Section I. ENACTMENT AUTHORITY AND SCOPE

This Electrical Installation and Inspection Ordinance is enacted pursuant to 30-A M.R.S.A. ss4151 et seq. This Ordinance expressly applies to original installations of equipment and alterations to addition to existing equipment.

Section II. ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR

The provisions of the Ordinance shall be administered and enforced by the Electrical Inspector or Deputy Electrical Inspector. The Electrical Inspector and the Deputy Electrical Inspector shall be appointed by the City Council. Whenever the term Electrical Inspector is used hereafter in the Ordinance, the term shall include the Deputy Electrical Inspector.

Section III. ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION PERMIT REQUIRED

A. No electrical equipment shall be installed in, altered, or added to any building, structure, or premises within the territorial limits of the City of Ellsworth unless an Electrical Installation Permit had been issued in conformity with this Ordinance.

B. No permit shall be required to do minor repair work such as, but not limited to, the following

:i. The replacement of fuses;

ii. The installation of additional outlets;

iii. The replacement of existing switches, sockets, outlets, and lamps;

iv. Repairs to entrance service equipment; and

v. Repairs or installation of radio and low voltage equipment.

C. Emergency work may be undertaken without first obtaining a permit. A permit must then be obtained as soon as is reasonably possible.

D. No major deviation may be made from the installation described in the permit without the prior written approval of the Electrical Inspector.

Section IV. APPLICATION FOR ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION PERMIT

An application for an Electrical Installation Permit shall be made in writing to the Electrical Inspector, in duplicated, and shall be signed by the applicant. Application shall be made on a form provided for that purpose by the Electrical Inspector. The application shall be accompanied by a general description of the electrical work to be done. The applicant must also file any additional plans, schedules, or specifications deemed by the Electrical Inspector to be necessary to insure that the proposed work complies with this Ordinance.

A. In the event that the propose work is to be performed in a single-family structure by the owner of that structure.

B. In all other cases the applicant shall be the licensed master electrician employed to do the proposed work; a holder of a limited license who may obtain a permit within such limited licensee’s are of expertise; or the general contractor for the construction project of which the proposed work is a part, providing that the contractor shall provide as part of the application the name, address, and license number of the licensed electrician employed to do the proposed work.

Section V. INVALIDATION OF ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION PERMIT

Any permit issued under this section shall become invalid if:

A. The authorized work is not commenced within six (6) months after issuance of the permit;

B. The authorized work is suspended or abandoned for a period of six (6) months after the time of commencing the work.

C. The authorized work is not completed within twenty-four (24) months after the issuance of the permit, or

D. The permit holder fails to correct a violation of any provision of the Ordinance with the time prescribed in the Notice of Violation.

Section VI. PERMIT FEES

Before an Electrical Installation Permit may be issued, the applicant shall pay a fee in accordance with the following schedule:

There will be a separate charge for each item listed above, even if the work performed is located on same job site.²

² Amended by the City Council 06/10/02

Section VII. CONFORMITY TO NFPA CODE

The minimum standards for electrical equipment and installations within the territorial limits of the City of Ellsworth shall be the standards contained in the most recent edition of the National Electric Code, designated as NFPA 70, as adopted by the State of Maine Electricians’ Examining Board.

Section VIII. CERTIFICATE OF ACCEPTANCE

A. The applicant, by obtaining a permit, consents to the inspection by the Electrical Inspector of work and equipment described in the permit at such reasonable times and as often as the Electrical Inspector deems reasonably necessary throughout the course of the authorized work so as to insure compliance with this Ordinance. A failure to permit such reasonable inspection is expressly made a violation of this Ordinance.

B. Prior to the sale, lease, use, or occupancy of any building, structure, portion of a structure, or premises for which an Electrical Installation Permit has been issued, the permit holder must secure a Certificated of Acceptance from the Electrical Inspector stating that the electrical equipment is in conformity with the standards set forth for electrical equipment in Section VII of this Ordinance. Prior to the issuance of the Certificate of Acceptance, the Electrical Inspector will inspect the property to see that all requirements under this Ordinance have been met. A Certificate of Acceptance must be issued or denied within two (2) working days of application for inspection by the permit holder. A failure to issue a Certificate within two (2) working days shall be deemed a denial of the request for certificate.

C. There shall be no charge for any such inspection, except in the case of inspection of commercial property. In the case of inspections of commercial property the permit holder may pay any difference between the ½ of 1% of the total actual cost of the installation is less than or equal to the feel originally paid for the permit, there shall be no charge for the inspection. In no case shall any portion of the permit fee originally paid be refunded.

Section IX. ENFORCEMENT

A. Upon the discovery of any electrical equipment, which does not comply with this ordinance, any person having the power and duty to enforce the provisions of this Ordinance may make a written complaint to the State Electrical Inspector in accordance with 32 M.R.S.A. ss1104.

B. Whenever any person having the power and duty to enforce the provisions of this Ordinance determines that there is a violation of any provision of this Ordinance, that a person shall give written notice of such violation to the property owner and the person making the installation, if known. Such written notice shall contain:

i. A description of the building, structure, or premises in question in sufficient detail to identify it;

ii. A description of the violation found and a citation to the provisions of this Ordinance or the NFPA Code violated;

iii. The remedial action required for correction of such violation; and

iv. A date by which such violation must be corrected.

C. The Code Enforcement Officer and/or his authorized agent(s), including but not limited to the Electrical Inspector, shall have the power and duty to prosecute violations of the provisions of the Ordinance to the extent permitted by law.

D. Prosecution of violations of this Ordinance shall be made pursuant to 30-A M.R.S.A. ss4452. The penalties for violating this Ordinance are those set forth at ss4452 (3). These penalties include, but are not limited to, fines, injunctive relief and the reimbursement of the City’s attorney’s fees and costs.

Section X. EFFECTIVE DATE

The effective date of Section I, II, and X of this Ordinance is the date that the resolution adopting this Ordinance is adopted by the City Council, which is June 19, 1989. The effective date of Sections III through IX of this Ordinance is September 1, 1989. This date may be amended by the City Council if the City Council determines that a later or earlier date is necessary to effectively implement this Ordinance, or if public health, welfare and safety require a different effective date.

Adopted by the City Council July 17, 1989

With amendments through 1/14/02