§ 4-162. Permit and registration required.

(a)

Permit required. No person shall install a new irrigation system or add zones and/or heads to an existing irrigation system within the territorial limits or extraterritorial jurisdiction of the city without obtaining a permit from the city.

(b)

Permit application. A person shall submit an application for a permit on a form prescribed by the regulatory authority, the irrigation plan, and the permit fee to the regulatory authority. If the permit fee is paid and the irrigation plan complies with the requirements of this chapter, the regulatory authority shall issue a permit. Otherwise, the regulatory authority shall deny the application.

(c)

Registration required. It shall be unlawful for any person, business, firm, or corporation to perform, or cause to be performed, any work described in this Code as requiring a permit unless such person, firm or corporation is the holder of a valid registration with the city to perform such work. Such person, firm or corporation shall be herein termed registrant. In extending the rights and privileges of such registration, the city makes no statement of the technical competency of those so registered, and no manner of license is proffered.

(d)

Information to be provided. An applicant for registration under this section shall provide to the building official the following information:

(1)

The complete name, complete mailing address and telephone number of the firm or corporation.

(2)

The name and private mailing address of a principal of the firm or corporation who is a person authorized to bind the firm or corporation in legal agreements.

(3)

The name and license identification of the licensed individual through whom the person, firm or corporation is to be represented in all activities before the building official.

(4)

Other pertinent information deemed necessary by the building official.

(e)

Every registrant doing work in any city rights-of-way shall carry contractor's public liability insurance with a combined single limit of not less than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00) per occurrence, with an aggregate of not less than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00). The registrant shall make the City of Copperas Cove a certificate holder and present proof of insurance at the time of registration and all subsequent renewals. Notice of policy cancellations or failure to renew coverage shall be cause for revocation of registration, denial of inspections or cancellation of permits.

(f)

Transfer of registration prohibited. No registrant under this section shall allow his registration, by name or other identification, to be transferred or assigned to, or in any manner directly or indirectly used by, any person, firm or corporation other than the one to whom issued by the building official, for any purpose.

(g)

Exemption for homeowner. These registration requirements shall not apply to work to be performed on a residential structure when the person performing the work is the owner of the structure, and has his legal residence there, and is not assisted by any other person for remuneration. The homeowner shall be automatically considered a registrant for the purposes of such a project. Notwithstanding such relief from registration, all requirements for permits for the work shall remain in force.

(h)

Expiration and renewal of business registration. Registration shall expire annually and shall be routinely reactivated by payment of a renewal fee if application information remains accurate. A registration may be renewed, as herein provided, at any time from sixty (60) days preceding the date of expiration. A registration not renewed for ninety (90) days beyond the date of expiration shall require a new registration.

(i)

Registration suspended. The regulatory authority shall have the authority to suspend any registration issued under this Code for the following reasons:

(1)

Forfeiting an appeal of a stop order by allowing work to continue on a project after the issuance of said stop order.

(2)

Forfeiting an appeal from the regulatory authority by initiating work or allowing another to initiate work in violation of the regulatory authority's decision or prior to the regulatory authority's decision.

(3)

Causing or permitting the unauthorized or prohibited use of a valid registration, by registrant or another, such as to allow the rights and privileges of registration to be applied to one not duly registered.

(4)

Convictions of two (2) violations of any of the provisions of this Code or of Section 14 of Article 6243-101, V.T.C.S., committed within a period of twelve (12) consecutive months (except that remedy of the violation within twenty (20) days of notice of violation shall cause the waiver of such conviction for the purpose of this subsection).

(5)

Providing false information on business registration and/or permit applications.

(6)

Failure to request inspections as required by this chapter.

(j)

Reserved.

(k)

Permit application expiration and renewals.

(1)

After issuing a permit, the regulatory authority shall remain empowered to require the correction of errors in plans and specifications; and prevent the commencement or continuation of construction operations conducted under such plans and specifications when such operations are in violation of this chapter or other ordinance.

(2)

Every permit issued under this chapter shall expire by limitation and become null and void if the work is suspended or abandoned for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days.

(3)

Any permittee holding an unexpired permit may apply in writing for an extension of the time within which work may commence under that permit. The building official may extend the time for action by the permittee for a period not exceeding one hundred eighty (180) days. The permittee shall pay a fee for the extension of the unexpired permit. No permit shall be extended more than once.

(4)

When a permit expires under this subsection, work may be recommenced only upon the issuance of a new permit.

(5)

An application for which no permit is issued within one hundred eighty (180) days following the date of the application shall be voided due to limitation of time and plans submitted for review may thereafter be returned to the applicant or destroyed by the building official. The building official may extend the time for action on the application for an additional one hundred eighty (180) days upon a request in writing submitted to the building official and payment of the extension fee. No application shall be extended more than once. An expired application may only be reactivated by filing of a new application including plans and fees.

(l)

Right of entry. Whenever it is necessary to make an inspection to enforce the provisions of this chapter, or whenever the regulatory authority has reasonable cause to believe that there exists in any building or upon any premises any conditions or violations of this chapter that make the building or premises unsafe, unsanitary, dangerous or hazardous, the regulatory authority shall have the authority to enter the building or premises at all reasonable times to inspect or to perform the duties imposed upon the regulatory authority by this chapter. If such building or premises is occupied, the regulatory authority shall present credentials to the occupant and request entry. If such building or premises is unoccupied, the regulatory authority shall first make a reasonable effort to locate the owner or other person having charge or control of the building or premises and request entry. If entry is refused, the regulatory authority shall have recourse to every remedy provided by law to secure entry. When the regulatory authority shall have first obtained a proper inspection warrant pursuant to the "municipal court" chapter of the Code of the City of Copperas Cove no owner or occupant or person having charge, care or control of any building or premises shall fail or neglect, after proper request is made as herein provided, to promptly permit entry therein by the regulatory authority.

(m)

Stop work orders. Upon notice from the regulatory authority, work on any irrigation system that is being done contrary to the provisions of this code or in a dangerous or unsafe manner 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 regulatory authority shall not be required to give a written notice prior to stopping the work. No person shall continue any work in or about the structure 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.

(Ord. No. 2010-48, § 1(Exh. A), 11-2-10)