A. The Community and Economic Development Department shall be the enforcement agency for the city to administer the building codes ordinance. The manager of the Community and Economic Development Department or such person as he or she shall designate is designated the "building official" for the city for the enforcement and administration of city codes and ordinances codified in this title, in VMC Title 20, the Land Use and Development Code and VMC Title 22, Uniform Enforcement Code.

B. General. Whenever the term or title “administrative authority,” “responsible official,” “code official,” “inspector,” “code compliance officer,” “plans examiner,” or other similar designation is used herein or in any of the technical codes, it shall be construed to mean the building official, for all fire related permits it shall be construed to mean the fire official.

C. Deputies. In accordance with the prescribed procedures of this jurisdiction and with the concurrence of the appointing authority, the building official shall have the authority to appoint an assistant or acting building official, the related technical officers, inspectors, plan examiners and other employees. Such employees shall have powers delegated by the building official, and for the purposes of VMC Title 17, shall be acting as the "building official" when exercising the powers delegated to them.

D. Enforcement. It shall be unlawful to violate the provisions of VMC Title 17. VMC Title 22 shall govern the enforcement procedures for all chapters in VMC Title 17, except VMC Chapter 17.39. VMC Title 22 shall not exclude any allowed corrective actions or remedies contained in the Chapters of VMC Title 17.

E. Legal defense. Legal defense of the building official and other city employees who administer and enforce this code and the technical codes shall be in accordance with the provisions of VMC Chapter 2.46, Defense of officials, employees, and volunteers.

F. Low Impact Development. No requirement of this title shall be interpreted or applied in such a way as to impose a barrier to Low Impact Development. All requirements of this Title that have an effect on use of Low Impact Development may be met using functionally equivalent Low Impact Development practices as specified in the 2012 Phase II NPDES MS4 Permit, the Western Washington Stormwater Manual, and the City of Vancouver Stormwater/LID General Specifications. (Ord. M-4165 §1, 2016; Ord. M-4079 §2, 2014; Ord. M-3958 §1, 2010; Ord. M-3660 §2, 2004; Ord. M-2816 §4, 1989: Ord. M-2814 §1, 1989: Ord. M-2631 (part), 1986)