17951
. (a) The governing body of any county or city, including a
charter city, may prescribe fees for permits, certificates, or other
forms or documents required or authorized by this part or rules and
regulations adopted pursuant to this part.
(b) The governing body of any county or city, including a charter
city, or fire protection district, may prescribe fees to defray the
costs of enforcement required by this part to be carried out by local
enforcement agencies.
(c) The amount of the fees prescribed pursuant to subdivisions (a)
and (b) shall not exceed the amount reasonably required to
administer or process these permits, certificates, or other forms or
documents, or to defray the costs of enforcement required by this
part to be carried out by local enforcement agencies, and shall not
be levied for general revenue purposes. The fees shall be imposed
pursuant to Section 66016 of the Government Code.
(d) If the local enforcement agency fails to conduct an inspection
of permitted work for which permit fees have been charged pursuant
to this section within 60 days of receiving notice of the completion
of the permitted work, the permittee shall be entitled to
reimbursement of the permit fees. The local enforcement agency shall
disclose in clear language on each permit or on a document that
accompanies the permit that the permittee may be entitled to
reimbursement of permit fees pursuant to this subdivision.
(e) (1) The provisions of this part are not intended to prevent
the use of any manufactured home, mobilehome, multiunit manufactured
home, material, appliance, installation, device, arrangement, or
method of construction not specifically prescribed by the California
Building Standards Code or this part, provided that this alternate
has been approved by the building department.
(2) The building department of any city or county may approve an
alternate material, appliance, installation, device, arrangement,
method, or work on a case-by-case basis if it finds that the proposed
design is satisfactory and that each such material, appliance,
installation, device, arrangement, method, or work offered is, for
the purpose intended, at least the equivalent of that prescribed in
the California Building Standards Code or this part in performance,
safety, and for the protection of life and health.
(3) The building department of any city or county shall require
evidence that any material, appliance, installation, device,
arrangement, or method of construction conforms to, or that the
proposed alternate is at least equivalent to, the requirements of
this part, building standards published in the California Building
Standards Code, or the other rules and regulations promulgated
pursuant to this part and in order to substantiate claims for
alternates, the building department of any city or county may require
tests as proof of compliance to be made at the expense of the owner
or the owner's agent by an approved testing agency selected by the
owner or the owner's agent.