HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 13961ORDINANCE NUMBER _-f _~q n
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE FORT WORTH ELECTRICAL CODE, BY
PROVIDING FOR THE ABILITY TO ALLOW HOMEOWNERS TO TAKE OUT
ELECTRICAL PERMITS ON THEIR HOMESTEADED PROPERTY, PROVIDING
PENALTIES FOR THE VIOLATION THEREOF, PROVIDING THAT THIS
ORDINANCE SHALL BE CUMULATIVE, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE, PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE, PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION
IN PAMPHLET FORM, PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION IN THE OFFICIAL
NEWSPAPER, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FORT WORTH, TEXAS
SECTION 1
Section 11-2 of the Code of the City of Fort Worth (1986) is amended by
msertmg a revision as follows
SECTION C04
*Section C04. is changed to read as follows.
To Whom Permits May be Issued
Sec. C04 No permit shall be issued to any person to do or cause to be done any
work regulated by this code, except to a person holding a valid Permitting Master
Electricians License.
Exceptions. 1 Permits maybe issued to a property owner who wishes to
do electrical work in a building owned and occupied by lum as his homestead.
This exception only permits the homeowner to work on that part of the electrical
system that occurs after, but does not include, the first main breaker behind the
electrical meter The term "to do electrical work" shall be construed to mean
work actually done personally by the owner
~-,.
2. Permits maybe issued to a property owner who holds a current Fort
Worth Master or Journeyman electrical license who wishes to do electrical work
m a building owned and occupied by him as lus homestead. This exception
allows any electrical work on the homestead property that would normally be
permitted by a Permit Master Electrician. The term "to do electrical work" shall
be construed to mean work actually done personally by the owner
SECTION COS
Section COS(i). added to Yead as, ollows.
(i) A Homestead owner shall be able to perform work on his homestead property as
explained m the exceptions of Section C04
SECTION 2
This article shall be cumulative of all provisions of ordinances and of the Code of
the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, except where the provisions of this
article are m direct conflict with the provisions of such ordinances and such Code, m
which event conflicting provisions of such ordinances and such Code are hereby
repealed.
SECTION 3
Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this ordinance
shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable
by a fine not to exceed Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000 00) for all violations involving
fire safety, or public health and sanitation and shall be fined not more than Five Hundred
Dollars ($500 00) for all other violations of this ordinance. Each day or any portion
thereof during which any violation of this ordinance occurs or continues shall be deemed
a separate offense and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable as herein provided.
SECTION 4
It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections,
paragraphs, sentences, clauses, and phrases of this ordinance are severable, and, if any
phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph, or section of this ordinance shall be declared void,
ineffective, or unconstitutional by the vahd~udgment or final decree of any court of
competent jurisdiction, such voidness, ineffectiveness, or unconstitutionality shall not
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affect any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs, and sections of this
ordinance, since the same would have been enacted by the City Council without the
incorporation m this ordinance of any such void, ineffective, or unconstitutional phrase,
clause, sentence, paragraph, or section.
SECTION 5
This ordinance constitutes a digest and revision of the Electrical Code of the Crty
of Fort Worth, as provided m Section 2, Chapter XXV, and Section 9, Chapter XXVII,
of the Charter of the City of Fort Worth. The Development Department of the City of
Fort Worth, Texas, is hereby authorized to publish this ordinance in pamphlet form for
general distribution among the public, and the operative provisions of this ordinance, as
so published, shall be admissible m evidence m all courts without further proof than the
production thereof, as provided m Chapter XXV, Section 3, of the Charter of the Crty of
Fort Worth, Texas.
SECTION 6
The City Secretary of the City of Fort Worth, is hereby directed to publish the
caption, penalty clause, and effective date of this ordinance for two (2) days m the
official newspaper of the City of Fort Worth, Texas as authorized by Section 2, Chapter
XXV of the Charter of the City of Fort Worth, Texas and by Section 52 013 (a) of the
Texas Local Government Code.
SECTION 7
This ordinance shall be m full force and effect thirty (30) days after its passage
and publication, and rt is so ordained.
Assistant City Attorney
Date•
Adopted. ~~ - ~- plc.}
Effective:
9-24-99
City of Fort Worth, Texas
~1-~Ayar And Caunc~l Cammun~cAt~an
DATE
10/5/99 REFERENCE NUMBER
G-12687 LOG NAME
06AMEND PAGE
1 of 1
SUBJECT AMENDMENTS TO THE ELECTRICAL CODE AND THE MECHANICAL CODE TO
ALLOW HOMEOWNERS TO PULL PERMITS FOR CERTAIN WORK AT THEIR
HOMESTEADS
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the attached ordinance amendments to the Electrical
Code and the Mechanical Code to allow homeowners to pull permits under these codes.
DISCUSSION
Currently, the Electrical and Mechanical Codes require that a contractor licensed with the City of Fort
Worth pull any permit to perform work under these codes This is unlike the Building Code which allows
a homeowner to take out a permit, and the Plumbing Code which allows a homeowner to have a permit
on his homestead property
The attached amendments would allow a homeowner to pull a permit to perform work under these
codes under the following conditions
1 The permit is for work on the homesteaded residence of the person pulling the permit. Proof of
homestead (available from the Tarrant Appraisal District) must be provided at the time of
permitting This matches the state law requirement for the plumbing permits
2. Electrical permits will be issued only for work on the wiring and other components of the home's
electrical system after the first main breaker behind the electrical meter
3 Homeowners who are Fort Worth journeymen or master electricians may permit work for any
portion of the electrical system on their homesteaded residence
As with other permits, all work permitted must be inspected for compliance with the appropriate code by
a City development inspector
FISCAL INFORMATION/CERTIFICATION
The Finance Director certifies this action will have no material effect on City funds
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Submitted for City Manager's FUND ACCOUNT CENTER AMOUNT CITY SECRETARY
Office by: (to)
Mike Groomer 6140 APPROVED
Originating Department Head: ~ ~ ~ ~ n O ~ p ~ ^ ~ g
~ 6,
Ann Kovich 8901 (from) ~ C r ~ ~ ,~
Additional Information Contact: ~,)
~ J
Ann Kovich 8901 ~ Qlty Secretary of tTte
Rdopttd Ordinance No. ~:~1 Adopted Ordinance Na.l a~?~