Chapter 15.15
ELECTRICAL CODE
Sections:
15.15.010 Enforcement officer.
15.15.020 Special provisions for homeowners desiring to perform electrical work in their home.
15.15.050 Special provisions for signs, and the like.
15.15.070 Swimming pool installation and inspection.
15.15.080 Licensing of electrical contractors.
15.15.010 Enforcement officer.
(A) There is hereby created the position of assistant electrical inspector. The assistant electrical inspector shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the chief inspector/building commissioner.
(B) The assistant electrical inspector shall be a resident of the town. Before any such inspector shall enter upon the office’s duties, the assistant electrical inspector shall be required to take and subscribe an oath of office and shall file an individual surety bond in the sum of $15,000 payable to the state of Indiana, pursuant to IC 5-4-1-10, to be approved by the town clerk-treasurer.
(1) The bond shall be conditioned upon the faithful performance of the assistant electrical inspector’s duties, including the duty to comply with IC 35-44.1-1-1 and the duty to account properly for all monies and property received by virtue of the employee’s service in the office or position.
(2) The premium upon said bond shall be paid by the town. Said bond may be executed with any recognized and responsible surety company authorized to do business in the state of Indiana.
(3) The bond and oath shall be filed in the office of the clerk-treasurer of the town and recorded in the office of the recorder of Lake County, pursuant to IC 5-4-1-5.1.
(C) The inspector shall be a practical and experienced electrician, well versed in the National Electrical Code. He shall have no direct financial interest in any concern engaged in the business of the installation and maintenance of electrical wiring or devices, whether directly or indirectly, inside the town at any time while holding such office.
(D) All fees collected in conjunction with the duties and powers of the inspector shall be paid immediately into the general fund of the town.
(E) The inspector shall be paid on an hourly basis at a rate to be established by and in force and effect in the most recent wage and salary ordinance, as passed and adopted by the town council from time to time. Furthermore, this position is hereby defined as part time. Should it become necessary to schedule the inspector for 40 hours per week, at no time will this be construed as “regularly scheduled” for the purposes of the provisions related to full-time workers set forth in the most recently enacted compensation and benefits ordinance. The inspector shall carry out duties as may be herein identified and as directed by the chief inspector, including but not limited to electrical inspections, building inspections, code enforcement, and all other duties as may be imposed by this code.
(F) It shall be the duty of the inspector to inspect and approve or reject all plans and drawings for the installation or alteration of electrical connections or equipment and to further inspect said electrical work in all buildings, structures, and things in the town required to be inspected by law. The inspector shall have the right, when necessary, to remove any existing obstructions such as laths, plastering, boarding, or partitions which may prevent a complete inspection of electrical equipment. He shall have such additional authority as may be necessary to enforce this chapter.
(G) The inspector shall have the ex officio power and authority to act in the full capacity of the chief inspector at such times as the chief inspector may be absent due to vacation, illness, incapacity, or other legitimate reason. The exercise of his ex officio powers shall only be made upon the prior approval of the president of the town council or his designate.
(H) When electrical work or wiring is found to have been installed in a manner conflicting with the provisions of this chapter or the National Electrical Code, or when any existing electrical work or wiring has, through fire, nature, deterioration or any other cause whatsoever, in the opinion of the electrical inspector, become a fire or life hazard, the electrical inspector is hereby empowered to remove the fuses, cut wires or otherwise render the system inoperative until such defects have been corrected and the electrical inspector notified that the work may be again inspected for approval or rejection.
(I) All references in this code to the “electrical inspector” shall be interpreted as references to the “assistant electrical inspector.” [Ord. 398A, 1974; Ord. 714, 1976; Ord. 1059, 1996; Ord. 1148 § 1, 2000; Ord. 1299 § 1, 2006; Ord. 1681 § 5, 2018. Code 1983 § 5-26; Code 2000 § 210.045].
15.15.020 Special provisions for homeowners desiring to perform electrical work in their home.
(A) Any homeowner desiring to perform electrical work in his own home must, before doing any electrical work, register with the electrical inspector and, upon payment of a nonrefundable fee in the amount as shown in the schedule below, request a one-unit examination. Upon successfully passing the examination, the homeowner may then apply for a one-unit permit. The fee shall be deposited with the office of the clerk-treasurer.
(B) The following fee shall be charged according to the schedule that follows:
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Examination Fee Schedule (Effective March 1, 2019) |
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Examination Fee: |
$43.50 |
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Examination Fee Schedule (Effective July 1, 2020) |
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Examination Fee: |
$48.00 |
[Ord. 1687 § 7, 2018].
15.15.030 Permit required.
(A) It shall be unlawful for any person to wire any building for electrical lighting, power or heating purposes or to repair or change any electrical wiring in any buildings within the town, install any electric wires for lighting or power purposes, or any other electrical apparatus, or do any electrical construction work without first obtaining a permit from the electrical inspector. Work must be started within 60 days thereafter or such permit shall be void. The electrical inspector shall set up reasonable hours at the Town Hall for the application for permits under this chapter.
(B) No permit shall be required for:
(1) The installation of wiring, devices, appliances and equipment for the operation of signals or the transmission of intelligence where such wiring, devices, appliances or equipment operate at a voltage not exceeding 50 volts between conductors and do not include generating or transforming equipment capable of supplying more than 50 watts of energy.
(2) The installation, maintenance or alteration of electrical wiring, devices, appliances and equipment to be installed by or for an electric public service corporation for the use of such corporation in the generation, transmission, distribution or metering of electrical energy or for the use of such corporation in the operation of signals of the transmission of intelligence. This subsection shall not apply when the work is in buildings where a private contractor performs said work.
(3) Replacing or repairing flush and snap switches, repairing cutouts, changing lamp sockets and receptacles, taping bare joints and the repairing of drop cords. [Ord. 398A, 1974. Code 1983 § 5-36; Code 2000 § 210.047].
Penalty, see HMC 15.05.030.
15.15.040 Inspections.
(A) All wiring and electrical work, of any nature, which shall be concealed in any building shall, before being enclosed, be inspected by the electrical inspector. All records of electrical inspections shall be kept on file at the Town Hall. Such inspections shall be made within 48 hours after application for inspection is filed in the inspector’s office. Current needed during the course of construction or alteration may be had by a temporary pole installation.
(B) Before making request for inspection of any electrical work, a person shall have house numbers conspicuously posted on property and make provisions for the inspector to gain entrance or have access to the building in which inspection is to be made. [Ord. 398A, 1974. Code 1983 § 5-37. Code 2000 § 210.048].
15.15.050 Special provisions for signs, and the like.
All outside electrical signs, advertising contrivances and electrical displays, whether of a temporary or permanent nature, shall have a permit issued by the building commissioner for structural design and location and be under the supervision of the building commissioner; and the electrical inspector shall issue a permit for the electrical work, and no such work shall be used or operated until inspected and approved. [Ord. 398A, 1974. Code 1983 § 5-38; Code 2000 § 210.049].
Penalty, see HMC 15.05.030.
15.15.060 Fees.
(A) Each applicant for an electrical permit shall pay to the town the appropriate sum set forth in HMC 15.05.020 upon the filing of the permit.
(B) For all large construction installations, the electrical inspector shall determine the inspection fee with the contractor having the right to appeal to the town council.
(1) Any additional trips caused by improper installation of work (red tag) shall be at the rate (see HMC 15.05.020) per trip.
(2) The following sums for inspection fees shall be paid by the applicant when the permit is issued:
(a) Single-phase: see HMC 15.05.020.
(b) Three-phase: see HMC 15.05.020.
(3) Illuminated signs: see HMC 15.05.020.
(4) Temporary poles and service: see HMC 15.05.020.
(5) Minimum inspection, other than red tag: see HMC 15.05.020 per inspection.
(6) Remodeling permit (two inspections, rough and final): see HMC 15.05.020.
(7) No electrical permit filing fees to be imposed on municipal government, churches and public or parochial schools. The town of Highland, including its executive departments, nor any church or public or parochial school shall be required to pay any electrical permit filing fees normally required under this section. This exemption applies only to permit filing fees. It does not apply to any inspection or other fees payable by the municipality or its executive departments, or any church, public school or parochial school as otherwise required by this code. [Ord. 398A, 1974; Ord. 414-B, 1981; Ord. 240, 1989; Ord. 988, 1993; Ord. 988A, 1993; Ord. 1025, 1995; Ord. 1148 § 3, 2000; Ord. 1333 § 2, 2006. Code 1983 § 5-39. Code 2000 § 210.050].
15.15.070 Swimming pool installation and inspection.
(A) Any person, firm, or organization wishing to install a swimming pool within the territorial limits of the town shall obtain a permit from the proper department of the town prior to installation of the swimming pool.
(B) The electrical inspector of the town of Highland shall inspect the installation of the above-ground swimming pool upon its completion and before the final occupancy permit is given.
(C) Swimming pool permit and related fees are to be charged according to the following schedule:
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Examination and Inspection Fee Schedule (Effective March 1, 2019) |
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Inspection Fee: |
$47.00 |
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Installation Permit Fee: |
$47.00 |
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Examination and Inspection Fee Schedule (Effective July 1, 2020) |
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|---|---|
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Inspection Fee: |
$54.00 |
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Installation Permit Fee: |
$54.00 |
[Ord. 1636 § 6, 2016; Ord. 1687 § 8, 2018].
Penalty, see HMC 11.10.330.
15.15.080 Licensing of electrical contractors.
(A) Any electrical contractor, firm, corporation or electrical worker applying to building and inspection department of the town of Highland for an electrical contractor’s license shall pay to the town a nonrefundable electrical contractor license fee as identified herein.
(B) The following scheduled fee shall be paid to the office of the clerk-treasurer. This fee shall be credited to the corporation general fund.
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Fee Schedule (Effective March 1, 2019) |
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Electrical Contractor License Fee: |
$61.50 |
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Fee Schedule (Effective July 1, 2020) |
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|---|---|
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Electrical Contractor License Fee: |
$67.50 |
[Ord. 1687 § 9, 2018].