Chapter 6 BUILDINGS AND BUILDING REGULATIONS*
Section 6-61 Amendments.
The code adopted by this article is hereby amended by substituting the following sections in lieu
of those sections with corresponding numbers in the code, or, where there is no corresponding
section in the code, the following sections shall be enacted as additions to the code:
101.1 Title. These regulations shall be known as the Mechanical Code of the City of Columbia,
Missouri, hereinafter referred to as "this code."
101.5 Board of mechanical examiners.
A board of mechanical examiners consisting of six (6) persons is hereby created. One (1)
member shall be the director of public works or the director’s designee, who shall be a non-voting
ex-officio chairperson of the board; the remaining five (5) members shall be appointed by
the city council. One (1) member shall be a registered professional engineer; one (1) member
shall be a mechanical heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR)
contractor or master mechanic; one (1) member shall be a HVACR journeyman mechanic; one
(1) member shall be a general contractor not in the HVACR business; and one (1) member shall
be a layman. The first two (2) members appointed to the board shall serve for three (3) years, the
second two (2) members shall serve for two (2) years, the last member shall serve for one (1)
year. Thereafter, each member of the board shall serve for three (3) years and until a replacement
is appointed and qualified. The board of mechanical examiners shall be empowered to give
examinations for mechanical heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration licenses and
certificates, to approve or disapprove applications for mechanical heating, ventilation, air
conditioning and refrigeration licenses and certificates, and to issue or revoke mechanical
heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration licenses or certificates. A fee of fifty
dollars ($50.00) must be submitted with the application. The fee shall be refunded to the
applicant if the applicant appears at the board meeting at which the examination is scheduled.
The board shall meet upon the call of the chair, or upon the call of a majority of its membership,
however, it shall meet within at least sixty (60) days after filing of an application for
examination. Applicants scheduled for examination shall be notified at least three (3) days prior
to the date of examination; with date, time and place of examination. A minimum of three (3)
board members are required to have a quorum. The chair of the board is authorized to excuse any
member from attendance at a board meeting; provided, that the member requested to be excused
before the meeting. Any member who is absent, without being excused, from twenty-five (25)
percent of the regular board meetings held in a calendar year shall automatically forfeit the
office. Any member who is absent, without being excused, from three (3) consecutive regular
meetings shall automatically forfeit the office. It shall be the duty of the chair to promptly notify
the council of the vacancy.
101.5.1 Membership qualifications. Members of the board appointed by the city
council shall be residents of the City of Columbia, Missouri.
101.6 Unlawful. It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in the installation, alteration
or
repair of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration components or systems in or on
any building, structure, or premises within the corporate limits of the City of Columbia,
Missouri, unless issued a certificate of competency by the board of mechanical examiners, except
as provided elsewhere in this code.
101.7 Certificates. The board of mechanical examiners is herein empowered to provide for the
following types of certificates:
1. Master mechanical heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration
mechanic. (Type
A)
2. Journeyman mechanical heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration
mechanic.
(Type B)
3. Maintenance journeyman mechanical heating, ventilation, air conditioning
and
refrigeration mechanic. (Type B-1)
4. Apprentice mechanical heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration
mechanic.
(Type C)
5. Chimney Sweep (Type D)
101.8 Certificate types. Certificates will be issued to applicants who meet the following
requirements:
Chimney Sweep (Type D)
1. Submit application to director of public works stating name, address, telephone
number and
type of certificate requested.
2. Provide positive proof of twelve thousand (12,000) hours active employment
as a
journeyman mechanical HVACR (Type B) or apprentice mechanical HVACR or equivalent
experience acceptable to the board.
3. List names, addresses and telephone numbers of all previous employers under
which
applicant worked as an apprentice heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration
mechanic.
4. Successfully complete examination as required by board of mechanical examiners.
5. No fee required.
Apprentice (Type C)
Submit application stating name, address and telephone number and employer's signature. No fee
required.
Journeyman (Type B & Type B-1)
1. Submit application to director of public works stating name, address, telephone
number and
type of certificate requested.
2. Provide positive proof of eight thousand (8,000) hours active employment as
apprentice
heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanic, or such equivalent experience
deemed acceptable by the mechanical board.
3. List names, addresses and telephone numbers of all previous employers under
which
applicant worked as an apprentice heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration
mechanic.
4. Successfully complete examination as required by board of mechanical examiners.
5. No fee required.
Master (Type A)
1. Submit application to director of public works stating name, address, telephone
number and
type of certificate requested.
2. Provide positive proof of twelve thousand (12,000) hours active employment
or equivalent
as an apprentice and/or journeyman heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration
mechanic, or such equivalent experience deemed acceptable by the mechanical board. At least
four thousand (4,000) hours of the required time must be as a journeyman or equivalent
experience acceptable to the board.
3. List names, addresses and telephone numbers of all previous employers under
which
applicant worked as an apprentice and/or journeyman heating, ventilation, air conditioning and
refrigeration mechanic.
4. Successfully complete examination as required by board of mechanical examiners.
5. No fee required.
101.8.1 Examination and certification. The board shall establish standards and procedures for
the qualifications, examination, and licensing of master and journeyman mechanics; and chimney
sweeps, and shall issue an appropriate certificate of competency to each person who meets the
qualifications therefore and successfully passes the required examination. The standard
examination for master mechanic shall be the mechanical contractor category or journeyman
mechanic shall be the journeyman HARV category as prepared and published by
Thomson
Prometric, ATTN: National Construction Program, 1260 Energy Lane, St. Paul, MN 55108 or the
ICC National Standardized Examinations Program, www.iccsafe.org/contractor (1-877-783-3926) for Contractor
Trades Testing. The standard examination for chimney sweeps shall be as
developed by the board. The board shall keep an official record of all transactions.
101.9 Permit required. Application for a permit shall be made by a licensed master mechanical
HVACR mechanic, except as provided herein, mechanical permits may be issued to the general
contactor, on behalf of the master mechanic, for new one and two family dwellings and building
alteration or building additions for one and two family dwellings
to install all or part of any
HVACR system. All mechanical work must be performed by a mechanic licensed by the City of
Columbia, or as allowed by ordinance. A licensed chimney sweep (Type D) shall be permitted to
make application for a permit to install all or part of any equipment as defined in Section 101.10,
Scope of Work, and item 4.
Any permit required by this code may be issued to any person to do any work regulated by this
code in a single-family dwelling used exclusively for living purposes, including the usual
accessory buildings and quarters in connection with such buildings, provided the person is a bona
fide owner of such dwelling and that the dwelling will be occupied by the owner, and that the
owner shall personally purchase all material and perform all labor in connection therewith. Any
person obtaining a permit under this section shall not be issued another permit within two years.
Exception: Plumbers holding a maintenance journeyman mechanic certificate
who are regular employees of the firm or corporation for which the work is to be
performed, may obtain a permit to do plumbing work on the premises of the firm or
corporation provided the work is not associated with work requiring a building
permit.
101.10 Scope of work. The scope of work authorized by each type of certificate shall be as
follows:
1. The mechanical Masters Certificate (Type A) shall authorize the grantee to
engage in the
business of contracting for the installation, repair, altering, and making additions to mechanical
equipment and appurtenances; and to supervise construction or installation of same.
2. A mechanical Journeyman Certificate (Type B) shall authorize the grantee to
perform
mechanical work under persons or firms holding a mechanical Masters Certificate (Type A) or to
perform mechanical work as a regular employee for, and on the premises of, a specified firm or
corporation.
3. A mechanical maintenance Journeyman Certificate shall be authorized to
perform mechanical work as a regular employee for, and on the premises of, a
specified firm or corporation.
4. An apprentice Mechanical Certificate (Type C) shall authorize the grantee
to perform
mechanical work only when under the immediate supervision of a mechanic holding Type A or B
Certificate. The ratio shall not exceed three apprentices to one mechanic. Immediate supervision
is defined as being on the job site with the apprentice while work is being accomplished.
5. A Chimney Sweep Certificate (Type D) shall authorize the grantee to engage
in the business
of contracting for the installation, repair, altering, and making additions to Chimney equipment
and appurtenances as defined by the current mechanical code, that are not regulated
by the
building code; and to supervise construction or installation of same.
Section 103 Division of Building and Site Development
103.1 Director. The administration and enforcement of this code shall be the duty of the director
of public works, who is designated the code official for purposes of this code. The code official
is hereby authorized to take such action as may be reasonably necessary to enforce the provisions
of this code. Such persons may be appointed and authorized as assistants or representatives of
the director as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this code.
103.2 Restriction of employees: An employee connected with the division of building and
site
development shall not be engaged in or directly or indirectly connected with the furnishing of
labor, materials or appliances for the construction, alteration or maintenance of a building, or the
preparation of plans or of specifications therefore, unless the employee is the owner of the
building; nor shall such employee engage in any work which conflicts with employee’s official
duties or with the interest of the division
103.3 Relief from personal responsibility: The code official, officer or employee charged with
the enforcement of this code, while acting for the jurisdiction, shall not thereby be rendered
liable personally, and is hereby relieved from all personal liability for any damage accruing to
persons or property as a result of any act required or permitted in the discharge of official duties.
Any suit instituted against any officer or employee because of an act performed by that officer or
employee in the lawful discharge of duties and under the provisions of this code shall be
defended by the legal representative of the jurisdiction until the final termination of the
proceedings. The code official or any subordinate shall not be liable for costs in any action,
suit
or proceeding that is instituted in pursuance of the provisions of this code; and any officer of the
building and site development
division acting in good faith and without malice, shall be free
from liability for acts performed under any of its provisions or by reason of any act or omission
in the performance of official duties in connection therewith.
103.4 Delete in its entirety.
106.1 When required. An owner, authorized agent or contractor who desires to erect, install,
enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace a mechanical system, the installation of which is
regulated by this code, or to cause such work to be done, shall first make application as required
by Section 101.9 to the code official and obtain the required permit for the work.
Exception: Where equipment replacements and repairs must be performed in an emergency
situation, the permit application shall be submitted within the next working business day of the
division of building and site development.
106.5.2 Fee schedule. The fees for all mechanical work shall be as indicated in the following
schedule:
$0.00 to $1,000.00 $10.80
$1,000.01 to $5,000.00 $10.80 plus $2.70 per thousand over $1,000.00
$5,000.01 to $10,000.00 $21.60 plus $2.16 per thousand over $5,000.00
$10,000.01 to $20,000.00 $32.40 plus $1.62 per thousand over $10,000.00
Over $20,000 $48.60 plus $1.08 per thousand over $20,000.00
106.5.3 Fee refunds. The code official shall authorize the refunding of fees as follows:
1. The full amount of any fee paid hereunder which was
erroneously paid or collected.
2. Not more than seventy-five (75) percent of the permit fee paid when no work
has been done
under a permit issued in accordance with this code.
The code official shall not authorize the refunding of any fee paid, except upon written
application filed by the original permittee not later than 180 days after the date of fee payment.
3. Delete in its entirety
108.4 Penalties. Any person who shall violate a provision of this code or shall fail to comply
with any of the requirements thereof shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction
thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or by
imprisonment not exceeding one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Each day that a
violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense.
108.5 Stop work orders. Upon notice from the code official that mechanical work is being done
contrary to the provisions of this code or in a dangerous or unsafe manner, such work shall
immediately cease. Such notice shall be in writing and shall be given to the owner of the
property, or to the owner's agent, or to the person doing the work. The notice shall state the
conditions under which work is authorized to resume. Where an emergency exists, the code
official shall not be required to give a written notice prior to stopping the work. Any person
who
shall continue any work on the system after having been served with a stop work order, except
such work as that person is directed to perform to remove a violation or unsafe condition, shall
be liable to a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) or more than one thousand
dollars ($1,000.00).
109.1 Appeals. The owner of a building or structure or any person directly affected by a decision
of the code official may appeal to the building construction codes commission from a decision of
the official refusing to grant modifications of the provisions of the Mechanical Code covering the
manner of installation, or materials to be used in the installation. The procedure for appeal
shall
be governed by Section 113 of the Building Code of Columbia, Missouri.
109.2 through 109.7 -- Delete.
(Ord. No. 15396, § 1, 10-20-97; Ord. No. 17504, § 1, 11-4-02; Ord. No.
17658, § 1, 4-21-03;
Ord. No. 19354, § 1, 1-2-07;
Ord. No. 19675, § 4, 9-17-07; Ord. No. 20909, § 1, 3-21-11)
(Ord. 20909, Amended, 03/21/2011, Prior Text; Ord. 19675, Amended, 09/17/2007, Prior Text; Ord. 19354, Amended, 01/02/2007, Prior Text; Ord. 17658, Amended, 04/21/2003, Prior Text; Ord. 17504, Amended, 11/04/2002, Prior Text)