There is hereby established in the department of commerce a board of building appeals consisting of five members who shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. Terms of office shall be for four years, commencing on the fourteenth day of October and ending on the thirteenth day of October. Each member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the end of the term for which the member was appointed. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the member’s predecessor was appointed shall hold office for the remainder of such term. Any member shall continue in office subsequent to the expiration date of the member’s term until a successor takes office, or until a period of sixty days has elapsed, whichever occurs first. One member shall be an attorney-at-law, admitted to the bar of this state and of the remaining members, one shall be a registered architect and one shall be a professional engineer, each of whom shall be duly licensed to practice their respective professions in this state, one shall be a fire prevention officer qualified under section 3737.66 of the Revised Code, and one shall be a person with recognized ability in the plumbing or pipefitting profession. No member of the board of building standards shall be a member of the board of building appeals. Each member shall be paid an amount fixed pursuant to Chapter 124 of the Revised Code per diem. The department shall provide and assign to the board such employees as are required by the board to perform its functions. The board may adopt its own rules of procedure not inconsistent with sections 3781.06 to 3781.18 and 3791.04 of the Revised Code, and may change them in its discretion. The board may establish reasonable fees, based on actual costs for administration of filing and processing, not to exceed two hundred dollars, for the costs of filing and processing appeals. A full and complete record of all proceedings of the board shall be kept and be open to public inspection.

In the enforcement by any department of the state or any political subdivision of this chapter and Chapter 3791., and sections 3737.41, 3737.42, 4104.02, 4104.06, 4104.43, 4104.44, 4104.45, 4105.011, and 4105.11 of the Revised Code and any rule made thereunder, such department is the agency referred to in sections 119.07, 119.08, and 119.10 of the Revised Code.

The appropriate municipal or county board of appeals, where one exists, certified pursuant to section 3781.20 of the Revised Code shall conduct the adjudication hearing referred to in sections 119.09 to 119.13 and required by section 3781.031 of the Revised Code. If there is no certified municipal or county board of appeals, the board of building appeals shall conduct the adjudication hearing. If the adjudication hearing concerns section 3781.111 of the Revised Code or any rule made thereunder, reasonable notice of the time, date, place, and subject of the hearing shall be given to any local corporation, association, or other organization composed of or representing persons with disabilities, as defined in section 3781.111 of the Revised Code, or if there is no local organization, then to any statewide corporation, association, or other organization composed of or representing persons with disabilities.

In addition to the provisions of Chapter 119 of the Revised Code, the municipal, county, or state board of building appeals, as the agency conducting the adjudication hearing, may reverse or modify the order of the enforcing agency if it finds that the order is contrary to this chapter and Chapters 3791. and 4104., and sections 3737.41, 3737.42, 4105.011, and 4105.11 of the Revised Code and any rule made thereunder or to a fair interpretation or application of such laws or any rule made thereunder, or that a variance from the provisions of such laws or any rule made thereunder, in the specific case, will not be contrary to the public interest where a literal enforcement of such provisions will result in unnecessary hardship.

The state board of building appeals or a certified municipal or county board of appeals shall render its decision within thirty days after the date of the adjudication hearing. Following the adjudication hearing, any municipal or county officer, official municipal or county board, or person who was a party to the hearing before the municipal or county board of appeals may apply to the state board of appeals for a de novo hearing before the state board, or may appeal directly to the court of common pleas pursuant to section 3781.031 of the Revised Code.

In addition, any local corporation, association, or other organization composed of or representing persons with disabilities as defined in section 3781.111 of the Revised Code, or, if no local corporation, association, or organization exists, then any statewide corporation, association, or other organization composed of or representing persons with disabilities may apply for the de novo hearing or appeal to the court of common pleas from any decision of a certified municipal or county board of appeals interpreting, applying, or granting a variance from section 3781.111 of the Revised Code and any rule made thereunder. Application for a de novo hearing before the state board shall be made no later than thirty days after the municipal or county board renders its decision.

The state board of building appeals or the appropriate certified local board of building appeals shall grant variances and exemptions from the requirements of section 3781.108 of the Revised Code in accordance with rules adopted by the board of building standards pursuant to division (K) of section 3781.10 of the Revised Code.

The state board of building appeals or the appropriate certified local board of building appeals shall, in granting a variance or exemption from section 3781.108 of the Revised Code, in addition to any other considerations the state or the appropriate local board determines appropriate, consider the architectural and historical significance of the building.