City Council Approves Residential Building Code

By a vote of 5 to 1, Waverly City Council approved ordinance numbers 32-2006 and 33-2006 after three consecutive readings.  The ordinances were approved in order to establish a Residential Building Department for the City and to assign Ross County Building Department as the administering agency for the department.  Once an application with the Ohio Board of Building Standards (OBBS) is approved, a majority of construction in association with residential dwellings in Waverly will be contingent upon the approval of a permit application by the Ross County Building Department. The agreement between the City and Ross County has been arranged due to the fact that the City lacks the financial capabilities necessary to hire the full time inspectors required by State Law in order to have such a department and Pike County does not provide such services. 

 Presently, all residential new construction is contingent upon the approval of a “Zoning Permit” issued by the City which simply dictates the planned type of use, lot size and required yard spaces (setbacks). This requirement will remain in addition to the residential building code which will regulate the design and construction of all structural and electrical systems of the home itself.  The application establishing the department and the agreement with the Ross County Building Department to administer the department are expected to be approved by the Ohio Board of Building Standards in September of this year.