Chapter 15.20
FUEL GAS CODE
Sections:
15.20.010 International Fuel Gas Code—Adopted.
15.20.020 International Fuel Gas Code—Enforcement.
15.20.030 International Fuel Gas Code—Modification.
15.20.040 International Fuel Gas Code—Appeals.
15.20.050 International Fuel Gas Code—Disclaimer.
15.20.060 International Fuel Gas Code—Violations—Penalties.
15.20.070 Amendments to the International Fuel Gas Code.
15.20.080 Fuel gas permits required.
15.20.090 Fuel gas permit fees.
15.20.010 International Fuel Gas Code—Adopted.
A. The 2009 Edition of the International Fuel Gas Code, including Appendix Chapters A, B and D; and appendices thereto, published by the International Code Council, together with the amendments set out in this chapter are designated and shall be known as the Valdez Fuel Gas Code, and shall constitute the laws of the city relating to fuel gas regulations. Although not published in full in this section, all of the provisions of these codes shall be and are adopted by reference to the same extent as if set forth in full herein, except to the extent that they shall be in conflict with this code or any relevant ordinance later adopted in which case the provisions of this code and later ordinances shall prevail.
B. The city clerk is directed to keep on file at least three copies each of the International Fuel Gas Code, and all appendices thereto published by the International Code Council.
C. It is unlawful for any person to take any action or permit any action to be taken contrary to or in violation of any provisions of the International Fuel Gas Code.
D. All permits shall be issued with the name of the person who owns the improvement and the name, if another, of the person performing the work. All permits shall be accompanied by plans, diagrams, computations and specifications as required by the building inspector or the building official. All permits shall show the location and nature of the work. All work shall be inspected before it is concealed and without the necessity of removing any covers or obstructions. (Ord. 12-07 § 1 (part): Ord. 02-24 § 1 (part))
15.20.020 International Fuel Gas Code—Enforcement.
The International Fuel Gas Code shall be enforced by the building department. (Ord. 12-07 § 1 (part): Ord. 02-24 § 1 (part))
15.20.030 International Fuel Gas Code—Modification.
The city council shall have power to modify the provisions of the International Fuel Gas Code adopted by this chapter. (Ord. 12-07 § 1 (part): Ord. 02-24 § 1 (part))
15.20.040 International Fuel Gas Code—Appeals.
Whenever the building department shall disapprove an application or refuse to grant a permit applied for, or when it is claimed that the provisions of the code do not apply or that the true intent and meaning of the code has been misconstrued or wrongly interpreted, the applicant may appeal the decision of the chief building official.
A. Appeal to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
1. Filing Limit. An appeal of the decision of the building official in enforcement of this title may be taken to the planning and zoning commission by the permittee or agent thereof. The written appeal must be filed within fifteen days of the decision of the building official. The appeal must be filed with the office of the city clerk.
2. Report. A report concerning each case appealed to the planning and zoning commission shall be prepared by the building official and filed with the city clerk. Such report shall state the decision and recommendations of the building official together with reasons for the decision and recommendations. All data pertaining to the case shall accompany the report.
3. Stay of Proceedings. The filing of an appeal shall stay all proceedings in the matter until a determination is made by the planning and zoning commission, unless the court issues an enforcement order based on a certificate of imminent peril to life or property.
B. Appeal to the Board of Adjustment.
1. Filing Limit. An appeal from any action or decision of the planning and zoning commission may be taken by the permittee or agent thereof. The appeal shall be in the form of a written statement, and state how the appellant will be affected or aggrieved by the action. The appeal must be filed within ten days of the date of the action or decision by the planning and zoning commission. The notice of appeal must be filed with the city clerk.
2. Report. A report concerning each case appealed to the board of adjustment shall be prepared by the planning and zoning commission and filed with the city clerk. Such report shall state the decision and recommendations of the commission together with reasons for the decision and recommendations. All data pertaining to the case shall accompany the report.
3. Stay of Proceedings. The filing of an appeal shall stay all proceedings in the matter until a determination is made by the board of adjustment, unless the court issues an enforcement order based on a certificate of imminent peril to life or property.
C. Appeal to Superior Court. An appeal from any action, decision, ruling, judgment or order of the board of adjustment may be taken by the permittee or agent thereof, or any officer, commission or board of the city, to the superior court by filing with the court, with a copy to the city clerk, within thirty days from the date of the action appealed from, a notice of appeal which shall specify the grounds of such appeal. Failure to file the notice of appeal in the manner and time specified shall forfeit any right to appeal. The filing of an appeal shall stay all proceedings in the matter until a determination is made by the court, unless the court issues an enforcement order based on a certificate of imminent peril to life or property. (Ord. 12-07 § 1 (part): Ord. 02-24 § 1 (part))
15.20.050 International Fuel Gas Code—Disclaimer.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this chapter is, for any reason, held to be unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this chapter. The city council hereby declares that it would have passed the ordinance codified in this chapter, and each section, subsection, clause or phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses and phrases be declared unconstitutional. (Ord. 12-07 § 1 (part): Ord. 02-24 § 1 (part))
15.20.060 International Fuel Gas Code—Violations—Penalties.
A. Violation Penalties. Persons who shall violate a provision of this code or shall fail to comply with any of the requirements thereof or who shall erect, install, alter, repair or do work in violation of the approved construction documents or directive of the code official, or of a permit or certificate used under provisions of this code, shall be punishable by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars. Each ten days that a violation continues after due notice has been served shall be deemed a separate offense.
B. Failure to Comply. Any person who shall continue any work after having been served with a stop work order, except such work as that person is directed to perform to remove a violation or unsafe condition, shall be liable to a fine of not more than three hundred dollars, in addition to other remedies available by law. (Ord. 12-07 § 1 (part): Ord. 02-24 § 1 (part))
15.20.070 Amendments to the International Fuel Gas Code.
The following amendments are made to the International Fuel Gas Code, 2009 Edition (references are to section numbers in the International Fuel Gas Code and appendices thereof):
A. Section 303.3, Prohibited Locations, is amended by deleting “Exceptions 2, 3 and 4.”
B. Section 303, Appliance Location, is amended by submitting two new subsections to read as follows:
303.8 Liquefied petroleum gas equipment. LP gas facilities shall not be located in any pit, crawl space, under show windows, or interior stairways, in engine, boiler, heater, or electric rooms. LP gas equipment means tanks, containers, container valves, regulating equipment, meters, and/or appurtenances for the storage and supply of LP gas for any building structure or premises.
303.9 LP gas piping. LP gas piping shall not serve any gas appliance located in a pit or basement where heavier than air gas might collect to form a flammable mixture.
C. Section 304, Combustion, Ventilation and Dilution Air, is amended by submitting two new subsections to read as follows:
304.13 LP Gas Systems. Appliances using LP gas shall have two combustion air openings. The lower opening shall be at floor level or below and shall be sloped toward the exterior. These systems shall be continuously ducted to the outside of the building.
304.14 Use of under floor areas for the supply of combustion air to LP gas burning appliances is prohibited.
D. Section 404, Piping System Installation, is amended by submitting one new subsection as follows:
404.18 At all points where fuel gas piping leaves the ground there shall be installed, above ground, a connector capable of absorbing relative motion due to frost heave action. Such connector shall be a type approved by the building official and installed in a manner to absorb a 6-inch displacement in any direction. Such connector shall be listed for fuel gas. No flex connector shall pass through any wall, partition, panel or other barrier.
E. Section 501, IFGC General, is amended by deleting subsection 501.7 and adding in its place the following:
Gas fired appliances shall not be connected to fireplace chimneys without prior approval of the building official.
F. Section 621, Unvented Room Heaters, is amended by deleting the section in its entirety. (Ord. 12-07 § 1 (part): Ord. 02-24 § 1 (part))
15.20.080 Fuel gas permits required.
A. A permit and inspection shall be required for all fuel gas work performed, except where the work is confined to the incidental replacement or repair of fuel gas devices; but such exception shall not include any extensions or changing the characteristics of any fuel gas system, either in whole or in part.
B. A permit shall not be issued to any person in violation of any city, state or federal law.
C. All permits shall be issued in the name of the person who owns the improvement, and the name, if another, of the person performing the work. All permits for new construction and remodeling that substantially change the characteristics of the fuel gas system or equipment shall be accompanied by plans, diagrams, computations and specifications prepared by the contractor, engineer or other designer approved by the building official. All permits shall show the location and the nature of the work. All work shall be inspected before it is concealed and without the necessity of removing any covers or obstructions.
D. Any fuel gas system or equipment deemed unsafe by the building official because of wear, damage, neglect, defects or hazardous location shall, upon written notice from the building official, be repaired, replaced or altered in accordance with this chapter upon receipt of such notice. (Ord. 12-07 § 1 (part): Ord. 02-24 § 1 (part))
15.20.090 Fuel gas permit fees.
A. Fees shall be established by resolution of the city council.
B. Where work for which a permit is required by this chapter is started or proceeded with prior to obtaining such permit, the fees specified by resolution shall be doubled.
C. When extra inspections are made necessary because of life safety issues, or otherwise through fault or error on the part of the holder of the permit, or on the part of his employees, contractors, or agents thereof after notice has been given in writing by the building inspector setting forth the violation, additional fees may be assessed, and will be established by resolution of the city council. (Ord. 12-07 § 1 (part): Ord. 02-24 § 1 (part))