2018 North Carolina General Statutes
Chapter 153A - Counties
Article 18 - Planning and Regulation of Development.
§ 153A-352 - Duties and responsibilities.
153A-352. Duties and responsibilities.
(a) The duties and responsibilities of an inspection department and of the inspectors in it are to enforce within the county's territorial jurisdiction State and local laws and local ordinances and regulations relating to:
(1) The construction of buildings;
(2) The installation of such facilities as plumbing systems, electrical systems, heating systems, refrigeration systems, and air-conditioning systems;
(3) The maintenance of buildings in a safe, sanitary, and healthful condition;
(4) Other matters that may be specified by the board of commissioners.
(a1) The duties and responsibilities set forth in subsection (a) of this section include receiving applications for permits and issuing or denying permits, making necessary inspections in a timely manner, issuing or denying certificates of compliance, issuing orders to correct violations, bringing judicial actions against actual or threatened violations, keeping adequate records, and taking any other actions that may be required to adequately enforce the laws and ordinances and regulations. The board of commissioners may enact reasonable and appropriate provisions governing the enforcement of the laws and ordinances and regulations.
(b) Except as provided in G.S. 153A-364, a county may not adopt or enforce a local ordinance or resolution or any other policy that requires regular, routine inspections of buildings or structures constructed in compliance with the North Carolina Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings in addition to the specific inspections required by the North Carolina Building Code without first obtaining approval from the North Carolina Building Code Council. The North Carolina Building Code Council shall review all applications for additional inspections requested by a county and shall, in a reasonable manner, approve or disapprove the additional inspections. This subsection does not limit the authority of the county to require inspections upon unforeseen or unique circumstances that require immediate action.
(b1) In performing the specific inspections required by the North Carolina Building Code, the inspector shall conduct all inspections requested by the permit holder for each scheduled inspection visit. For each requested inspection, the inspector shall inform the permit holder of instances in which the work inspected fails to meet the requirements of the North Carolina Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings or the North Carolina Building Code.
(b2) The provisions of G.S. 160A-413.5 shall apply to counties. For purposes of this subsection, references in that section to "city" are deemed to refer to county.
(c) through (e) Repealed by Session Laws 2018-29, s. 1(g)-(i), effective July 1, 2018.
(f) Each inspection department shall implement a process for an informal internal review of inspection decisions made by the department's inspectors. This process shall include, at a minimum, the following:
(1) Initial review by the supervisor of the inspector.
(2) The provision in or with each permit issued by the department of (i) the name, phone number, and e-mail address of the supervisor of each inspector and (ii) a notice of availability of the informal internal review process.
(3) Procedures the department shall follow when a permit holder or applicant requests an internal review of an inspector's decision.
Nothing in this subsection shall limit or abrogate any rights available under Chapter 150B of the General Statutes to a permit holder or applicant.
(g) (Expires October 1, 2019 - see note.) If a specific building framing inspection as required by the North Carolina Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings results in 15 or more separate violations of that Code, the inspector shall forward a copy of the inspection report to the Department of Insurance. (1937, c. 57; 1941, c. 105; 1947, c. 719; 1951, c. 651; 1953, c. 984; 1955, cc. 144, 942, 1171; 1957, cc. 415, 456, 1286, 1294; 1959, cc. 399, 940, 1031; 1961, cc. 763, 884, 1036; 1963, cc. 639, 868; 1965, cc. 243, 371, 453, 494, 846; 1967, cc. 45, 73, 113; c. 495, ss. 1, 3; 1969, cc. 675, 918; c. 1003, s. 7; c. 1010, s. 4; c. 1064, ss. 1, 4, 5; c. 1066, s. 1; 1973, c. 822, s. 1; 2013-118, s. 1(a); 2015-145, ss. 8.1, 9(a); 2017-130, ss. 1(a), 2(a), 3(a), 4(a); 2018-29, ss. 1(f)-(i), 6(a).)
