§ 18-18. Construction documents.

(a)

Submittal documents. Construction documents, special inspection and structural observation programs and other data shall be submitted in one or more sets with each application for a permit. When such construction documents are not prepared by a registered design professional, the building official may require any applicant submitting such documents to demonstrate that state law does not require them to be prepared by a registered design professional. The building official may require plans, computations and specifications to be prepared and designed by a registered design professional licensed by the state to practice as such, even if not required by state law. The building official may waive the submission of plans, calculations, diagrams or other data, if he finds that the nature of the work applied for is such that reviewing the documents is not necessary to obtain compliance with this code.

(b)

Information on construction documents.

(1)

Generally. Construction documents shall be drawn to scale upon suitable material. Electronic media documents are permitted to be submitted when approved by the building official. Construction documents shall be of sufficient clarity to indicate the location, nature and extent of the work proposed and show in detail that it will conform to the provisions of this code and relevant laws, ordinances, rules and regulations, as determined by the building official.

(2)

Identification. The first substantive sheet of construction documents shall list the address and legal description of the project and the name, addresses, and telephone number of the owner and the preparer of the plans.

(3)

Site plan. The construction documents submitted with the application for permit shall be accompanied by a site plan showing to scale the size and location of new construction and existing structures on the site, distances from lot lines, the established street grades, the existing grades and the proposed finished grades; and it shall be drawn in accordance with an accurate boundary line survey. In the case of demolition, the site plan shall show construction to be demolished and the location and size of existing structures and construction that are to remain on the site or plat. The building official is permitted to waive or modify the requirement for a site plan when the application for permit is for alteration or repair or when otherwise warranted.

(4)

Engineering data. One set of adequate details of structural, mechanical, electrical and fire protection work involving computations, stress diagrams and other essential technical data shall accompany submitted construction documents. Construction documents for buildings of other than Group R-3 or Group U occupancies shall indicate how required structural and fire resistive integrity will be maintained where penetrations are made for electrical, mechanical, plumbing and communications conduits, pipes and similar systems.

(5)

Design certification. Submitted construction documents for each applicable discipline shall be certified in writing as being prepared in conformance with this code and the zoning ordinance. Such certification shall include the name, signature, state registration number and telephone number for each designer on the project.

(6)

Regulatory floodplain data. Permit applications for buildings or structures within any area designated as a regulatory floodplain in the official floodplain document shall include floor elevations and floodproofing details, as required, in conformance with section 28-6. Where floodproofing construction techniques are required, the building or structure, together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities, shall be designed so that below the level specified in section 28-4(6) the structure is watertight with walls substantially impermeable to the passage of water and with structural components having the capability of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and effects of buoyancy; and the permit applicant shall provide certification by a professional engineer or architect registered to practice as such in the state that the floodproofing methods are adequate to withstand the flood depths, pressures, velocities, impact and uplift forces and other factors associated with the regulatory flood.

(7)

Means of egress. The construction documents shall show in sufficient detail the location, construction, size and character of all portions of the means of egress in compliance with the provisions of this code. In other than occupancies in Groups R-2, R-3, as applicable in Section 101.2, and I-1, the construction documents shall designate the number of occupants to be accommodated on every floor, and in all rooms and spaces.

(8)

Exterior wall envelope. Construction documents for all buildings shall describe the exterior wall envelope in sufficient detail to determine compliance with this code. The construction documents shall provide details of the exterior wall envelope as required, including flashing, intersections with dissimilar materials, corners, end details, control joints, intersections at roof, eaves or parapets, means of drainage, water-resistive membrane and details around openings.

The construction documents shall include manufacturer's installation instructions that provide supporting documentation that the proposed penetration and opening details described in the construction documents maintain the weather resistance of the exterior wall envelope. The supporting documentation shall fully describe the exterior wall system which was tested, where applicable, as well as the test procedure used.

(c)

Previous approvals. This code shall not require changes in the construction documents, construction or designated occupancy of a structure for which a lawful permit has been heretofore issued or otherwise lawfully authorized, and the construction of which has been pursued in good faith within 180 days after the effective date of this chapter and has not been abandoned.

(d)

Design professional in responsible charge. When it is required that documents be prepared by a registered design professional, the building official shall require the owner to engage and designate on the building permit application a registered design professional who shall act as the registered design professional in responsible charge. If the circumstances require, and when approved by the building official, the owner shall be permitted to designate a substitute registered design professional in responsible charge who shall perform the duties required of the original registered design professional in responsible charge. The building official shall be notified in writing by the owner if the registered design professional in responsible charge is changed or is unable to continue to perform the duties.

The registered design professional in responsible charge shall be responsible for reviewing and coordinating submittal documents prepared by others, including phased and deferred submittal items, for compatibility with the design of the building.

Where structural observation is required by section 1709 of the International Building Code, the inspection program shall name the individual or firms who are to perform structural observation and describe the stages of construction at which structure is to occur. See also duties specified in section 1704.

(e)

Deferred submittals. For the purposes of this section, deferred submittals are defined as those portions of the design that are not submitted at the time of the application and that are to be submitted to the building official within a specified period.

Deferral of any submittal items shall have the prior approval of the building official. The registered design professional in responsible charge shall list the deferred submittals on the construction documents for review by the building official.

Submittal documents for deferred submittal items shall be submitted to the registered design professional in responsible charge who shall review them and forward them to the building official with a notation indicating that the deferred submittal documents have been reviewed and that they have been found to be in general conformance with the design of the building. The deferred submittal items shall not be installed until their design and submittal documents have been approved by the building official.

(f)

Amended construction documents. Work shall be installed in accordance with the reviewed construction documents, and changes which are not in substantial compliance with the reviewed construction documents shall be resubmitted for review as an amended set of construction documents prior to construction.

(g)

Retention of construction documents. One set of construction documents shall be returned to the applicant and shall be kept on the site of the building or work at all times during which the work authorized thereby is in progress. One set of construction documents shall be retained by the building official until after final inspection when it is concluded that the work complies with the provisions of this code.

(Ord. No. 040477, § 1, 8-12-04; Ord. 071193, § 1, 1-3-08; Ord. No. 120375, § 1, 5-24-12)