Chapter 508 Oregon Laws 1999

Session Law

AN ACT

SB 914

Relating to master permits under special alternative inspections; amending ORS 455.190.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. ORS 455.190 is amended to read:

455.190. (1)(a) Under ORS 183.325 to 183.410, notwithstanding any other laws or rules to the contrary, the Department of Consumer and Business Services, with the concurrence of the appropriate board, shall establish:

(A) Qualifications and standards for special alternative inspection programs for commercial or industrial installations for other than new construction; and

(B) Delegation of special alternative inspection programs except as provided in subsections (3) and (5) of this section.

(b) Special alternative inspection programs established under this section apply to inspections under the structural, mechanical and plumbing specialty codes. For an installation under a structural, mechanical or plumbing master permit in commercial, industrial and government buildings, new construction does not include maintenance and repair work, interior tenant remodeling projects, accessibility upgrades or changes of occupancy, provided the local building official determines a new or proposed use is no more hazardous than the existing use and any proposed alterations may be satisfactorily reviewed and inspected under a master permit program.

(2) For purposes of this section, special alternative inspection programs include:

(a) A program of random inspections of minor installations; and

(b) A master permit program where installations are periodically inspected.

(3) [Any municipality that wishes to establish a structural or mechanical special alternative inspection program shall first make application to the department.] A municipality authorized under ORS 455.150 to administer a building inspection program that employs a person licensed as an engineer and certified to perform structural plan reviews may make application to the department to establish a structural or mechanical master permit program. The department may authorize the municipality to administer and enforce the provisions of this section if it finds that the municipality provides inspections carried out under master permit programs and can comply with minimum standards and meet the qualifications adopted under subsection (1) of this section for inspections, permit applications and other matters to insure adequate administration and enforcement of the structural, mechanical or plumbing special alternative inspection programs.

(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of ORS 455.160, a municipality that is authorized to administer and enforce a special alternative inspection program may, in exercising that authority, waive plan review and related fees of an installation carried out under structural, mechanical, plumbing and electrical master permits.

(5) Any municipality that provides plumbing inspections under the plumbing specialty code shall provide a program of random inspection of minor installations and a master permit program. If the municipality does not elect to provide a plumbing master permit program as provided in subsection (1) of this section, the municipality shall, on request of the owner, operating manager or plumbing contractor of a commercial or industrial facility that would otherwise qualify for a master permit program, issue a master individual inspection permit, provide plumbing inspection before any installation is covered or placed into service and charge for the inspection at the municipality's hourly plumbing inspection rate under the plumbing specialty code.

Approved by the Governor July 6, 1999

Filed in the office of Secretary of State July 6, 1999

Effective date October 23, 1999

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