the date of issuance; provided, however, that the building official may, at his or her discretion, extend the permit for additional six-month periods if he or she determines that construction has commenced and that reasonable progress has been made.

  3. Permanent electrical service may be connected to a building or structure prior to building division final inspection and approval provided:

     • a. The applicant completes a temporary power agreement, on a form supplied by the building official stating that the project is ninety percent complete and meets all requirements of the building division, and executes a disconnect order which authorizes the county to disconnect, under the applicants' liability and expense, in the event of unauthorized usage and/or failure to meet the executed schedule.

     • b. The applicant completes a temporary power agreement and executes a disconnect order which authorizes the county to disconnect. Under the applicants' liability and expense the power will be disconnected and the bond forfeited in the event of unauthorized usage and/or failure to meet schedule.

• B. Exception—Nonresidential Electrical Service.

  1. Permanent electrical service may be connected to machinery permanently affixed to the parcel provided all of the following conditions have been met:

     • a. All required permits have been obtained and all required permit fees have been paid in full.

     • b. The applicant completes a nonresidential power agreement, on a form supplied by the building official, stating that the electrical service is necessary to power machinery permanently affixed to the parcel; that the building official may, at his or her discretion and without notice, inspect the electrical connection to ensure that it is not being used to service a human habitation; and that the county is authorized to disconnect the electrical service, at the applicant's liability and expense, should the electrical service be used to service a human habitation.

     • c. The parcel is zoned as Open Space (OS), Rural Residential (RR), Rural Residential Starlite (RR-Starlite) One Family Residences (R1), Single Residence Mobile Home Combined (RMH), Multiple Residential (R2) and

Multiple Residential (R3), Commercial Recreation (C5), Light Industrial (M-2) and Heavy Industrial (M-1).

2. Any permits issued under this exception shall be valid for a maximum of two years.

• C. The fee for any agreements required by this subsection shall be set by resolution of the board of directors. The fee shall be calculated so as to recover the total cost of administration and enforcement of this chapter, but shall not exceed the actual cost of the regulatory program authorized by this chapter.

• D. Expedited Abatement Procedure. If the building official identifies a violation of this subsection, he or she will provide written notice of the violation to the property owner. The notice shall state that the property owner has fifteen days to remedy the violation. If the property owner does not remedy the violation within fifteen days, the building official is permitted to disconnect the electrical service to that property.

• (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

All of the unincorporated areas of Inyo County shall be declared a snow area and shall comply with the Inyo County Snow Load Design Criteria described below in subsection A. This declaration shall pertain to all structures within these areas as defined by the most recent version of the California Building Code, Section 202. Mobile homes, modular homes, factory-built houses, and commercial coaches shall be subject to the specific design provisions of California Code of Regulations, Title 25. The snow loads, and the conditions of their application, may be revised from time to time based on minimum California Building Code requirements, site specific case studies, and updated information as determined by the building official.

• A. Inyo County Snow Load Design Criteria.

Text read from an image; its layout may differ:
Aberdeen 30 PSF
Aspendell 100 PSF
Big Pine 40 PSF
Bishop 40 PSF
Bishop Creek 100 PSF
Coso Junction 30 PSF
Death Valley 20 PSF
Glacier Lodge 100 PSF
Independence 30 PSF
Little Lake 20 PSF
Lone Pine 30 PSF
Olancha 30 PSF
Personville 20 PSF
Starlite 60 PSF

Text read from an image; its layout may differ:
Tecopa 20 PSF
Whitney Portal 100 PSF
Alabama Hills 40 PSF
Rovana 40 PSF

• B. All flues, chimneys, or other projections through the roof shall be protected from damage by sliding snow or ice. This shall be accomplished by using guys, formed metal guards, saddles, or other methods approved by the building official.

• (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

All of the unincorporated areas of Inyo County shall be declared a wind area and shall comply with the Inyo County Wind Load Design Criteria described below in subsection A. This declaration shall pertain to all structures within these areas as defined by the most recent version of the California Building Code, Section 202. Mobile homes, modular homes, factory-built houses, and commercial coaches shall be subject to the specific design provisions of California Code of Regulations, Title 25. The wind loads, and the conditions of their application, shall be revised from time to time based on minimum California Building Code requirements, site specific case studies, and updated information as determined by the building official.

• A. Inyo County Wind Load Design Criteria. Eighty-five miles per hour sustained winds with one hundred ten mile per hour three-second gusts.

• (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

• A. All of the unincorporated areas of Inyo County are hereby designated as a Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area. All construction must comply with all chapters of the most recent version of the California Building Code applicable to Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Areas. Properties shall be maintained in accordance with the defensible space requirements contained in Government Code Section 51182 (unless exempted by Government Code Section 51183 or 51184) and Public Resources Code Section 4291, as applicable.

• B. The existence or maintenance of any of the following conditions is prohibited:

  1. Tree branches within ten feet of a chimney outlet or stovepipe outlet;

  2. Dead or dying tree branches adjacent to or overhanging a building;

  3. Leaves, needles, or other dead vegetative growth on the roof of any structure;

  4. Flammable vegetation or other combustible growth within thirty feet of an occupied dwelling or structure which prevents the creation of a firebreak;

  5. Brush, flammable vegetation, or combustible vegetation located between thirty and one hundred feet of an occupied dwelling or structure which prevents the creation of a reduced fuel zone; or

  6. Brush or other flammable material within ten feet of a propane tank.

• C. No person shall be required to maintain any clearing on any land if that person does not have the legal right to maintain the clearing, nor is any person required to enter upon or damage property that is owned by another person without the consent of that person.

• (Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)

All manufactured trusses shall be designed by a California licensed civil or structural engineer. Truss design submittals and calculations may be deferred submittals and shall be submitted prior to or at the time of roof sheathing inspection. If the truss design submittals and calculations are not submitted at this time, no further inspections will be conducted until this information has been provided for review and approval.

(Ord. 1255 § 3, 2020)