07/9/2024 Ordinances 9981 ORDINANCE NO. 9981
An ordinance to amend Chapter 15 of the Grand Island City code; to amend
Sections 15-2, 15-3, 15-4, 15-6, 15-8, 15-14, 15-18, 15-22, 15-25, 15-30, 15-36, 15-41, 15-46,
and 15-49; to clarify and/or make general corrections to various code sections, to repeal any
ordinance or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith; and to provide for publication and effective
date of this ordinance.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
GRAND ISLAND,NEBRASKA:
SECTION 1. Sections 15-2, 15-3, 15-4, 15-6, 15-8, 15-14, 15-18, 15-22, 15-25, 15-30, 15-36,
15-41, 15-46, and 15-49 of the Grand Island City Code Chapter 15 are amended to read as
follows:
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§15-2. National Electrical Code Adopted
A. There is hereby adopted by the City of Grand Island for the purpose of safeguarding
persons and buildings from hazards arising from the use of electricity for light, heat, power,
radio, signaling, and other purposes, that certain code known as the National Electrical Code,
2023 Edition, recommended by the National Fire Protection Association, except as modified by
this section.
B. The National Electrical Code is amended by §15-3 of the Grand Island City Code.
C. One copy of the National Electrical Code, 2023 Edition, shall be on file in the City Clerk's
office for public use and inspection as provided by law.
§15-3. Amendments to National Electrical Code,2023 Edition
The following sections are adopted as amendments to the same numbered sections of the
National Electrical Code 2023 Edition:
A. Delete Article 210.8(F) Exception No.2.
B. Amend Article 210.11(C)(3) - Shall be limited to two bathrooms.
C. Amend Article 320 - Armored cable (type AC) Anti-short bushings shall be used.
D. Amend Article 330 - Metal-Clad Cable (Type MC) Anti-short bushings shall be used.
§15-4. Electrical Plans
Wherever the Building Code of the City requires that plans be filed with the Building
ORDINANCE NO. 9981 (Cont.)
Services Division for the construction and alteration of dwellings and all other buildings and
structures in the City, there shall also be filed a detailed plan of the electrical work to be done on
such structures which plan shall show the outlets, connections, and all fixtures and appliances to
be installed. If deviations are made from an approved set of plans, then the changes shall be
submitted for approval. When the electrical work to be done is for additional wiring only, the
Electrical Inspector may approve the same without plans therefor.
§15-6. Service Entrances
Each service entrance with 2,000 amperes capacity or less shall be provided with a readily
accessible main disconnecting device with appropriate overcurrent protection; provided, each
service entrance larger than 2,000 amperes capacity shall comply with the provisions of the
National Electric Code. The device shall disconnect all ungrounded conductors from the source
of supply in one motion or operation of the hand. For overhead services, said overcurrent
protection shall be installed within twenty-five (25) feet from the weatherhead, and within ten
(10) feet from where the conductors enter the building. For underground services, said
overcurrent protection shall be installed within ten (10) feet from where the conductors enter the
building, and within 25' of where the conduit emerges from grade.
A. Provisions for Metering. Meter sockets shall be mounted on the outside of a
principal building. With prior approval given by the Utilities Department and Building
Services Division, meter sockets may be located on UL listed pedestals, accessory
buildings greater than 625 square feet constructed on perimeter foundations extended
below frost depth, or alternate locations approved by the Departments. Additional
provisions for metering can be found in the standards and specifications set out by the
Grand Island Utilities Department.
B. Single family switches shall be grouped to disconnect them with one motion of
the hand.
C. Multiple Family Units. New multiple family units constructed in compliance with
Chapter 8 of the Grand Island Code may be allowed up to 6 switches, one switch per unit.
All switches shall be grouped together in one listed and approved assembly.
D. Number of Services. One electrical service shall be provided for each tract or
parcel of land, except upon written request and approval by the Utilities Director and Chief
Building Official, and/or their respective designee, and in conformance with this Code.
E. Electric Meter Location. The electric meter shall be located on the property that it
is supplying power to, unless prior approval by the Utilities Department and Building
Services Division.
F. Meter Tampering. Pursuant to Nebraska Revised Statute 25-21,275, tampering or
bypassing a meter is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate disconnection.
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ORDINANCE NO. 9981 (Cont.)
G. Grade Changes. The property owner shall be responsible for any repairs or
modifications to City owned equipment damaged or deemed unsafe due to grade changes,
settlement or erosion.
§15-8. Wiring In Single and Multiple-Family Units
A. Multiple family units may have branch circuits in individual units wired with
nonmetallic sheathed cable if construction complies with Chapter 8 of the Grand Island
City Code.
B. Existing residential buildings containing more than six family units not having a
two-hour fire wall rating separation as provided in Chapter 8 of the Grand Island City
Code shall not be wired with nonmetallic cable.
C. No wiring in basements below the floor joist on exterior walls shall be wired with
unprotected nonmetallic cable.
D. Smoke alarms shall be installed to comply with Section R314 of the 2021
International Residential Code.
E. Carbon monoxide alarms shall be installed to comply with Section R315 of the
2021 International Residential Code.
§15-14. Permit for Work; Required
No electrical wiring work, unless excepted in this section, shall be undertaken prior to the
issuance of a permit therefor by the Building Services Division. Such permit shall be issued only
to a registered contracting electrician.
No permit shall be required for minor repair work such as replacing a switch.
§15-18. Investigation Fees; Work Without a Permit
A. Whenever any work for which a permit is required by this Code has been
commenced without first obtaining said permit, a special investigation shall be made
before a permit may be issued for such work.
B. An investigation fee, in addition to the permit fee, shall be collected whether or
not a permit is then or subsequently issued. The investigation fee shall be in accordance
with the City of Grand Island Fee Schedule. The payment of such investigation fee shall
not exempt any person from compliance with all other provisions of this Code, nor from
penalty prescribed by law.
C. This provision shall not apply to emergency work when it shall be proven to the
satisfaction of the Chief Building Official that such work was urgently necessary and that
it was not practical to obtain a permit before the commencement of the work. In such
cases, a permit must be obtained as soon as it is practical to do so.
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ORDINANCE NO. 9981 (Cont.)
§15-49 Interconnection Devices
Any Distributed Energy Resource (DER) device generating or storing electricity to be used for
domestic purposes that is interconnected with the electrical supply of the household, business, or
industry shall be finished by the Grand Island Utilities Department in accordance with plans,
specifications, rules and regulations approved by the Utilities Director or his designated
representative and subject to the inspection of the Grand Island Utilities Department prior to the
connected device being energized and put into operation. The standards for connecting any DER
to any property that will be also connected to Grand Island Electric Utility shall be found in the
Grand Island Utilities Department Metering and Interconnection standards online.
A customer that has a generation facility (or facilities) interconnected behind their service meter
with an aggregate nameplate of 25 kW or less may be considered as a Qualified Facility (QF)
and eligible for participation in a net metering program. Examples of this include Solar, Diesel
Generator, Battery Bank, Wind Turbine, etc.. or any device that may produce electricity. The
program will be available for QF customers until the aggregate nameplate capacity of the
participating QF customers meets one percent (1%) of the peak annual demand of the Utilities
Department. The installation of equipment by the QF customer must meet all applicable safety,
interconnection, and reliability standards established by the National Electrical Code filed with
the Secretary of State and adopted by the State Electrical Board under subdivision (5) of section
81-2104, the National Electrical safety Code, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers, and the Underwriters Laboratories; and must be equipped to automatically isolate the
QF from the electrical system in the event of an electrical power outage or other conditions
where the line is de-energized. An outside-mounted visible device shall be installed on the
customer's side of the point of delivery/receipt that must be capable of preventing energizing the
Utilities Department's service line and provide for a means for the Department to operate and
lock in place. The Utilities Department will provide a bi-directional meter for measurement of
the flow of electricity in both directions. A separate meter socket shall be provided and installed
by the customer between the QF and the point of interconnection with the customer's electrical
panel. The utilities department will provide a private use meter that will be used for measuring
gross generation of the QF. Net excess energy produced by the QF during the billing period will
be applied as a credit to the customer's account at the current month cost of energy per kilowatt-
hour as defined in Division 6. At the end of the calendar year, or within sixty days after the
customer terminates retail service, any excess credits will be paid to the customer.
SECTION 2. Any ordinance or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith be, and hereby are,
repealed.
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ORDINANCE NO. 9981 (Cont.)
SECTION 3. This ordinance shall be in force and take effect from and after its passage and
publication pursuant to law beginning August 1, 2024.
Enacted: July 9, 2023.
Roger% . Stee e, Mayor
Attest:
OF.GRAN..KS�%%
Jill 4ranere, City Clerk c; '��ORPORgr�•.2o i,�
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