HomeMy WebLinkAboutA002 - Council Action Form dated July 14, 2009 ITEM # 48
DATE: 7/14/2009
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: CITY ELECTRICAL CODE UPDATE TO COMPLY WITH NEW STATE
ELECTRICAL CODE REQUIREMENTS
BACKGROUND:
The National Electrical Code (NEC), published by the National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA), is the model code widely adopted throughout the nation's cities, counties, and states,
including the State of Iowa, all major Iowa communities, and the City of Ames. The NEC is
updated at three year intervals to reflect the latest improvements in public safety technologies
and methods. The City and the State have historically adopted the latest NEC to become
effective approximately six months after public release. The 2008 NEC was released in July,
2008, and the State adopted it effective January 1, 2009. The City of Ames has historically
mirrored the State's action to assure consistency of State and local standards for electricians
and the general public. Staff is behind schedule in presenting this item for Council action. The
attached ordinance will correct this situation.
The proposed brief text revisions have been discussed and are recommended by the Ames
Electrical Board for Council approval and adoption. Local electricians are aware of the proposed
changes and are anticipating enactment not later by July.
The revisions will be made to Chapters 5 and 7 of the Municipal Code. Such redundancy is not
typical, but is needed in this instance due to an oversight that occurred in July, 2007 when the
Building, Electrical, Mechanical, and Plumbing Codes were consolidated into one reorganized
Chapter 5. It was Staff's intent to delete the prior separate Electrical, Mechanical, and Plumbing
Chapters (7, 32, and 21) at the time consolidation took place. It was recently discovered this
was accomplished for Mechanical, but was not accomplished for Electrical or Plumbing. It is
Staff's intent to correct this oversight during upcoming discussions with the Boards which will
commence early this fall and will culminate with recommended adoption of the remaining 2009
International Codes next spring.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve the proposed text revision as presented to align the Ames Electrical Code with the
State Electrical Code as recommended by the Ames Electrical Board.
2. Reject the recommendation to approve the proposed text revision as presented.
3. Approve only some portion(s) of the proposed text revisions.
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
The proposed text revision will make the City Electrical Code consistent with the State Electrical
Code, and is recommended by the City of Ames Electrical Board. Therefore, it is the
recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1, thereby
approving the proposed revisions to the City of Ames Electrical Code.