Explanation
BACKGROUND:
Pursuant the Columbus Building Code, Title 41 of the Columbus City Code, the Department of Building and Zoning Services is the agency that coordinates the licensure of all home improvement general and limited contractors that perform work on one-, two-, and three-unit dwellings in the city of Columbus.
In a recent evaluation of the current home improvement contractor’s license requirements, together with the necessity to maintain relevancy with current building industry standards, the Department of Building and Zoning Services has determined that the Columbus Building Code should be revised to provide that all Ohio registered design professionals with experience in the home improvement construction industry shall be deemed to have equally acceptable credentials for licensure.
A Public Hearing was held before the Board of Review of General and Home Improvement Contractors on March 7, 2018, and the Columbus Building Commission on March 20, 2018, whereupon the Board of Review of General and Home Improvement Contractors and the Columbus Building Commission voted to recommend this proposed code change be forwarded to Columbus City Council for adoption.
FISCAL IMPACT: No funding is required for this legislation.
Title
To amend Section 4114.505 of the Columbus Building Code by augmenting the qualifications of an applicant for any home improvement license classification to include an Ohio registered design professional that is experienced in residential design and construction.
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Building and Zoning Services is the agency that coordinates the licensure of all home improvement general and limited contractors that perform work on one-, two-, and three-unit dwellings in the city of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, home improvement general and limited contractor’s licenses issued by the Department of Building and Zoning Services are required in order to lawfully contract for, obtain permits for, and to perform structural work on all one-, two-, and three-unit dwellings in the City of Columbus where the contractor is not a residing homeowner; and
WHEREAS, it was determined that the Columbus Building Code should be changed to eliminate an inequity that currently exists by clearly acknowledging that all Ohio registered design professionals experienced in the home improvement construction industry have equally acceptable credentials for licensure.; and
WHEREAS, a Public Hearing was held before the Board of Review of General and Home Improvement Contractors on March 7, 2018, and the Columbus Building Commission on March 20, 2018, whereupon the Board of Review of General and Home Improvement Contractors and the Columbus Building Commission voted to recommend this proposed code change be forwarded to Columbus City Council for adoption; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS
SECTION 1. That the existing Section 4114.505 of the Columbus City Codes is hereby amended to read as follows:
4114.505 Minimum experience qualifications for a department-issued license.
(A) Home Improvement General Contractor License. The applicant for a home improvement general contractor license shall have a minimum of three full years of "hands-on" installation experience in the one-, two-, and three-family home improvement field.
(B) Home Improvement Limited Contractor License. The applicant for a home improvement limited contractor license in the following fields of specialization shall have a minimum of one full year of "hands-on" installation experience in that field for which a license is applied for:
(1) Residential roofing;
(2) Residential siding, windows, and doors;
(3) Residential wood deck installation;
(4) Residential basement waterproofing;
(5) Residential prefabricated fireplaces and wood or coal stoves;
(6) Residential masonry fireplaces;
(7) Residential fencing;
(8) Residential sidewalks and driveway approaches;
(9) Residential exterior lathing and stucco;
(10) Residential swimming pool and spas;
(11) Residential asphalt paving;
(12) Residential irrigation sprinkler; and/or
(13) Residential gypsum board installer.
(C) "Hands-on" experience shall be characterized by the active personal involvement of the applicant in the activity directly related to the type of license for which an application was made. Such active personal involvement shall have provided for the acquisition of practical experience, knowledge, and mechanical aptitude in the physical installation, operation, control, adjustment, repair, and maintenance of the specific trade or craft. (D) Sewer, Water, or Combined Sewer/Water Contractor License. All applicants for either a sewer contractor license or a water contractor license shall demonstrate prior approval from the department of public utilities in a manner as prescribed by such department.
(E) Journeyperson Plumber Plumbers License. The minimum experience required for an applicant for a journeyperson plumber license shall be as follows:
(1) Have a minimum of five full years of experience in the plumbing trade installing building services plumbing systems and apparatus including potable water systems; or, completed a United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Apprenticeship Training (USDOL, BAT) certified plumbing apprenticeship program.
(2) Satisfactorily complete and pass, with a grade of at least 70 percent, the written examination(s) as prescribed herein. The required examinations shall be administered by an approved testing agency as identified by the chief building official and approved by the appropriate board of review. After one year from the date that a passing score was achieved on any required examination for a department-issued license, the passing score for that examination or examinations shall become invalid unless an application for licensure has been made.
(3) An applicant's failure to pass the required examination shall not operate to deny the applicant the right to take such examination at a future scheduled date, provided the applicant makes proper application for such later examination with the approved testing agency.
(F) In the event there ceases to be an approved testing agency to provide the examination(s) required by C.C. 4114, the director shall immediately notify, in writing, the Skilled Trades Review Board and the journeyperson plumbers of this fact. The director shall also issue a statement, in writing, of policy and procedure to be used until such time an approved testing agency has been identified by the director.
(G) Alternatively, in In lieu of the above requirements of Section (A), (B), or (C), or (E) above, an applicant for any either a home improvement general contractor license or a home improvement limited contractor license may be:
(1) A registered design professional who holds a current and valid certificate as an architect or engineer as allowed under the Ohio Revised Code and who is experienced in residential design and construction An engineer, registered in Ohio, in the specific field of work for the type of license for which application is made; or
(2) A graduate architect or engineer, with at least one full year's experience as a designer or installer in the specific field of work for the type of home improvement contractor license for which application is made.
(H) In lieu of the above requirements of Section (C), (D) or (E) above, an applicant for either a sewer contractor license or a journeyperson plumber license may be:
(1) A registered professional engineer who holds a current and valid certificate issued under the applicable provisions of the Ohio Revised Code in the specific field of work for the type of license for which application is made; or,
(2) A graduate engineer with at least one (1) full years’ experience as a designer or installer in the specific filed of work for the type of license for which application is made.
(I) Determination of a Full Year. A "full year" of experience, where required in sections (A) through (F) above, shall be based on 12 consecutive calendar months during which the applicant shall have been gainfully and verifiably employed for not less than 1,600 working hours at the specific craft, trade, or profession for which an application for a department-issued license has been made.
SECTION 2. That prior existing section 4114.505 of the Columbus City Codes is hereby repealed.
SECTION 3. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period provided by law.