There is hereby incorporated by reference for the purpose of regulating construction within the corporate limits of the city of Stockton, Kansas, that certain uniform code known as the National Electric Code, 2008 Edition, as published by the National Fire Protection Association. One copy shall be marked or stamped “Official Copy as Adopted by Ordinance No. 1563” and filed with the City Clerk to be open to inspection and available to the public at all reasonable hours. All administrative departments of the city charged with enforcement of the ordinance shall be supplied, at the cost of the city, such number of official copies of such International Mechanical Code similarly marked, as may be deemed expedient.
(Ord. 1312; Code 1984, Ord. 1563)
The following sections of this article are in addition to the provisions of the standard code incorporated by reference in section 4-201.
(Code 1984)
For the purpose of this article, the words and phrases used herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, unless the context clearly indicates to the contrary.
(a) Approved shall mean approved by the building inspector.
(b) Authorized person shall mean any individual, firm or corporation who or which is licensed under the provisions of this article to do the work as permitted under the specified provisions of this article.
(c) City shall mean the territory within the corporate limits of this city.
(d) Conductor shall mean a wire or cable or other form of metal suitable for carrying the electric current or potential.
(e) Electrical construction shall mean and include all work and materials used in installing, maintaining or extending a system of electrical wiring and all appurtenances, apparatus or equipment used in connection therewith, inside or attached to any building, structure, lot or premises, except industrial plants where fulltime maintenance is provided and other agencies providing inspections of installations and facilities.
(f) Equipment shall mean conductors, materials, fittings, devices, appliances, fixtures, apparatus, motors and the like, used as a part of or in connection with an electrical installation.
(g) Inspector shall mean any individual who has been appointed by the city manager as building inspector.
(h) Person shall mean a natural person, his or her heirs, executors, administrators or assigns, and also includes a firm, partnership or corporation, its or their successors, assigns, or the agent of any of the aforesaid.
(i) Special permission shall mean the written consent of the building inspector.
(j) Special ruling shall mean a written ruling filed in the office of the building inspector.
(Code 1984)
An electrician or electrical contractor shall, before engaging in business in the city, secure an annual license from the city clerk, and the amount of such annual license is $15. Such license shall not be issued until the applicant therefore shall procure and maintain a liability insurance policy in the amount of $300,000 for the death or injury of any one person and $500,000 for the death or injury of any number of persons in anyone accident and $300,000 for bodily injury or property damages per accident. Such policies of insurance shall be issued by some insurance company authorized to do business in the State of Kansas. Such person may qualify as to the insurance requirements by filing a certificate with the city clerk executed by the resident agent of such company stating that the required policy of insurance has been issued by such company for the purpose required by this article and that such insurer will not cancel the policy except upon giving 30 days’ notice in writing to the city; and that the certificate shall be filed for an annual period beginning January 1 and ending December 31 of such year.
(Code 1984; Code 2015)
All new electrical construction and any major renovation or remodeling involving electrical construction shall include a service disconnect switch located outside the building and approved by the city’s chief electrician.
(Ord. 1369)
If in the judgment of the city manager and electrical superintendent, after inspection, the electrical conductors, appliances or equipment in any building are unsafe or dangerous to persons or property, the inspectors shall have the power to cause the wires or appliances to be disconnected from the source of electrical energy supplying these conductors or equipment, and may, at his or her discretion, seal the control switches for the same in an open or disconnected position, whereupon he or she shall give notice to the owner, or his or her agent, or by posting such notice at the site and shall also notify the utilities serving the premises. Thereafter, it shall be unlawful for any person to cause or permit electric current to be supplied to the electrical conductors, appliances or equipment so sealed until they shall have been made safe and the inspector shall have issued a certificate of approval to that effect. It shall be the duty of the building inspector to cause all dead wires, unused poles or electric apparatus on the outside of the buildings or in streets or alleys to be removed at the expense of the owners thereof by giving the owners written notice. When the inspectors condemns all or part of any electrical installation, the owner may, within five days after receiving written notice thereof, file a petition in writing for review of the action of the building inspector by the governing body, upon the receipt of which the governing body shall at once proceed to determine the facts, and within five days make a decision in accordance with their findings.
(Code 1984)
Nothing herein contained shall prohibit any property owner from personally installing electrical wiring or equipment within and upon his or her own residence; provided, the owner shall satisfy the building inspector as to his or her ability to install such electrical wiring, secure a permit, pay required fees, do work in accordance with this article, and apply for an inspection and receive a certificate of approval. Personal installation by an owner under this section shall be by himself, herself, for himself or herself on his or her own residence, without compensation and no person shall be employed to assist him or her in any way on such work except a registered electrical contractor.
(Code 1984)
It shall be unlawful for any unauthorized person to, in any manner, change or alter electrical conductors or equipment in or on any building. If in the course of the erection of a building or structure, electrical conductors or equipment are in such position as to interfere with the erection or completion of the structure, notice shall be immediately given the authorized person or firm installing the electrical conductors or equipment, and the needed change shall be made by such authorized person or firm.
(Code 1984)
The following rules and regulations shall be observed for wiring:
(a) Fire Limits.
All electric wiring for light, heat or power within the fire limits, shall be wired in any method approved in the National Electric Code. Where the requirements of this section would in any way weaken the structure and/or be detrimental to the structure, the building inspector may grant permission in writing to use some other approved type of metallic construction. All service entrance conductors to buildings in the fire limits shall be provided with a main disconnection switch or breaker of the safety enclosed type and operated from the outside of the enclosure and so marked as to indicate whether the switch is “on” or “off” and shall be located at a readily accessible point nearest to the entrance of the conductors or must have approval of the city manager. The disconnecting switch shall control all circuits and devices.
(b) Outside Fire Limits. All electric wiring for light, heat or power in all buildings constructed to be used for business purposes, buildings occupied by more than three families and more than one story in height, churches, public buildings, manufacturing establishments and institutional buildings located outside the fire limits, shall be wired in any method approved in the National Electric Code. Where the requirements of this section in any way would weaken the structure or be detrimental to the structure, the city manager may grant permission in writing to use some other approved type of metallic construction. Each set of service entrance conductors to buildings outside the fire limits hereafter constructed, or additions to existing buildings, or for extensions or for additional wiring in such buildings to be used for business purposes, churches, public buildings, manufacturing establishments, institutional buildings and buildings occupied by more than two families shall be provided with a readily accessible means of disconnecting all conductors from the source of supply in accordance with the current National Electrical Code incorporated by this article.
(c) Single and Multiple Family.
(1) All services to new one and two family dwellings shall be installed in not smaller than 2” rigid galvanized conduit for stacks or electrical metallic tubing where a stack is not used, with three conductors of 200 ampere capacity, to a readily accessible means of disconnecting all conductors of 200 ampere rating from the source of supply, as provided in the National Electrical Code, incorporated by this article, except that 110 and 220 volt circuits shall not be grouped together. Any service which will require more than 200 amperes, must notify the city so that a proper service may be provided. Exception: Small dwellings with a floor area of 500 square feet or less, in which the entrance may be three conductors of not less than No.6 in size9 and not supplying more than a 6 circuit panel.
(2) In wiring and remodeling existing residences at -least 100 ampere service and a 100 ampere disconnect that shall disconnect all circuits from source of supply shall be used except as provided in subsection (c) above for dwellings of 50 square feet floor space or less.
(3) In multiple dwelling occupancy buildings, each occupant shall have access to his or her disconnection means. In a multiple occupancy dwelling having a common readily accessible space available, the disconnecting means may be in accordance with the National Electrical Code, incorporated by this article, except that 110 and 220 volt circuits shall not be grouped together.
(d) Outlets per circuit. Main ceiling light openings hereafter wired in ceilings over retail merchandise sales floors shall be wired with a minimum size wire of No. 12B and S gauge and the maximum load of 1,600 watts.
(Code 1984; Ord. 1393; Code 2015)
No electric materials for wiring of appliances or equipment shall be installed in the city unless they are in conformity with the provisions of this article and with the approved standards of construction for safety to life and property. Conformity of materials for wiring appliances and equipment to the standards of the Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. shall be prima facie evidence that the materials, devices, appliances and equipment comply with the requirements of this article.
(Code 1984)
This article shall not be construed to relieve from or lessen the responsibility or liability of any party owning, operating, controlling or installing any electrical equipment for damages to persons or property caused by any defect therein, nor shall the city be held as assuming any such liability, by reason of the inspection or reinspection authorized herein, or the certificate of approval of any equipment authorized herein.
(Code 1959, 5-307; Code 1984)
If any section of the National Electrical Code shall be held unconstitutional or otherwise invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, then such section shall be considered separate and apart from the remaining provisions of the National Electrical Code, the section is to be completely severable from the remaining provisions which shall continue in full force and effect.
(Code 1984)