Thanks for the quick reply gentlemen. (wait a minute, inspectors "gentleman"? ;-) ), that is basically what I was thinking as well, however the only "what if" I was wondering was if there was a loop hole in commercial work similar to the "IF power is supplied" it is required 1 ft candle, exit signs, etc because all of these various codes assume a building has power.
But that is the answer I will give the customer.
My take on it is you can not make them have electric power. If they have public access then I can understand minimal lighting requirements, emergency egress requirements and such, but why would/should the light source have to be electrical energy driven?
How many outdoor public venues are there that have no electric lighting or very limited lighting and are only open during the day?
We won't tell anyone that you called us gentlemen. :happyno:
Kind of an interesting question. Don't really have that around here and also we have laws that say that if power is availible (sewer and water also) that you must be connected to it. Even if you had solar and batteries to run your home, you still have to be connected to the grid.
As hurk kind of mentioned, there may be laws on the books that address the Amish specifically, but I do know that they do have to do things like put reflectors on their buggies if they are driving them on public roads.
Sitting here really thinking about it, I wouldn't even have a clue as to who you would call to find out. Are they exempt from building codes and such?
You are also forgetting you are in California where building codes never seem to make any sense
I don't see how any city or village can make you connect to electric, water, or sewer. I can see how they can prohibit you from drilling a well or installing a septic system though.
Several states have laws written with the Amish in mind. When I lived in NW Missouri our state representative, after meeting with local Amish groups, wrote a bill requiring a battery-powered flashing light on horse-drawn vehicles operated at night, along with the reflective SMV sign. This was after a car swerved onto the shoulder of a road one night and hit a buggy, killing a young couple.
Amish bishops there have allowed a small solar array be installed to power a cash register at a dry-goods store. Lots of windows for light, and high-efficiency light tubes where there can't be windows. Luminous exit signs.
Only place I saw for this Amish group to assemble is a barn. After seeing the way some farmers do wiring, a barn without power might actually be safer.
And before there was electricity in barns kerosene lanterns were pretty popular way to bring light in there, but those never caused any fires did they?
If you are required to install electric power but don't pay the electric bill, you end up not having power anyway.
Same with water and sewer from a municipal system.
Around here you could build a structure with no power. If you want power from a utility you have to file an electrical installation permit. If this were a public access building you would still need to meet some lighting standards for minimal lighting and emergency egress, but those would not necessarily be required to be electric lighting. Most cities and towns would not allow you to install a well or septic system within a certain distance from their municipal wells in the interest of protecting the municipal water system from potential contamination, and not so much that they think you have to be on their system.
I am not even going to comment on the Amish, other than there are some around here but their rules of what modern conveniences are acceptable doesn't really make any sense at all. They can't have electric power from a utility company, but solar power or on site generators are acceptable
