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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA002 - Council Action Form dated May 23, 2017 ITEM # 45 — OLD CAF Date: 05-23-17 COUNCIL ACTION FORM SUBJECT: 2015 CONSTRUCTION CODES UPDATE BACKGROUND: The International Code Council's building codes and Uniform Codes are reviewed, revised, and published approximately every three years. The State of Iowa adopted all of the proposed 2015 construction codes in 2016. Typically, the City's adoption process follows the State of Iowa adoption process, which allows the City of Ames to follow the State of Iowa's lead where appropriate. The previous code update from the 2009 codes to the 2012 codes was passed by City Council on January 28, 2014. The following codes are proposed to be updated from the 2012 codes to the 2015 codes (NOTE: the City has adopted other codes not included which are on a different adoption schedule, e.g., Electrical Code): • International Building Code (IBC); International Residential Code (IRC); • International Existing Building Code (IEBC); International Mechanical Code (IMC); • International Fuel Gas Code(IFGC); • Uniform Plumbing Code(UPC); and, • International Fire Code (IFC). The above listed codes are utilized to provide requirements, consistency, and guidance for the Inspection Division to successfully assist customers with constructing safe, sustainable, affordable, and resilient projects within the City of Ames. The first step in the code adoption process consists of an in depth review of the 2015 codes by Inspections staff. Inspections staff receives not only the 2015 code books, but also reference materials that describe the significant changes between the 2012 and 2015 versions of the codes. Research is also conducted with staff from other Iowa jurisdictions to understand their process and any challenges encountered. The Inspection staff then sends the Codes to the City's legal staff for review. Finally, the process moves onto the Building Board of Appeals for its review and approval. The Building Board of Appeals is a seven member board appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the City Council. Each member is qualified by experience and training in matters pertaining to building construction. The membership of the Board consists of the following professionals: • Licensed Architect; • Professional Engineer, • General Contractor; • Homebuilder; • Licensed Journeyperson or Master Electrician, or Electrical Contractor; • Licensed Journeyperson or Master Plumber, or Plumbing Contractor; and, • Licensed Master HVAC Technician, or Mechanical Contractor. The Building Board of Appeals reviews adoptions of new International and Uniform Codes, as well as any proposed text amendments to the Ames Municipal Code. After review by the Board, a public hearing follows next, concluded by a recommendation to the City Council for adoption. Presently, the Building Board of Appeals has reviewed the codes for adoption, held a public hearing on December 5, 2016, and has made the unanimous motion to the City Council to adopt proposed revisions to Ames Municipal Code Chapters 5 (Building, Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing Code) and 8 (Fire Code) and adoption of the 2015 versions of the following codes: • International Building Code (IBC); • International Residential Code (IRC); • International Existing Buildings Code(IEBC); • International Mechanical Code (IMC); • International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); • Uniform Plumbing Code(UPC); and, International Fire Code (IFC). NOTE: Ames Municipal Code Chapter 5 references the State of Iowa for energy standards rather than adopting the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) locally. The State continues to be on the 2012 IECC, but is looking to adopt the 2015 IECC by the end of 2017. In order to inform our customers of the proposed code changes, Inspections staff hosted a 2015 Code Adoption meeting on January 16, 2017. Each contractor that has conducted business with the Inspection Division within the last year were notified by e-mail of the meeting, which was attended by ten local contractors. Presentations were given by Inspections staff, followed by a discussion of the 2015 codes.. It should be noted that no code changes were suggested during the outreach session, and no concerns from contractors were provided regarding the adoption of the suggested code modifications. REVIEW OF ICC CODE CHANGES: The majority of changes in all proposed new codes added clarification however there are a few notable changes. The following is an overview of the 2012 Code changes: International Building Code (IBC): • An automatic sprinkler system is now required within a building when the roof is used for assembly purposes associated with restaurants, bars, and banquet halls when the occupant load exceeds 100 occupants and for all other assembly uses when the occupant load exceeds 300 occupants. Previously this was not required. • Private garages are now limited to 1,000 square feet(would affect garages for apartment projects mostly), but multiple attached garages can be built with a fire separation limiting each garage to 1,000 square feet or less. • Emergency responder facilities and educational facilities will be required to have storm shelters or have the entire building designed as a storm shelter. • New code sections were added covering rooftop mounted photovoltaic solar panels. Nothing additional will be required other than what we require now for PV systems. • The Existing Buildings and Structures chapter has been eliminated from the IBC in its entirety and existing buildings and structures may now be solely regulated by the IEBC. which the City adopted in July of 2004. International Residential Code (IRC): • Common walls separating townhouses must now be rated for 2 hours when an automatic fire sprinkler system is not installed. • Remodeling of an existing basement does not trigger the installation of an egress window unless a new bedroom is created. • Carbon monoxide alarms are now required to be connected to the house wiring system ,with battery backup. • New sections and tables provide prescriptive methods for posts, beams, joists, and connections in deck construction. • Adoption of Appendix J — Existing Buildings and Structures - which will give more direction in repair, alteration, and reconstruction of existing one and two family homes. (We do have the Existing Building Code, but that is primarily for commercial building). • Barrier Requirements for Swimming Pools, Spas, and Hot Tubs for One-and Two Family Dwellings was deleted from the IRC and added to Ames Municipal Code Chapter 5. International Existing Building Code (IEBC): • The Existing Buildings and Structures chapter has been eliminated from the IBC in its entirety and existing buildings and structures may now be solely regulated by the IEBC, which the City adopted in July of 2004. International Mechanical Code (IMC): • The ventilation system for enclosed parking garages must operate continuously or be automatically controlled for intermittent operation utilizing both carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide detectors. • The requirements for ventilation air and exhaust air (now include kitchens) in dwelling units and common areas in commercial residential occupancies have been clarified. • The design of source capture systems for manicure and pedicure stations has been clarified. • Listed and labeled clothes dryer duct power ventilators are now available. International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC): • Specific installation requirements were added for the safe installation of connectors for commercial cooking appliances. • New text recognizes the use of dryer exhaust duct power ventilators for installations that exceed the allowable exhaust duct length for clothes dryers. • Bonding requirements for Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST) have been clarified. • The section on protection of piping has been completely rewritten and clarified. • A new requirement for unions on each side of a gas medium pressure (MP) regulator has been added. International Fire Code (IFC): Carbon Monoxide alarm requirements have been revised to make installation requirements clearer and educational occupancies were added as regulated occupancies. REVIEW OF UNIFORM CODE CHANGES: Unifon-n Plumbing Code(UPC): • Clarification was made regarding excavations made adjacent to a building footing (angle of repose). • A prescriptive method for the installation of thermoplastic drainage pipe below ground has been added. • Indirect fired water heaters may now utilize single wall heat exchangers where the transfer medium is potable water or is recognized safe by the FDA as food grade and the maximum operating pressure of the exchanger does not exceed the operating pressure of the potable water supply. • Due to changes in the Safe Drinking Water Act, the allowable lead in pipe, fittings, and fixtures used for human consumption have been reduced. • Changes have been made to the provisions for horizontal wet venting bringing it in line with what have been the City of Ames amendments for venting. • A section has been added allowing "circuit venting" of groups of similar adjacent fixtures. • Nonpotable rainwater catchment system design, maintenance and uses have been clarified. REVIEW OF CHAPTER 5 LOCAL AMENDMENT CHANGES (see Attachment A)• • Overall, a majority of changes found in Chapter 5 are clarifications of existing sections or eliminate redundancy and conflicts between Local Amendments and the International and Uniform Codes. • Requirements for swimming pool, spa, and hot tub barriers for One- and Two-Family Dwellings was eliminated from the International Residential Code and added to Chapter 5. • Additional language for Climatic and Geographical Design Criteria was added to the Building and Structures and One and Two-Family Dwelling sections. City staff anticipates that these new local values for the method of wind loading calculation criteria will result in a negligible net effect on construction. • Additional language regarding sprinkler system supervision and alarms was added. This change was made because the same language currently exists in either Chapter 8 of the Municipal Code (Fire Code) or the Building Code. Having the amendments added here will help avoid conflicting code requirements. The option to utilize alternating tread devices (typically used as a space saving design option) for roof access removed. Though more restrictive than International Code, this should minimally impact construction, and was added at the request of the previous Fire Inspector for safety reasons. Permanent ladders and ship ladders are still acceptable. • An exception was deleted that allowed CO detectors to have battery backup. New language now requires CO detectors to be connected to a building's electrical system, similar to smoke detector requirements. • Language was added to the Plumbing section to now require an exterior 5 foot electrical ground stake to be installed on previously required tracer wires. Though more restrictive than Uniform Code, this should minimally impact construction, and was added at the request of the Plumbing and Mechanical Inspectors for safety reasons. • Certain provisions in Chapter 1 of the International Mechanical Code, International Fuel Gas Code, and the Uniform Plumbing Code were eliminated to resolve administrative conflicts between those provisions and Chapter 5 of the Municipal Code. • A few previous local amendments were eliminated from Chapter 5 because they were added to the 2015 versions of the International Codes. REVIEW OF CHAPTER 8 LOCAL AMENDMENT CHANGES (see Attachment B): • The International code as written only requires an audible notification device for water flow. Local amendments have been written to now require an approved audible and visual device for water flow notification, to allow for those who may be hearing impaired. • The requirement for retrofitted fire alarm systems to be installed in existing Group R-2 occupancies more than three stories in height or with more than 16 dwelling or sleeping units has been added. This section was included City Council meeting on, the Council directed City staff (December 10, 2013) to eliminate the fire alarm retrofitting requirements from Chapter 13, Rental Housing Code, and rely on the existing language in Chapter 11 of the International Fire Code. At the May 13, 2014 City Council meeting, Council adopted a July 1, 2020 deadline. • Language for minimum life safety requirement inspections of supervised transition homes has been added. This addition was in response to City Council directing staff to review with the Fire Department options for providing periodic inspections (November 22, 2016 Council Meeting). ALTERNATIVES: 1. Set the public hearing for May 23, 2017, to review proposed local amendment changes Chapters 5 and 8 of the Ames Municipal Code, and the adoption of the 2015 editions of the International Building Code (IBC), International Residential Code (IRC), International Existing Building Code (IEBC), International Mechanical Code (IMC), International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), Uniform Plumbing Code(UPC) and the International Fire Code (IFC). 2. Direct staff to work with the Building Board of Appeals to develop further local amendments to the recommended codes. MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION: The Building Board of Appeals has reviewed the proposal and has unanimously recommended approval to the City Council. Therefore, it is the recommendation of.the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative No. 1, thereby setting a public hearing for May 23, 2017.