Int. No. 2151-B
By Council Members Dromm, Cornegy, Kallos, Gjonaj, Brannan, Chin, Rosenthal and the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams)
A Local Law in relation to extending the deadlines for inspection and correction of building gas piping systems in certain community districts
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Periodic inspection of gas piping systems in certain community districts. a. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
Certification form. The term “certification form” means the certification required to be submitted to the department pursuant to subdivision 4 of section 28-318.3.3 of the administrative code of the city of New York and paragraphs (3) or (4) of subdivision (d) of section 103-10 of title 1 of the rules of the city of New York, stating that all conditions identified in the gas piping system periodic inspection report provided to a building owner have been corrected.
Commissioner. The term “commissioner” means the commissioner of buildings.
Department. The term “department” means the department of buildings.
b. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law or rule, building gas piping systems in community districts 1, 3 and 10 in each borough required to be periodically inspected pursuant to article 318 of chapter 3 of title 28 of the administrative code of the city of New York shall be inspected on or between January 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021, provided that the inspection requirements, including due dates for inspecting gas piping systems and submitting certification forms to the department in section 103-10 of title 1 of the rules of the city of New York shall apply after June 30, 2021.
c. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law or rule, for building gas piping systems in community districts 1, 3 and 10 in each borough required to be periodically inspected pursuant to article 318 of chapter 3 of title 28 of the administrative code of the city of New York that are inspected on or between September 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020, such building owners may submit the certification form to the department later than 120 days following the building’s inspection date or later than 180 days following the building’s inspection date, as applicable, but in no event shall the certification form be submitted later than June 30, 2021.
d. Failure to submit the certification form required by subdivision c of this section shall be classified as a major violation subject to the provisions of chapter 2 of title 28 of the administrative code of the city of New York.
e. Nothing in this section shall affect the requirements to report and correct unsafe or hazardous conditions revealed by a gas piping system inspection as set forth in section 28-318.3.4 of the administrative code of the city of New York.
f. As soon as practicable but no later than March 31, 2021, the department shall conduct targeted outreach and education regarding the provisions of this section, which shall at a minimum include notifying building owners in community districts 1, 3 and 10 in each borough and posting information on the department’s website.
g. Notices and educational materials distributed pursuant to subdivision f of this section shall be prepared in plain language using words with common everyday meanings, and made available in all of the designated citywide languages, as defined in section 23-1101 of the administrative code of the city of New York. Such notices and educational materials shall include, but not be limited to:
1. Information regarding the requirements of article 318 of chapter 3 of title 28 of the administrative code of the city of New York, and to which buildings such article applies; and
2. Best practices related to hiring a plumber to perform a gas piping system inspection as set forth in article 318 of chapter 3 of title 28 of the administrative code of the city of New York.
h. Beginning on January 1, 2021, and again on April 1, 2021, the department shall solicit public comments for a period of time no less than 45 days on the implementation of article 318 of chapter 3 of title 28 of the administrative code of the city of New York, including comments regarding the methods of targeted outreach employed by the department for compliance with subdivision f of this section.
i. No later than August 1, 2021, the department shall submit to the speaker of the council a report describing the methods of targeted outreach employed by the department for compliance with subdivision f of this section.
§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately and subdivisions b, c, d and e of section one are retroactive to and deemed to have been in full force and effect as of January 1, 2020.
MHL/APB
LS #16234; 16616
12/9/20 3:30 pm