Gloversville City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XII
Administration and Enforcement
§ 300-55 Enforcement officer designated.
The provisions of this chapter shall be administered and enforced by a person designated by the City of Gloversville Building Inspector, who shall have the power to make inspections of buildings or premises necessary to carry out his duties in the enforcement of this chapter. No zoning permit or certificate of occupancy required hereunder shall be issued by the Building Inspector except in compliance with the provisions of this chapter or as directed by the Board of Appeals under the provisions of Article XIII.
§ 300-56 Zoning permit.
No building or structure shall be erected, moved, structurally altered, added to or enlarged or demolished and no excavation for any building shall be begun unless and until a zoning permit for such work has been issued by the Building Inspector.
Application for zoning permits shall be submitted on a form provided by the Building Inspector. Each application shall set forth the purpose for which the building or structure is intended to be used and shall be accompanied by a plot plan showing the dimensions of the lot and the building or structure and dimensions of required and proposed yards. The Building Inspector may require such additional information, other than that called for on the application form, as may reasonably be needed for him to determine if the proposed building or structure, its use and the use of the land are in conformity with the provisions of this chapter.
An accessory structure less than 100 square feet in size shall not require a permit.
Any new sign erected within the City requires a permit.
A certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Board shall accompany the permit application for any sign in any historic district.
Exempt signs. The following types of signs may be erected and maintained without permits or fees provided that such signs comply with the general requirement of this chapter and other pertinent regulations.
Historical markers, tablets and statues, memorial signs and plaques, names of buildings and dates of erection, when cut into any masonry surface or when constructed of bronze, stainless steel or similar material, and emblems installed by governmental agencies or religious or nonprofit organizations, not exceeding six square feet in area.
Flags and insignias of any government, except when displayed in connection with commercial promotion.
On-premises directional signs for the convenience of the general public, identifying public parking areas, fire zones, entrances and exists and similar signs, internally illuminated or nonilluminated, not exceeding two square feet per face and four feet in height. Business names and personal names shall be allowed, excluding advertising messages.
Nonilluminated warning, "private-drive," "posted" or "no trespassing" signs not exceeding two square feet per face.
Numbers mounted on a house, apartment or mailbox.
Private-owner merchandise sale signs for garage sales, auctions and the like, not exceeding four square feet for a period not exceeding seven days.
Holiday decorations, including lighting. These decorations are exempt from the provisions of this chapter and may be displayed without a permit.
At gasoline stations: integral graphics or attached price signs on gasoline pumps, and one portable sign per station, not exceeding 12 square feet and four feet in height.
Temporary directional signs for meetings, conventions and other assemblies. Said signs may be displayed seven days' prior to said event, and said signs shall be removed within three days after the conclusion of said event.
Banners of upcoming events or fund-raisers of community organizations.
§ 300-57 Certificates of occupancy.
A certificate of occupancy is required for any of the following:
Occupancy and use of a building hereafter erected, altered, moved or extended.
Change in the use of an existing building.
Occupancy and use of vacant land, except for any use consisting primarily of tilling the soil or similar agricultural use.
Change in the use of land, except for any use consisting primarily of tilling the soil or similar agricultural use.
A certificate of occupancy may be obtained, on application, from the Building Inspector. Such certificate shall be issued only if the proposed use of the building or land conforms to the provisions of this chapter. The Building Inspector shall make or cause to have made an inspection of each building or lot for which a certificate of occupancy has been applied before issuing such certificate. Such inspection shall be made within five days from the date of application, Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays excepted. Failure to make such inspection and determination within the specified period of time shall be deemed to be disapproval of the application for a certificate of occupancy.
§ 300-58 Penalties for offenses.
Any person, association, firm or corporation who violates, disobeys, omits, neglects or refuses to comply with or who resists the enforcement of any of the provisions of this chapter shall be punished by a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $250 for each offense, and each day that the violation is permitted to exist shall constitute a separate offense.
In case of violation of this chapter, the City and its officers may, in addition to any other remedies conferred by law or ordinance, institute any appropriate action or proceedings to prevent unlawful erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, conversation, maintenance or use; to restrain, correct or abate such violation, to prevent the occupancy of said building, structure or land; or to prevent any illegal act, conduct, business or use in or about such premises.