§ 4-8. Gas code.
(a)
Adopted. There is hereby adopted by the city for the purpose of establishing rules and regulations for the installation of gas piping, gas appliance and other related accessories for fuel gases such as natural gas, manufactured gas, undiluted liquefied petroleum gases and liquefied petroleum gas/air mixture within the city limits that certain fuel code recommended by the International Code Council, known as the International Fuel Gas Code, being particularly the 2015 edition, including all appendices and all subsequent revisions, standards, or supplements hereto, except as hereinafter amended. One copy of said code is on file in the office of the building inspector, and the same is hereby adopted and incorporated as fully as if set out at length herein, and the same shall be controlling all equipment/repairs to any fuel gas system in the city.
(b)
Reserved.
(c)
Fuel gas contractors to register with the city.
(1)
Registration required annually. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation in the business of installing, repairing or maintaining gas piping or appliances who is not registered by the city as a master plumbing contractor to secure permits as provided herein except as provided below. The fuel gas contractor may designate individual(s) to perform the administrative requirements to obtain fuel gas permit(s) provided that they are identified in writing on a form provided by the city and submit a fee for each individual as prescribed in appendix 1 of this Code of Ordinances. Each master plumbing contractor shall register with the city prior to doing any installation, repair or maintenance of gas piping or appliances within the city in any current year. Each renewal thereof shall expire one year from the date of registration. Every person obtaining a fuel gas permit will be required to show a valid form of identification having picture identification.
(2)
Method of registration. To register with the city as a contractor, application shall be made in writing on forms furnished for this purpose and filed with the gas inspector. The application shall show the contractor's name, local address and telephone number, and such other information as may reasonably be required to properly identify the contractor. Every person registering as a plumbing contractor will be required to show two valid forms of identification, with at least one form having picture identification. No registration shall be issued except upon the filing of a certificate of liability insurance of the minimum coverage of $300,000.00 per occurrence. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to represent himself or themselves as a registered contractor within the city, unless said person, firm or corporation is, in fact, registered with the city.
(d)
Evidence of registration to be carried and exhibited when requested. Each holder of a contractor's license shall carry evidence of proper registration on his person at all times while doing work and shall produce and exhibit same when requested by any inspector or officer of the city.
(e)
Bond required. Before any contractor shall engage in the business of installing, repairing or maintaining any gas piping or appliances in the city, he shall deposit with the city a good and sufficient bond in the sum of $5,000.00, conditioned that he will faithfully observe all the laws pertaining to such work and that the city shall be indemnified and saved harmless from all claims arising from accidents and damage of any character whatsoever caused by the negligence of such person engaged in the business, or by any other unfaithful or inadequate work done either by himself or his agents or employees.
(f)
Gas inspector and assistants. The chief building official shall be the gas inspector for the City of Terrell and shall be responsible for the administration and enforcement of this code and any other applicable federal and state regulation and/or law and any other city ordinances pertaining thereto. The chief building official, as the gas inspector, may appoint such inspectors or assistants as shall be authorized from time to time with the approval of the city manager. The inspectors or assistants shall be qualified by training or experience in the installation of gas piping and appliances.
(g)
Failure to obtain a permit. Where work for which a permit is required by this code is started or proceeded with prior to obtaining a permit, the fees for such permit as hereinafter specified shall be tripled on work valued up to $10,000.00 and doubled on all other work valued at $10,000.00 or more. The payment of such doubled and tripled fees shall not relieve any person in the execution of the work nor from any other penalties prescribed therein.
(h)
Records and reports. The gas inspector shall keep full and complete records of all gas piping and appliance work done, permits issued, inspections made or other official work performed as required, and shall periodically make full and detailed reports thereof to the city manager as required or deemed necessary.
(i)
Fuel gas work permit fees and reinspection fees. The fees for fuel gas permits and reinspection fees shall be as prescribed in appendix 1 of this Code of Ordinances.
(j)
Violations and penalties. Any person, firm, corporation or agent who shall violate a provision of this code, or fail to comply therewith, or with any of the requirements thereof, or a detailed statement or drawing submitted and approved thereunder, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Each such person shall be deemed guilty of a separate offense for each and every day or portion thereof during which any violation of any of the provisions of this code is committed, or continued and upon conviction of any such violation such person shall be punished within the limits and as provided by subsection 1-1(g) of this Code of Ordinances.
(k)
Appeals. Any person who feels aggrieved by a decision of the fuel gas inspector and/or his interpretation of the International Code as provided herein may appeal such decision to the construction board of adjustments and appeals. Such appeal shall be taken in writing within 15 days of such decision in accordance with procedures set forth in section 4-21 herein.
(l)
Supervision of work by licensed master plumber required. The actual work of installing, maintaining, altering or repairing of fuel gas for which a permit is required by this code shall have supervision by a licensed master plumber as provided by the Texas State Plumbing Licensing Law and this code. The owner of a plumbing contracting business who is not a licensed master plumber shall have constantly in his employ a licensed master plumber. Such master plumber shall be designated by the owner of such place of business to the plumbing inspector as the person responsible for, and supervising, the fuel gas work done by the plumbing contractor. Such designated master plumber shall be the supervisory plumber of only one plumbing contractor within the city at any one time. Should such supervision not be constantly provided, the plumbing inspector may order the work being done by such plumbing contractor to be discontinued until proper supervision and control has been provided and the name of the new master plumber disclosed to the plumbing inspector.
(m)
License required; display of license.
(1)
It shall be unlawful for any person who is not licensed as a plumber in accordance with the provisions of the laws of the State of Texas to install fuel gas work or supervise fuel gas work as defined herein.
(2)
Nothing herein shall be construed as prohibiting the employment of a journeyman plumber to engage in, and work at the actual installation, alteration, repairing and renovating fuel gas systems, or the employment of a plumbers' apprentice who, as his principal occupation, is engaged in the learning and assisting in the installation of fuel gas systems, or the employment of unskilled laborers to handle, haul or carry material when working under the immediate supervision of the master plumber.
(3)
Each holder of a license as a master plumber shall display his license in a conspicuous place in his principal place of business. Each holder of a master or journeyman plumber's license shall carry evidence of proper registration on his person at all time while doing plumbing work and shall produce and exhibit same when requested by any inspector or officer of the city.
(n)
Application for fuel gas work permit. Before issuance of a permit for the performance of any plumbing work as required by the Texas Plumbing Licensing Law and this code an application shall be filed with the plumbing inspector on the form provided by the municipal development department describing the scope of work. No deviation shall be made in the details for the plumbing work described on the application without permission from the plumbing inspector in writing.
(Ord. No. 1397, 2-5-85; Ord. No. 1438, 4-1-86; Ord. No. 1529, 4-5-88; Ord. No. 1592, 10-17-89; Ord. No. 1758, 9-20-94; Ord. No. 2244, § I, 10-5-04; Ord. No. 2533, Arts. I, III, 5-15-12; Ord. No. 2629, Arts. I, II, 3-3-15 ; Ord. No. 2698, Arts. I, II, 8-15-17 )