Rule 4781-7-09 | Permits and plans review for manufactured homes.
(A) The division shall issue written permits, perform plans reviews, and conduct inspections for manufactured homes. A permit shall not be valid unless the permit is in writing and the non-refundable fees for inspections and the inspection seal have been paid.
(B) Any owner or installer or authorized agent of the owner or installer who intends to install a manufactured home or cause any work to be done on a manufactured home that is regulated by Chapter 4781. of the Revised Code or the rules promulgated thereunder, shall first make application for a permit and submit plans for approval.
(C) The application shall:
(1) Identify and describe the work to be covered by the permit for which application is made;
(2) Describe the land on which the proposed work is to be done by legal description, street address, or similar description that will readily identify and definitively locate the proposed home site;
(3) Be accompanied by a foundation design, the plans to be approved, if any, and any other information as required by the division;
(4) Be signed by the applicant or the applicant's agent;
(5) Identify the installer or installers by name and license number; and
(6) Any other information required by the division.
(D) Plans review. The division shall examine or cause to be examined applications for permits and amendments to permits within a reasonable time after filing. If the application or other documents do not conform to the requirements of the pertinent laws, the division shall reject the application in writing and state the reasons for the rejection. If the division is satisfied that the work conforms to the requirements of Chapter 4781. of the Revised Code and the rules promulgated thereunder, the division shall issue a permit as soon as practicable.
(E) Time limitations. An application for a permit for any proposed work shall be deemed to have been abandoned after sixty days from the date of filing, unless the application has been pursued in good faith or a written permit has been issued; except the division may grant one extension of time in writing not to exceed sixty days. The extension shall be requested in writing and good cause demonstrated.
(F) Validity. The issuance or granting of a written permit shall not be construed as an approval of any violation of any of the provisions of these rules or of any other local ordinance or regulation. Permits presuming to give authority to violate Chapter 4781. of the Revised Code, the rules promulgated thereunder, or any other local ordinances or regulations shall not be valid. The issuance of a written permit based on approved plans, alternative design, or the manufacturer's installation manual and/or any other documents approved by the division shall not prevent the certified manufactured homes inspector from requiring the correction of errors in the approved plans, alternative design, or the manufacturer's installation manual and/or any other documents approved by the division. The inspector may prohibit occupancy of a manufactured home that is in violation of Chapter 4781. of the Revised Code or the rules promulgated thereunder.
(G) Expiration. Every permit shall become invalid after one hundred eighty days from the date of issuance or if the work authorized by a permit is suspended or abandoned for a period of more than sixty days after the date the work is commenced. The permit holder may request an extension of time to commence or finish the work authorized by the permit. Any extension of time is at the sole discretion of the division, and the request for the extension shall be made in accordance with applicable laws or the division's rules, policies, or procedures and shall not exceed one hundred eighty days.
(H) Suspension or revocation of a permit. In accordance with these rules, the inspector may suspend or revoke a permit issued under Chapter 4781. of the Revised Code or the rules promulgated thereunder, wherever the permit was issued in error, on the basis of incorrect, inaccurate, or incomplete information, or in violation of any of the provisions of Chapter 4781. of the Revised Code or the rules promulgated thereunder. All fees for inspections, permits, and/or inspection seals are non-refundable.
(I) Placement of permit. The manufactured home installation permit shall be conspicuously displayed on the front window of the manufactured home and the installation permit can be seen from a distance of twenty-five feet facing the frontage roadway, drive, or right of way. The installation permit shall be kept on the installation site until the inspector has issued and placed the inspection seal. Any plans, specifications, manufacturer's installation manuals, manufacturer's equipment specification sheets, cut-sheets, or any other documents pertinent to the installation of the manufactured home shall be kept on site for the inspector's review and use in the inspections to ensure that the manufactured home installation complies with the division's rules. The installer and the inspector shall agree on the placement of these documents to be kept on site in a secured and safe location. It is the responsibility of the installer to communicate with the inspector on the placement of these documents.
(J) Installation documents. The division may require the person applying for the permit to provide the original and a copy of the approved plans, approved alternative designs, or a copy of the manufacturer's installation manual or any other installation documents the division requests with each application for a permit. For the purpose of this rule, the term "installation documents" means, but is not limited to, floor plans and/or foundation design details. Designs contained in this standard, prepared by the manufactured home manufacturer's design approval primary inspection agency (DAPIA), or prepared by an Ohio registered engineer or architect shall be submitted where required. Where special conditions exist, the inspector may require additional documents to be prepared by an Ohio registered engineer or architect.
(K) Manufacturer's installation instructions for the manufactured home, tie downs, anchors, plumbing, mechanical, gas, electrical system details, and for any devices or proprietary systems used during the installation or for other equipment or devices installed shall be kept on the site.
(L) Areas prone to flooding. For manufactured home parks, the requirements under rule 4781-12-07.2 of the Administrative Code shall apply. For manufactured homes in flood hazard areas not located in manufactured home parks, the installer shall provide the following information:
(1) Delineation of flood hazard areas, floodway boundaries, and flood zones, and the design flood elevations as appropriate;
(2) The elevation of the proposed lowest floor including basement; in areas of shallow flooding (AO zones), the height of the proposed lowest floor including basement above the highest adjacent grade; and grade;
(3) The elevation of the bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member in coastal high hazard areas (v zone);
(4) If design flood elevations are not included on the community's flood insurance rate map, the inspector and the applicant for the permit shall obtain design flood elevation and floodway data available from other sources; and
(5) Additional requirements of the local flood plain authority or the Ohio department of natural resources, division of water.
(M) Site plan. The documents submitted with the application for permit shall be accompanied by a site plan showing the size and location of the manufactured home and existing structures on the site and distances from lot lines. In the case of demolition, the site plan shall show construction to be demolished and the location and size of existing structures and construction that are to remain on the site or plot.
(N) Before a permit is issued, the inspector shall examine or cause to be examined documents for compliance with Chapter 4781. of the Revised Code and the rules promulgated thereunder, the applicable standards, local ordinances, and the building code. When the division issues a written permit, the documents shall be approved in writing or by stamp. One set of documents so reviewed shall be retained by the division. The other set shall be returned to the applicant and shall be kept at the installation site and shall be open to inspection by the inspector or his or her authorized representative.
(O) Amended construction documents. Amended construction documents must be approved prior to the work being completed. Any work performed prior to approval by the division is at the risk of the owner/installer and may not get an approval.
(P) Retention of documents. One set of approved installation documents shall be retained by the division in accordance with the division's records retention policy.
(Q) Fees.
(1) A permit shall not be valid until all fees have been paid. Nor shall an amendment to a permit be released until the additional fee, if any, has been paid. On electrical, gas, mechanical, and plumbing system installations, a fee for each permit type shall be paid in accordance with the schedule set forth in rule 4781-7-10 of the Administrative Code unless preapproved in writing by the division.
(2) If the installation of a manufactured home has commenced or been completed prior to the application for the permit or the issuance of a written permit by the division, the division may assess an additional fee not to exceed the actual cost to determine compliance but in no case shall exceed one and one-half times the permit fee and the inspection fees.
(3) There is no general refund policy, however, the authority having jurisdiction may establish its own refund policy.
Supplemental Information