§ 12-7. Demolition procedures and standards., Chapter 12. Buildings, Demolition of; Blasting, Code of Ordinances, Williamsville

Upon the request of the Code Enforcement Officer, the person making the application for a permit to demolish a building or structure shall submit to the Code Enforcement Officer a written report from a licensed exterminator regarding extermination of the building or structure prior to the issuance of a demolition permit.

The owner or contractor shall give notice to the Code Enforcement Officer no less than 24 hours prior to the start of the demolition work. The Code Enforcement Officer shall inspect the demolition regularly and shall be empowered to halt any such demolition that, in the judgment of the Code Enforcement Officer, is not being performed in a safe and sanitary manner or in accordance with the approved permit.

Prior to demolition, the contractor will erect a system of barricades (as approved by the Code Enforcement Officer) around the site which shall remain in place, and properly secured during all phases of demolition of the site. Such barricades shall not be placed so as to obstruct any public way unless determined by the Code Enforcement Officer to be necessary for public safety or operational necessity. All barricades or fencing shall be maintained in an upright and secure position at all times. Upon notification of any violation of this requirement, the owner shall have three days to properly secure the site, and upon the failure of the owner to correct any violation within such time, the Code Enforcement Officer may, through the use of Village employees or private contractor(s), take such steps as are necessary to correct such violation(s), with the cost of such corrective actions assessed to the owner. If the owner fails to reimburse the Village of the costs within 30 days of being billed therefore, the charge shall be added to the Village tax assessed against the property.

(1)

At the discretion of the Code Enforcement Official and in the interest of the health, safety, and welfare of the general public, a sidewalk may be closed for a period of time during demolition/construction. Such closure shall be accompanied by a drawing indicating a detour plan, complete with signage, that will be maintained in good condition, upright, and secure for the duration of the closure as well as the proposed length of the closure. Certain conditions may be imposed on the applicant's plan by the Code Enforcement Officer to facilitate special events or other public interests which would otherwise be inconvenienced by the sidewalk closure.

Prior to demolition, the owner or contractor shall have all utilities service properly disconnected at the owner's expense.

The contractor shall obtain appropriate approval for the water use on the site from the head of the Department of Public Works and/or the Erie County Water Authority for dust control and have sufficient lengths of one-and-one-half-inch and/or two-and-one-half-inch hose for this purpose. Dust from all activities associated with the demolition work shall be controlled so as not to impact neighboring properties or public ways by watering down the site or other dust control measures approved by the Code Enforcement Officer.

The contractor shall provide a flagman for traffic control when necessary, and should a street have to be closed, he shall obtain permission from the head of the Department of Public Works, the Chief of Police and the Fire Chief.

In the case of the demolition of an existing building which has a common or party wall with one or more adjoining buildings, the owner of the building to be demolished shall be responsible for and bear all costs in relation to the safeguarding of said adjacent wall.

Where beams, girders and joists are removed from party walls, the resulting pockets in said walls shall be cleaned out and filled with solid masonry. Necessary repairs shall be made to put the party wall in a safe condition. This work shall be done by the contractor at the expense of the property owner having said demolition performed.

During the demolition work, debris must be systematically removed from the site and not allowed to pile up or cause any obstruction, hazard or attractive nuisance.

When a building to be demolished contains a cellar or basement, the contractor shall remove all debris and organic material from the cellar or basement and then break up and/or perforate the cellar floor. The bearing or foundation wall shall be removed to a depth of at least 24 inches below the present grade or at least 24 inches below any future grade to be established. The material resulting from the cellar or foundation wall demolition may remain in the excavation, provided that the material is crushed and compacted and the overall mix of fill conforms to the standards set forth in Subsection K.

In filling excavations, voids and/or other depressions, fill material must conform to the following standards: a minimum of 66% clay materials over a compactable, well-graded, engineered fill (e.g., general fill or crusher run) compacted in lifts with not less than 90% compaction. The fill shall have no particles greater than six inches (216 cubic inches) in dimension and shall be free of organics and asphaltic materials. The final grade shall be of 12 inches of 100% soil content free of all aggregate materials, sod, roots, stumps, trees, brush, stone and asphaltic or bituminous materials. Documentation of sources and custody of the fill materials shall be provided to the Code Enforcement Officer.

Where there is no cellar or basement, the bearing or foundation wall shall be removed to a depth of at least 24 inches below any future grade to be established.

The final grade must also provide for proper drainage and prevent the accumulation of standing water.

Demolition of any building or structure shall proceed only on normal Village workdays and in compliance with § 73-3A.

Salvage materials that are a structural part of the building or structure shall not be removed except as part of the actual demolition of said building or structure. Removal of salvage shall be by the owner or salvage contractor only.

In-ground storage tanks shall be removed from the demolition site.

No explosives may be used in connection with demolition of buildings or structures in the Village unless a special permit is first obtained from the Village Board of Trustees pursuant to § 12-11.