Truckee Municipal Code Ch. 15.02 General Construction Provisions

It is unlawful for any person, including utility companies, to connect electric power lines or liquefied petroleum gas or natural gas sources permanently to any building or structure for which a permit is required by this Title until an inspection has been made of the installation and the approval signed by the Building Inspector. This provision shall not prohibit the erection and use of temporary power poles approved by the power company during the course of construction, when approved by the Building Official.

All work authorized pursuant to any permit issued by the Town of Truckee shall be fully completed before the expiration of the term of the permit. Failure to complete all work within the permit's life shall result in a voiding of the permit issued for the project.

Whenever a parcel of real property is conveyed and a permit has been issued for work on the property which has not been completed as attested by the issuance of a certificate of occupancy or final approval for the project, the new owner of the property shall request a transfer of all permits for the property to his/her name and shall assume full responsibility for the proper completion of the work authorized by the permit. A transfer fee equal to all administrative fees of the permit shall be established by the Building Official and shall be paid by the new owners upon application for a permit transfer.

All mobile homes and commercial coaches will conform to the mobile home snow load requirements of Tables 1608.3 and 1608.4.

Mobile homes and commercial coaches that do not meet the snow load requirements for their location must be protected by a ramada. Such ramadas must be designed by a registered civil or structural engineer or architect.

Exception: Mobile homes located in mobile home parks need not be protected by a ramada provided the operator/owner of the mobile home park enters into a snow removal maintenance agreement with the Town in a format approved by the Building Official.

If any section or portion thereof of this Title is for any reason held to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision or determination shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of any part thereof.

Any person who violates any of the provisions of the Title or who violates or fails to comply with any order made hereunder or who builds in violation of any detailed statement of specifications or plans submitted and approved hereunder is severally for each and every such violation and noncompliance guilty of an infraction unless otherwise provided, and punishable by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500) and/or imprisonment for not more than six (6) months in the Town Jail. The imposition of one penalty for any violation shall not excuse the violation or permit it to continue, and all such persons shall be required to correct or remedy such violations or defects within a reasonable time. When not otherwise specified, each five (5) days that prohibited conditions are maintained shall constitute a separate offense.

The application of the above penalty shall not be the exclusive remedy nor shall the penalty be held to prevent the enforced removal of prohibited conditions. Any violation of this Title shall additionally constitute a public nuisance subject to abatement.

Violation of this Title shall be punishable per offense by a fine set forth in the Town of Truckee Fee schedule. Adjudication of any such violation shall occur using the administrative hearing process established by the Town for Town code violations. In addition, if a violation is found to have taken place the hearing officer may also require payment of the Town's reasonable costs of processing and collection.

The fees referenced in the Codes shall be those fees adopted by the Town Council of the Town of Truckee.

Appeal of any provision of this ordinance shall be made in accordance with this section. In order to hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the building official relative to the application and interpretation of this code, there shall be and is hereby created a board of appeals. The Town Council shall serve as the board of appeals, unless the Council by resolution appoints a different body to serve in such capacity pursuant to Health & Safety Code Section 17920.5. If a body other than the Town Council is appointed to serve as the board of appeals, the board shall hold office at the pleasure of the Town Council. The board shall adopt rules of procedure for conducting its business. An application for appeal shall be based on a claim that the true intent of this code or the rules legally adopted thereunder has been incorrectly interpreted, the provision of this code does not fully apply or an equally good or better form of construction is proposed. The board shall have no authority to waive requirements of this code.

General

In order to hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the building official relative to the application and interpretation of this code, there shall be and is hereby created a board of appeals. The board of appeals shall be appointed by the governing body and shall hold office at its pleasure. The board shall adopt rules of procedure for conducting its business.

Limitations on Authority

An application for appeal shall be based on a claim that the true intent of this code or the rules legally adopted thereunder has been incorrectly interpreted, the provision of this code does not fully apply or an equally good or better form of construction is proposed. The board shall have no authority to waive requirements of this code.

Qualifications

The board of appeals shall consist of members who are qualified by experience and training to pass on matters pertaining to building construction and are not employees of the jurisdiction.

(a) The intent of this section is to comply with the requirements of Government Code Section 65850.5 regarding the establishment of an expedited permitting process for small residential rooftop solar energy systems.

(b) The following words and phrases as used in this section are defined as follows:

"Electronic submittal" means a submittal made by email, the Internet, and/or facsimile.

"Small residential rooftop solar energy system" means a system that meets all of the following criteria:

1. A solar energy system that is no larger than 10 kilowatts alternating current nameplate rating or 30 kilowatts thermal.

2. A solar energy system that conforms to all applicable state fire, structural, electrical, and other building codes as adopted or amended by the Town, and paragraph (iii) of subsection (c) of Section 714 of the Civil Code, as such section or subdivision may be amended, renumbered, or re-designated from time to time.

3. A solar energy system that is installed on a single or duplex family dwelling.

4. A solar panel or module array that does not exceed the maximum legal building height as defined by the authority having jurisdiction.

"Solar energy system" has the same meaning set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of Section 801.5 of the Civil Code, as such section or subdivision may be amended, renumbered, or re-designated from time to time.

(c) The Town's building official is hereby authorized and directed to develop, adopt, and maintain a checklist of the requirements with which a small residential rooftop solar energy system project must comply in order to be entitled to expedited processing. The checklist shall be published on the Town's website.

(d) The applicant may submit the permit application and associated documentation to the Town's building division by personal, mailed, or electronic submittal together with any required permit processing and inspection fees. In the case of electronic submittal, the electronic signature of the applicant on all forms, applications and other documentation may be used in lieu of a wet signature.

(e) Prior to submitting an application, the applicant shall:

1. Verify to the applicant's reasonable satisfaction through the use of standard engineering evaluation techniques that the support structure for the small residential rooftop solar energy system is stable and adequate to transfer all wind, seismic, and dead and live loads associated with the system to the building foundation; and

2. At the applicant's cost, verify to the applicant's reasonable satisfaction using standard electrical inspection techniques that the existing electrical system including existing line, load, ground and bonding wiring as well as main panel and subpanel sizes are adequately sized, based on the existing electrical system's current use, to carry all new photovoltaic electrical loads.

(f) For a small residential rooftop solar energy system eligible for expedited review, only one inspection shall be required, which shall be done in a timely manner and may include a consolidated inspection by the Town's building official and a representative of the Truckee Fire Protection District. If a small residential rooftop solar energy system fails inspection, a subsequent inspection is authorized; however, the subsequent inspection need not conform to the requirements of this subsection.

(g) An application that satisfies the information requirements in the checklist, as determined by the building official, shall be deemed complete. Upon receipt of an incomplete application, the building official shall issue a written correction notice detailing all deficiencies in the application and any additional information required to be eligible for expedited permit issuance.

(h) Upon confirmation by the building official of the application and supporting documentation being complete and meeting the requirements of the checklist, the building official shall administratively approve the application and issue all required permits or authorizations. Such approval does not authorize an applicant to connect the small residential rooftop energy system to a utility provider's electricity grid. The applicant is responsible for obtaining such approval or permission from the local utility provider.

(a) The intent of this section is to comply with the requirements of Government Code Section 65850.7 to promote and encourage the use of electric vehicles by creating an expedited, streamlined permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations while promoting public health and safety and preventing specific adverse impacts in the installation and use of such charging stations.

(b) The following words and phrases as used in this section are defined as follows: "Electronic submittal" means a submittal made by email, the Internet, and/or facsimile. "Electric vehicle charging station" or "charging station" means any level of electric vehicle supply equipment station that is designed and built-in compliance with Article 625 of the California Electrical Code, as it reads on the effective date of the ordinance adopting this section, and delivers electricity from a source outside an electric vehicle into a plug-in electric vehicle.

(c) The Town's building official is hereby authorized and directed to develop, adopt, and maintain a checklist of the requirements with which an expedited permitting process for electric vehicle charging systems project must comply in order to be entitled to expedited processing. The checklist shall be published on the Town's website.

(d) The applicant may submit the permit application and associated documentation to the Town's building division by personal, mailed, or electronic submittal together with any required permit processing and inspection fees. In the case of electronic submittal, the electronic signature of the applicant on all forms, applications and other documentation may be used in lieu of a wet signature.

(e) Prior to submitting an application, the applicant shall:

1. Verify to the applicant's reasonable satisfaction through the use of standard engineering evaluation techniques that the support structure for the electric vehicle charging system is stable and adequate to transfer all wind, seismic, and dead and live loads associated with the system to the building foundation; and

2. At the applicant's cost, verify to the applicant's reasonable satisfaction using standard electrical inspection techniques that the existing electrical system including existing line, load, ground and bonding wiring as well as main panel and subpanel sizes are adequately sized, based on the existing electrical system's current use, to carry all new electrical loads.

3. Verify that the installation of an electric vehicle charging station will not have specific, adverse impact to public health and safety and building occupants. Verification by the applicant includes but is not limited to: electrical system capacity and loads; electrical system wiring, bonding and overcurrent protection; building infrastructure affected by charging station equipment and associated conduits; areas of charging station equipment and vehicle parking.

(f) An application that satisfies the information requirements in the checklist, as determined by the building official, shall be deemed complete and be promptly processed. Upon receipt of an incomplete application, the building official shall issue a written correction notice detailing all deficiencies in the application and any additional information required to be eligible for expedited permit issuance.

(g) Upon confirmation by the Building Official that the permit application and supporting documents meets the requirements of the Town's adopted checklist, and is consistent with all applicable laws and health and safety standards, the Building Official shall, consistent with Government Code Section 65850.7, approve the application and issue all necessary permits. Such approval does not authorize an applicant to energize or utilize the electric vehicle charging station until approval is granted by the Town of Truckee.

(h) Consistent with Government Code Section 65850.7, the Building Official shall allow for electronic submittal of permit applications covered by this section and associated supporting documentations. In accepting such permit applications, the Building Official shall also accept electronic signatures on all forms, applications, and other documentation in lieu of a wet signature by any applicant.

(i) It is the intent of this section to encourage the installation of electric vehicle charging stations by removing obstacles to permitting for charging stations so long as the action does not supersede the Building Official's authority to address higher priority life-safety situations. If the Building Official makes a finding based on substantial evidence that the electric vehicle charging station could have a specific adverse impact upon the public health or safety, as defined in this section, the Town may require the applicant to apply for a use permit.

(j) In the technical review of a charging station, consistent with Government Code Section 65850.7, the Building Official shall not condition the approval for any electric vehicle charging station permit on the approval of such a system by an association, as that term is defined by Civil Code Section 4080.

(k) Electric vehicle charging station installation requirements:

1. Electric vehicle charging station equipment shall meet the requirements of the California Electrical Code, the Society of Automotive Engineers, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, and accredited testing laboratories such as Underwriters Laboratories, and rules of the Public Utilities Commission or a Municipal Electric Utility Company regarding safety and reliability.

2. Installation of electric vehicle charging stations and associated wiring, bonding, disconnecting means and overcurrent protective devices shall meet the requirements of Article 625 and all applicable provisions of the California Electrical Code.

3. Installation of electric vehicle charging stations shall be incorporated into the load calculations of all new or existing electrical services and shall meet the requirements of the California Electrical Code. Electric vehicle charging equipment shall be considered a continuous load.

4. Anchorage of either floor-mounted or wall-mounted electric vehicle charging stations shall meet the requirements of the California Building or Residential Code as applicable per occupancy, and the provisions of the manufacturer's installation instructions. Mounting of charging stations shall not adversely affect building elements.