January 16, 2009
Ron Chilton, Chief Electrical Engineer/State Electrical Inspector
NCDOI/OSFM
1202 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1202
Dear Mr. Chilton,
Please accept this letter as confirmation of our telephone conversation held on January 14, 2009.
Mecklenburg County’s policy regarding Outdoor Utility Transformers (issued 12/4/08 and revised
12/17/08) was reviewed and approved by your office in December 2008. After implementation, we received comments from industry representatives primarily within the residential building and development community expressing several concerns.
Our telephone conversation was to confirm the State’s interpretation that the protection requirements of NEC article 450.27 applies to residential and commercial projects, and to all flammable oil filled transformer installations.
We proposed to delay implementation of enforcement activities to clear the field of outstanding jobs initiated prior to January 1, 2009. Those projects, under construction or approved by a local government entity will be allowed to be finaled under previous enforcement levels (prior to the April notice from your office), with the exception of installations resulting in a condition of imminent danger. These exceptions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
In the interim, we are planning to convene a Task Force consisting of industry representatives, Code
Enforcement management, and field inspectors to review this issue and propose modifications to this policy.
Thank you for your guidance and supervision in this matter.
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700 North Tryon Street • Charlotte, North Carolina 28202 • Phone (704) 336-3821 • Fax (704) 336-3839 www.meckpermit.com

Ron Chilton, Chief Electrical Engineer/State Electrical Inspector
Page 2 of 2
Sincerely,
Joe Weathers
Chief Electrical Administrator cc: Chris Noles, PE Engineering and Codes Deputy Commissioner
Bill Warren, Assistant to the County Manager
Cary Saul, Director - Land Use & Environmental Agency
James N. Bartl, AIA - Director of Code Enforcement
Edward S. Prince, AIA, CSI, CCCA, Esq. – Interim Deputy Director of Code Enforcement
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700 North Tryon Street • Charlotte, North Carolina 28202 • Phone (704) 336-3821 • Fax (704) 336-3839 www.meckpermit.com