Safety Codes Bylaw (Safety Codes Permit Bylaw), Bylaw 15/2022

Cochrane, Alberta · No. 15/2022 · adopted 2022-06-27 · summary & facts

This is the exact embedded text of the captured official document. Snapshot 02535771839e · verified 2026-09-27 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

Bylaw 15/2022/Town o f Cochrane/Page 1 of 6 TOWN OF COCHRANE Bylaw 15/2022 Being a bylaw of the Town of Cochrane in the Province of Alberta, Canada regulating permits issued pursuant to the Safety Codes Act. WHEREAS AND WHEREAS Property Description AND WHEREAS The Town of Cochrane has been designated as an accredited municipality by the Safety Codes Council of Alberta to administer and enforce the Safety Codes Act, R.S.A.2000, c. S-1 (the "Act"), and the Codes established pursuant to the Act; The Town of Cochrane has been authorized to issue permits pursuant of the Safety Codes Act The Town of Cochrane may make bylaws pursuant to section 66(2) of the Safety Codes Act (a) Respecting fees for anything issued pursuant to the Safety Codes Act, and (b) Respecting the carrying out of its powers and duties as an accredited municipality; NOW THEREFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF COCHRANE ENACTS AS FOLLOWS: SHORT TITLE 1. This Bylaw may be cited as the "Safety Codes Permit Bylaw" DEFINITIONS 2. (1) In this Bylaw: (a) "Act" means the Safety Codes Act, R.S.A. 2000, c. S-1; (b) "applicant" means: (i) the owner of a building or property, or (ii) the authorized representative of the owner, who applies for a permit for that building or property; (c) "Building Code" means the National Building Code as declared in force by the Building Code Alberta Regulation. Bylaw 15/2022/Town o f Cochrane/Page 2 of 6 (d) "building permit" means a permit in the building discipline issued pursuant to this Bylaw; (e) "building permit placard" is an identification card issued to notify the owner and the public that a building permit has been approved and issued for a building; (f) "Codes" means the Building Code, the Electrical Code, the Energy Code, the Gas Code and the Plumbing Code; (g) "Electrical Code" means any code, standard or body of rules declared in force pursuant to the Electrical Code Alberta Regulation. (h) "electrical permit" means a permit in the electrical discipline issued pursuant to this Bylaw; (i) "electrical system" means an assembly or any part of an assembly of electrical equipment or components used or intended to be used for the generation, transmission, distribution, control or utilization of electric energy (j) "Energy Code" means the National Energy Code as declared in force by the Energy Code Alberta Regulation. (k) "Gas Code" means any code, standard or body of rules declared in force pursuant to the Gas Code Alberta Regulation. (l) "gas permit" means a permit in the gas discipline issued pursuant to this Bylaw; (m) "gas system" means any equipment or installation used or intended to be used in or in conjunction with the processing, transmission, storage,distribution, supply or use of gas; (n) "officer" means a safety codes officer appointed pursuant to section 31 of the Act who is employed by The Town of Cochrane; (o) "permission to occupy" means written permission to occupy a building issued pursuant to this Bylaw, the Safety Codes Permit Bylaw, with respect to the use or occupancy of a building. (p) "permit" means a building permit, electrical permit, gas permit or plumbing permit; (q) "permit issuer" means: (i) an officer, or (ii) a person authorized to issue a permit pursuant to section 44 of the Act who is employed by The Town of Cochrane; (r) "Plumbing Code" means the National Plumbing Code of Canada as declared in force pursuant to the Plumbing Code Alberta Regulation. Bylaw 15/2022 Town o f Cochrane/Page 3 of 6 (s) "plumbing permit" means a permit in the plumbing discipline issued pursuant to this Bylaw; (t) "plumbing system" means the whole or any part of a drainage system, a venting system or a water system; (u) "Regulation" means the Alberta Permit Regulation AR 204/2007; (v) "site" means the physical location of the work that is the subject of the permit. (2) All definitions contained in the Act, the Regulation and the Codes apply to this Bylaw. (3) Where this Bylaw cites or refers to any act, regulation, code or other bylaw, the citation or reference is to the act, regulation, code or other bylaw as amended,whether amended before or after the commencement of this Bylaw, and includes reference to any act, regulation, code or other bylaw that may be substituted in its place. (4) Each provision of this Bylaw is independent of all other provisions and if any provision is declared invalid for any reason by a Court of competent jurisdiction, all other provisions of this Bylaw remain valid and enforceable. (5) Nothing in this Bylaw relieves a person from complying with any provision of any federal, provincial or municipal law or regulation or any requirement of any lawful permit, order or licence. (6) The issuance of a permit pursuant to this Bylaw or the review of plans, drawings and specifications shall not be construed to be permission for, or an approval of, a contravention of any provision of any other act, regulation or bylaw. SCOPE 3. This Bylaw applies to the issuance of and fees charged for permits for: (a) the construction or demolition of any building; (b) the installation of electrical systems; (c) the installation of gas systems; (d) the installation of plumbing systems, including private sewage disposal systems; within The Town of Cochrane. Bylaw 15/2022/Town o f Cochrane/Page 4 of 6 PERMIT APPLICATIONS 4. (1) An applicant applying for a permit must provide: (a) an application in a form approved by the permit issuer; (b) plans and specifications as required by the permit issuer; (c) an estimate of the value of the proposed undertaking; (d) the permit fee as set pursuant to subsection 5(1); (e) and any additional information required by the permit issuer. (2) Where plans are required to be submitted pursuant to subsection(1)(b), the permit issuer may charge an additional fee for plan review as set pursuant to subsection 5(1). FEES 5. (1) The Executive Director, Development & Infrastructure Services, may set fees in relation to permits and their administration, including fees for: (a) the issuance of permits; (b) review of plans; (c) inspections relating to permits; (d) extensions of permits; (e) reinstatement of permits. (2) The Executive Director, Development & Infrastructure Services may establish: (a) a method to be used by a permit issuer to determine the value of a proposed undertaking for the purposes of calculating the permit fee; and (b) a process for determining the amount of a permit fee that may be refunded if a permit holder has cancelled a permit. (3) A permit may be revoked where fees and charges are not paid within 30 days of the billing date. ADDITIONAL PLAN REVIEW 6. If the permit issuer determines that additional plans review is required, a fee as set pursuant to subsection 5(1) may be charged. PERMIT ISSUANCE 7. (1) If a permit issuer is satisfied that the work described in an application for a permit and the plans filed are to the best of the permit issuer's knowledge in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the Codes and the required fees as set pursuant to subsection 5(1) have been paid, a permit will be issued to the applicant, with or without conditions, together with a building permit placard if required. (2) The building permit placard, if required, shall always be posted at the site in plain public view. EXTENSIONS 8. (1) A permit issuer may, in writing, extend the permit up to two times if: (a) the permit has not been revoked or has not expired (2) All applications for extensions of a permit must be in writing and must be accompanied by a fee for extension as set out pursuant to subsection 5(1). REFUNDS 9. (1) A person who has paid a permit fee payable in accordance with the Service Fees Schedule may cancel, withdraw or surrender the permit to the Town of Cochrane and make an application in writing for a refund in accordance with the provisions of this section. (2) The permit issuer may authorize a refund of a permit fee, less administrative charges, as set out in the Service Fees Schedule. (3) No refund will be made if: (a) the work authorized by the permit has commenced; (b) an extension of the permit has been granted, or (c) the permit has been revoked or expired. (4) Notwithstanding subsection 9(3) when a written request is received for a refund of a permit for which work has commenced, a permit for which an extension has been granted, or for a permit which has expired, the permit issuer may take into consideration extenuating circumstances in order to authorize a refund of the permit fee. Bylaw 15/2022/Town of Cochrane/Page 5 of 6 11. (1) Bylaw No. 22/2003 is hereby repealed. (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), any permit issued prior to the time this Bylaw came into force remains valid subject to the terms and conditions under which such permit was issued. COMING INTO FORCE 12. This Bylaw comes into force on the day it is passed. Read a first time: Read a second time: Unanimous Consent: Read a third time: June 27, 2022 June 27, 2022 June 27, 2022 June 27, 2022 ________________________ Mayor ________________________ Manager, Legislative Services Bylaw 15/2022/Town of Cochrane/Page 6 of 6 OCCUPANCY 10. (1) An officer may issue permission to occupy for all or part of a building, if, in the opinion of the officer, the building or part of the building does not contravene the provisions of the Act, the Codes, or any other applicable act, regulation, or bylaw. (2) A building that is regulated by the Act, must not be used or occupied unless permission to occupy has been issued for that building. (3) A building which has been closed due to unsafe conditions pursuant to subsection 48(2) of the Act must not be used or occupied unless permission to occupy has been issued for the building. (4) An officer may impose terms and conditions with regards to permission to occupy