Before the erection, construction or alteration of any building, structure, wall,
flooring or staging to be used for standing or seating purposes or part of any of
them and before the construction or alteration of the plumbing, drainage, or electrical
wiring or gas piping of any building or structure is commenced the owner, lessee or
agent having in charge such proposed erection, construction or alteration shall submit
to the superintendent of building a detailed statement in triplicate containing the
specifications therefor and a full and complete copy of the plans and structural drawings
of said proposed work together with a statement in writing sworn to before an officer
authorized to take the acknowledgment of deeds giving the full name and residence,
street and number of the owner or of each of the owners and the location of said building
or structure or proposed building or structure, premises, wall, platform, staging
or flooring, the estimated cost of the proposed erection, construction or alteration,
and whether any existing building or structure is to be demolished and if so the location
and the description thereof and if said work is to be made or executed by any person
other than the owner of the premises in question the name and residence of the person
or persons proposing to make or execute the same. Such statement may be made by the
agent or architect of the person required to make the same. In case the proposed erection,
construction or alteration shall not involve an expenditure exceeding one thousand
dollars ($1,000.00), the superintendent of building may, in his discretion, in lieu
of the aforesaid statement, permit the filing of a descriptive statement thereof,
in such form as he may prescribe. Any false swearing as to a material point in any
statement so submitted shall be deemed perjury and shall be punishable as such. No
work of erecting, constructing or altering any building structure, wall, platform,
staging or flooring or any part thereof or of constructing or altering any plumbing,
drainage, electrical wiring or gas piping shall be commenced or proceeded with until
such statement and the accompanying plans, specifications and drawings shall have
been so filed and approved and such approval endorsed thereon and a permit for said
work shall have been granted by said superintendent. In case plumbing, drainage, electrical
wiring or gas piping is involved in said work, no permit covering the same shall be
granted by the superintendent of building until such statement as to plumbing, drainage
and gas piping shall have been approved by the health officer, and as to electrical
wiring by the electrical inspector. One copy of such statement including the plans,
specifications and drawings shall be kept on file in the office of said superintendent
of building. The other two (2) copies, with the approval of the superintendent of
building endorsed thereon, shall be returned to the applicant and at least one of
them shall, at all times during the continuance of the proposed work, be kept thereon
by the person having charge thereof, accessible and subject to examination and use
by the superintendent of building and any other officer of the department of public
safety. The plans, specifications and drawings for any such building, structure, platform,
staging or flooring or for any such plumbing, electric wiring or gas piping shall
not be changed in any respect without the written consent and approval of the superintendent
of building thereto, endorsed thereon, made upon like application and pursuant to
a like permit granted by him therefor, and said work of erection, construction and
alteration shall be performed in strict accordance with the approved detailed statement,
specifications, plans and drawings therefor. Nothing herein contained however shall
be construed to prevent said superintendent of building from granting his approval
or permit for the erection of any part of a building or structure where plans and
detailed statements for the same have been presented before the entire detailed statement
therefor has been submitted. No permit shall be granted by the superintendent unless
the detailed statement including plans, specifications and drawings shall conform
strictly with the requirements of this act and all laws in any manner relating thereto
and with the provisions of the building code and sanitary code of said city. The superintendent
of building is hereby authorized to administer oaths and take affidavits and acknowledgments
in all matters appertaining to the department of public safety, and for that purpose
shall possess all the powers of a commissioner of deeds but shall not be entitled
to any of the emoluments thereof.
