Roofing in La Porte, Indiana

Required

Required

STATE-SET, AND LA PORTE'S OWN ADOPTION FLOATS FORWARD WITH IT. Section 10-29(a) of the La Porte Municipal Code incorporates by reference "The building rules of the Indiana Fire Prevention Building Safety Commission, as set out in the following articles of Title 675 of the Indiana Administrative Code, as well as later amendments, supplements or additions to those articles as the same are published in the Indiana Register or the Indiana Administrative Code (with effective dates as fixed therein)". Its list includes Article 14, which the section still calls the One and Two-family Dwelling Code, the article's older name; the section names no edition, and its history note ends with Ord. No. 9-98. WHAT ARTICLE 14 CURRENTLY REACHES. The Indiana residential rule is 675 IAC 14-4.4, whose first section incorporates "the 2018 International Residential Code for One and Two Family Dwellings, first printing August 2017" and provides that "This rule shall be known as the 2020 Indiana Residential Code." Indiana law would read the City's reference as floating even without its own words: IC 22-13-2-3(b) provides that a reference to the commission's rules by citation to the Indiana Administrative Code "shall be construed to include all amendments as of the date that the reference is written and any later amendments to that provision, unless accompanied by a reference to a specific edition or supplement to the Indiana Administrative Code." And IC 22-13-2-3(c) provides that "A city, town, or county may not adopt an ordinance that conflicts with or includes more stringent or detailed requirements than the commission's rules." La Porte writes no technical amendment to the residential code: Chapter 10 of its Municipal Code, Buildings and Building Regulations, was read in full across all twelve articles and contains no roof-covering provision. A SEPARATE CODE, DO NOT CONFUSE IT. Article XII of Chapter 10 is the City's own Property Maintenance Code, which governs the upkeep of existing buildings. It requires, among other things, that "The roof and flashing shall be sound, tight and not have defects that admit rain", and it provides that where it conflicts with the building rules or fire safety rules of the state commission, "the rules of the commission shall control." It is not an installation standard for a new roof.

WHERE. Building permits are handled by the City's Engineering & Building office at City Hall, 801 Michigan Ave, La Porte, IN 46350, phone (219) 362-2327. Section 10-31(c) provides that "All permits shall be issued by the City Engineer, and all fees provided for herein shall be paid to the Clerk-Treasurer." HOW. The City's Building Permits page states: "Building Permit Applications must be submitted online." The City's Engineering & Building page sends permit applicants and contractor registrations to its service website, which now opens at laportein.portal.opengov.com, where the Roofing Permit and the Contractor Registration are separate applications. FEES. Per the Building Permits page, Residential Roofing is $50, permitted separately from other improvements, and a missed required inspection costs $50. PERMIT LIFE. Under section 10-31(d), "All permits issued by the engineer's office shall expire if work is not begun thereunder within 60 days of issuance of permit"; the City Engineer may extend a permit for another 90 days where work cannot begin in time. INSPECTIONS. Section 10-38(b) puts the inspection call on the contractor and requires the inspection within two working days of notification. STOP ORDERS AND PENALTIES. Under section 10-40 the City Engineer may stop work done contrary to the building article by written notice, and "No additional permit will be issued to the contractor until the issue is cleared up and notice to proceed with the work has been given." Section 10-46 sets a fine of up to $1,000.00 for each violation.