Snellville › Unified Development Ordinance

Chapter 300 — Buildings, Article 1 — General

current as of 2025-03-10re-check pendingOfficialVerify with City of Snellville ↗9 sections · full chapter

§ 301-1

Purpose

Purpose The purpose of this article is to ensure and regulate the design and permitting of buildings and structures in the City of Snellville and to provide for the administration and enforcement of the Georgia State Minimum Codes for Construction, as adopted and amended by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Hereinafter, the Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes for Construction will be referred to as “the construction codes”.

§ 301-2

Code Remedial

Code Remedial General These construction codes are hereby declared to be remedial, and are construed to secure the beneficial interests and purposes thereof (which are public safety, health and general welfare) through structural strength, stability, sanitation, adequate light and ventilation, and safety to life and property from fire and other hazards attributed to the built environment including alteration, repair, removal, demolition, use and occupancy of buildings, structures or premises, and by regulating the installation and maintenance of all electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing systems, which may be referred to as service systems.

Quality Control Quality control of materials and workmanship is not within the purview of the construction codes except as it relates to the purposes stated therein.

Permitting and Inspection/No Warranty The inspection or permitting of any building, system or plan, under the requirements of construction codes may not be construed in any court as a warranty of the physical condition of such building, system or plan or their adequacy. The City, nor any employee thereof, is not liable in tort for damages for any defect or hazardous or illegal condition or inadequacy in such building, system or plan, nor for any failure of any component of such, which may occur subsequent to such inspection or permitting. This article and the construction codes does not create any duty or right of recovery against the City or any of its officials or employees.

§ 301-3

Scope

Scope Applicability

A.General Where, in any specific case, different sections of these construction codes specify different materials, methods of construction or other requirements, the most restrictive will govern. Where there is a Sec. 301-3. Scope conflict between a general requirement and a specific requirement, the specific requirement will be applicable.

B.Building The provisions of the International Building Code, as adopted and amended by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, apply to the construction, alteration, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, maintenance, removal and demolition, of every building or structure or any appurtenances connected or attached to such buildings or structures, except in one- and two-family dwellings.

C.Electrical The provisions of the National Electrical Code, as adopted and amended by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, apply to the installation of electrical systems, including alterations, repairs, replacement, equipment, appliances, fixtures, fittings and appurtenances thereto.

D.Gas The provisions of the International Fuel Gas Code, as adopted and amended by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, apply to the installation of consumer's gas piping, gas appliances and related accessories as covered in this Code. These requirements apply to gas piping systems extending from the point of delivery to the inlet connections of appliances and the installation and operation of residential and commercial gas appliances and related accessories, except in one- and two-family dwellings.

E.Mechanical The provisions of the International Mechanical Code, as adopted and amended by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, apply to the installation of mechanical systems, including alterations, repairs, replacement, equipment, appliances, fixtures, fittings and/or appurtenances, including ventilating, heating, cooling, air conditioning and refrigeration systems, incinerators, and other energy related systems, except in one- and two-family dwellings.

F.Plumbing The provisions of the International Plumbing Code, as adopted and amended by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, apply to every plumbing installation, including alterations, repairs, replacement, equipment, appliances, fixtures, fittings and appurtenances, and when connected to a water or sewerage system.

G.Fire prevention The provisions of the International Fire Code, as adopted and amended by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, apply to the construction, alteration, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, and maintenance, of every building or structure or any appurtenances connected or attached to such buildings or structures.

H.Energy The provisions of the International Energy Conservation Code, as adopted and amended by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, regulate the design of building envelopes for adequate Sec. 301-3. Scope thermal resistance and low air leakage and the design and selection of mechanical, electrical, service water heating and illumination systems and equipment that will enable the effective use of energy in new building construction.

I.One- and two-family dwellings The provisions of the International Residential Code for One and Tow Family Dwellings, as adopted and amended by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, apply to the construction, alteration, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, maintenance, of every one- or two-family dwelling or any appurtenances connected or attached to such buildings or structures.

J.The International Property Maintenance Code The provisions of the International Property Maintenance Code apply and provide code enforcement personnel with the necessary tools to have dangerous and unsafe buildings repaired or demolished.

K.Existing Building Code The provisions of the International Existing Building Code, as approved and amended by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, apply.

L.Standard Unsafe Building Abatement Code The provisions of the Standard Unsafe Building Abatement Code, as approved and amended, apply and are enforced. See Sec. 305-5 (Unsafe Buildings or Systems).

M.Standard Swimming Pool Code The provisions of the International Pool and Spa Code, as amended, apply to the protection of the health, safety and welfare by prescribing minimum standards for the design, construction, installation, repair or alterations of swimming pools, public or private, and equipment related thereto.

Federal and State Authority The provisions of the construction codes will not be held to deprive any federal or State agency, or any applicable governing authority having jurisdiction, of any power or authority which it had on the effective date of the adoption of the construction codes or of any remedy then existing for the enforcement of its orders, nor will it deprive any individual or corporation of its legal rights as provided by law.

Appendices Appendices referenced in the text of the construction codes are considered an integral part of the construction codes.

Referenced Standards Standards referenced in the text of the construction codes are considered an integral part of the construction codes. If specific portions of a standard are denoted by code text, only those portions of the standard will be enforced. Where construction code provisions conflict with a standard, the construction Sec. 301-4. Administration code provisions will be enforced. Permissive and advisory provisions in a standard will not be construed as mandatory.

Maintenance All buildings, structures, electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing systems, both existing and new, and all parts thereof, must be maintained in a safe and sanitary condition. All devices or safeguards, which are required by the construction codes when constructed, altered, or repaired, must be maintained in good working order. The owner, or his/her designated agent, is responsible for the maintenance of buildings, structures, electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing systems.

§ 301-4

Administration

Administration The Building Department is created within and as a part of the Department of Planning and Development. The Director is the Building Official responsible for enforcement of this article and the construction codes.

Restrictions on employees.

An officer or employee connected with the Department, except one whose only connection is as a member of the board established by Sec. 309-1 (Appointments), may not be financially interested in the furnishing of labor, material, or appliances for the construction, alteration, or maintenance of a building, structure, service, system, or in the making of plans or of specifications thereof, unless he is the owner of such. This officer or employee may not engage in any other work, which is inconsistent with his duties or conflict with the interests of the Department.

Records The Building Official must keep, or cause to be kept, a record of the business of the Building Department.

The records of the department must be open to public inspection pursuant to the provisions of the Georgia Open Records Act.

Liability Any officer or employee, or member of the board of adjustments and appeals, charged with the enforcement of the construction codes, acting for the applicable governing authority in the discharge of his duties, may not thereby render himself/herself personally liable, and is hereby relieved from all personal liability, for any damage that may occur to persons or property as a result of any act required or permitted in the discharge of his/her duties. Any suit brought against any officer or employee or member because of such act performed by him/her in the enforcement of any provision of the construction codes will be defended by the governing jurisdiction until the final termination of the proceedings.

Sec. 301-5. Existing Buildings

§ 301-5

Existing Buildings

Existing Buildings General Alterations, repairs or rehabilitation work may be made to any existing structure, building, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system without requiring the building, structure, plumbing, electrical, mechanical or gas system to comply with all the requirements of the construction codes provided that the alteration, repair or rehabilitation work conforms to the requirements of the construction codes for new construction. The Building Official will determine the extent to which the existing system must be made to conform to the requirements of the construction codes for new construction.

§ 301-6

Change of Occupancy

Change of Occupancy If the occupancy classification of any existing building or structure is changed, the building, electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing systems must be made to conform to the intent of the construction codes as required by the Building Official.

§ 301-7

Special Historic buildings

Special Historic buildings The provisions of the construction codes relating to the construction, alteration, repair, enlargement, restoration, relocation or moving of buildings or structures are not mandatory for existing buildings or structures identified and classified by the State or local jurisdiction as historic buildings when such buildings or structures are judged by the Building Official to be safe and in the public interest of health, safety and welfare regarding any proposed construction, alteration, repair, enlargement, restoration, relocation or moving of buildings within fire districts.

§ 301-8

Violations and Penalties

Violations and Penalties Any person, firm, corporation or agent who violates a provision of the construction codes, or fails to comply therewith, or with any of the requirements thereof, or who erects, constructs, alters, installs, demolishes or moves any structure, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, or has erected, constructed, altered, repaired, moved or demolished a building, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, in violation of a detailed statement or drawing submitted and permitted thereunder, will be guilty of violating this article and the construction codes. Each such person will be considered guilty of a separate offense for each and every day or portion thereof during which any violation of any of the provisions of the construction codes is committed or continued, and upon conviction of any such violation such person will be punished within the limits and as provided by State laws. Any fine assessed by a court of competent jurisdiction for a violation of this article may not be less than $250.00, nor more than $1,000.00.

§ 301-9

Self-Inspection by Plumbers and Utility Contractors

Self-Inspection by Plumbers and Utility Contractors The City is exempt from the provisions of O.C.G.A. § 8-2-26(d) relating to self-inspection of certain water and sewer lines, and such provisions are not applicable in the city.

Sec. 302-1. Purpose Chapter 300. Buildings Article 2. Construction Codes