81-C-34
ORDINANCE NO. ?f j- (!; -3'1
AN ORDINANCE
OF THE CITY OF SCHERTZ, TEXAS, ADOPTING THE NATIONAL
ELECTRIC CODE, 1981 EDITION, AS THE ELECTRICAL CODE
OF THE CITY OF SCHERTZ, TEXAS. DESIGNATING THE
ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR, SETTING AMOUNT OF LICENSE FEES
AND BONDS; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT AND
SETTING A PENALTY.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SCHERTZ, TEXAS:
SECTION I
This ordinance is, shall be known as, and may be cited as the Electrical
Code of the City of Schertz, Texas.
SECTION I I
The National Electric Code, 1981 Edition to include all future editions,
revisions, amendments and corrections, published by the National Fire
Protection Association, two copies of which are on file with the City
Secretary, is hereby adopted by reference as the Electrical Code of the
City of Schertz, Texas, subject to and including by reference such amend-
ments as herein shall appear.
SECTION II I
This code in no way alters or repeals any additional requirements established
by any other utility company and/or cooperative for its members and/or
consumers.
SECTION IV
The City Inspector shall be the Electrical Inspector for the City. In the
event the City shall not have anyone serving the capacity of City Inspector,
G.V.E.C., Inc., shall perform the duties and functions of the Electrical
Inspector for the City and shall perform said duties and functions at the
same charges and rates established in this code.
SECTION V
Materials, devices and equipment installed as part of any wiring system
within the city limits shall conform to recognized standards of quality
and safety. Acceptance by a nationally recognized testing laboratory will
be considered prima facie evidence of acceptability of materials, devices
and equipment.
SECTION VI
A. No person shall install, repair or remove electrical wiring or
devices unless he is licensed as a Master Electrician by the City
of Schertz, or unless he is supervised by a Master Electrician
and holds a Journeyman or Apprentice License. Work done by
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B. There shall be three classifications of electrician's ~icenses.
1. A Master license will be issued to an applicant when he has
held a Journeyman's license for two consecutive years and
has passed an open book test to determine his familiarity
with the National Electrical Code. There is a test fee of
ten dollars ($10.00). The applicant must achieve a score
of eighty per cent (80%).
2. An Apprentice will be issued a Journeyman's license when
he has held an Apprentice License for one year and has
passed the Journeyman's examination with a score of seventy-
five percent (75%). There is a test fee of ten dollars
($10.00).
3. An applicant will be issued an apprentice' license when he
is employed by a licensed Master or Journeyman Electrician,
and is undergoing training to learn the craft of a skilled
electrician. The license will be valid only while employed
by a licensed Master or Journeyman Electrician.
C. The fees for electrician's licenses under this ordinance shall be
as follows:
l. Initial issuance fee:
Master $40.00
Journeyman 20.00
Apprentice .00
2. Annual remewal fee:
Master $20.00
Journeyman 10.00
Apprentice .00
D. The terms and conditions of the license are as follows:
l. The license shall be valid for a period of one year from the
date of issuance.
2. Such license may be renewed within ten days after the first
license expires by payment of the prescribed renewal fee.
Failure to renew the license within the required time will
require the applicant to reapply for licensing at the initial
fee rate.
3. Any license issued under this ordinance may be revoked by the
Building Official for failure to remedy unsatisfactory work,
violation of the Electrical Code, failure to obtain a permit
or failure to obtain proper inspections.
4. If licensee has had his license revoked, he has ten days to
appeal the decision. The request shall be in writing submitted
to the Board of Adjustments and Appeals together with a $25.00
applicant or his agents or employees in connection with the
exercise of privileges extended to the applicant by reason of
having been licensed by the City. The bond shall run for a
concurrent term with the license.
F.
A license and bond is not required of a homeowner who is doing
electrical work on his own home. The homeowner may receive
help from others to do such work, provided that no consideration
of any kind be given for such help, and provided that the princi-
pal occupation of the person giving help is not that of an elec-
trical contractor or electrician. A license is not required of
a person who is hired as a full-time employee to perform normal
maintenance excluding alterations and additions of electrical
systems in commercial establishments, provided that the person
does not work as an electrician or electrical contractor for the
general publ ic.
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SECTION VI I
A. Except as hereafter provided, it shall be unlawful for anyone to
install or permit to be installed any electrical system, or part
of such system, or to make alterations, additions, changes or
major repairs to an electrical system without having obtained a
permit to do such work.
B. No permit shall be required for the following electrical work:
1. Normal maintenance work, such as replacement of lamps,
sockets, fuses, drop cords, snap switches, or other similar
minor repairs as may be permitted by the Building Inspector.
2. Connection of portable electrical equipment to suitable
existing permanently installed receptacles.
3. Replacement of a motor by another motor of the same horse-
power and rating, and installation of pressure devices and
similar controls, when the electrical supply for the same
has been properly installed by a licensed electrician.
C. No permit wi 11 be i ss ued to anyone except a 1 i censed r~aster
Electrician or a home owner who is doing electrical work on his
own residence. This shall in no way allow the homeowner to
violate any other provision of this code.
D. The following fee schedule shall apply to permits issued under
this code. Where work for which a permit is required by this
code is started prior to obtaining the required permit, the per-
mit fee shall be doubled.
1.
Temporary Construction
Meter Loop
$5.00
2.
$100.00 and less
Permit required but no fee,
unless inspection required in
which case a $10.00 fee for
6.
$50,001.00 to $100,000.00
$10.00 for the first $1,000.00
plus $6.00 for each additional
thousand or fraction thereof,
to and including $15,000.00
$94.00 for the first $15,000.00
plus $5.00 for each additional
thousand or fraction thereof,
to and including $50,000.00.
$269.00 for the first $50,000.00
plus $4.00 for each additional
thousand or fraction thereof,
to and including $100,000.00.
4.
$1,001.00 to $15,000.00
5.
$15,000.00 to $50,000.00
SECTION VIII
A. The Building Official shall inspect or cause to be inspected all
electrical work done for which a permit is required. The inspector
may make as many inspections as are deemed necessary to insure an
adequate system. It will be the responsibility of the permit
holder to notify the inspector when an inspection is needed, in
accordance to this schedule:
1. Rough-in inspection when all wires have been placed, but
prior to connection or covering by wallboard, insulation or
paneling.
2. Final inspection after all connections have been made and
all devices have been installed, but prior to supplying
power to the system.
3. When the final building inspection is made, the inspector
will also inspect to determine if any damage has been done
to the system during construction and that the system func-
tions properly and all safety devices are in place.
4. Re-inspection will be done when systems are found to be
deficient. A fee of $5.00 will be charged for each re-inspection
after the first re-inspection.
B. All inspections will be made by the inspector within 48 hours
after the inspection is requested excluding Saturdays, Sundays,
and holidays. If the inspection is not made within the required
time, the contractor may cover his work or energize the system.
This in no way will release the contracotr from making corrections
if deficiencies are found at a later time.
SECTION IX
A. Whenever the Building Official or Inspector shall reject or refuse
to approve the mode or manner of construction or materials to be
used in an electric system, or when it is claimed that the pro-
visions of this code do not apply, or that an equally good or more
desirable fbrmof electric fabrication can be employed in any
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B. If in the oplnlon of the Building Official an electric system
or device threatens the safety or welfare of others, he may
limit the time for such appeal to a shorter period.
SECTION X
The Board of Adjustments and Appeals created by Section 8.02 of the Charter
of the City of Schertz is hereby empowered to hear and rule on all appeals
filed under this code.
SECTION XI
Any officer, employee or member of the Board of Adjustments and Appeals,
charged with the enforcement of this code, acting for the governing body
in the discharge of his duties, shall not thereby render himself liable
personally, and he is hereby relieved from all personal liability for any
damage that may accrue to persons or property as a result of any act re-
quired or permitted in the discharge of his duties. Any suit brought
against any officer or employee because of such act performed by him in
the enforcement of any provision of this code shall be defended by appro-
priate legal staff until the final termination of the proceedings.
SECTION XI I
Any person that shall fail to comply with or violate any of the prOV1Slons
of this ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction
thereof shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars ($200.00).
SECTION XIII
Every Section of this ordinance and every prOV1Slon of each section is
hereby declared to be an individual section or provision and the holding
of any section or provision of any section to be void, ineffective, or
unconstitutional for any cause whatever, shall not be deemed to effect
any other section or provision thereof.
SECTI ON XI V
This ordinance repeals Ordinance No. 79-C-5 and any other ordinance which
is in conflict with this ordinance.
day of -j1mJet.,(JiU(j ,
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ATTEST:
THE STATE OF TEXAS ~
COUNTY OF GUADALUPE ~
CITY OF SCHERTZ ~
On this, the 3 day of
November, 1981 , at 7:00 o'clock P.M., the
City Council of the City of Schertz, Texas, convened at a regular meeting at the
regular meeti~g place in the Municipal Building in the City of Schertz, Texas,
pursuant to due call and notice to all of the members of said City Council,
which meeting was at all times open to the public, and at which meeting the
following members were present, to-wit:
Jack M. Stomackin, Sr.
Richard L. Howe
Barbara Taylor
Jeff Duffield
Earl W. Sawyer
Jacqueline Lawler
MAYOR
COUNCILMEMBER
COUNCILMEMBER
COUNCILMEMBER
COUNCILMEMBER
COUNCILMEMBER
ABSENT
and
June G. Krause
Jimmy G. Gilmore
CITY SECRETARY
CITY MANAGER
There being a quorum present, the meeting was called to order by the
Mayor, and, among other proceedings had were the following:
The Mayor introduced the hereinafter set forth ordinance, which has
been read and considered at the last regular meeting of the City Council on the
19 day of October, 1981 It was determi ned that the City Secretary had
caused a short synopsis of said proposed ordinance to be published in the
official City newspaper after its consideration at the last regular meeting of
the City Council and prior to this meeting.
Whereupon said ordinance was discussed and further considered by the
Council .
Thereupon it was moved by Councilmember Howe
and seconded by Councilmember Duffield that said ordinance
"be finally passed and adopted. The Mayor put the motion to a vote of the
members of the City Council and the ordinance was finally passed and adopted by
the following vote: