Broken Arrow City Council
Meeting of: 09-20-2016
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Development Services Department
Title:
title
Consideration, discussion, and possible preview of an ordinance amending the Broken Arrow Code, Chapter 6, for the adoption of the 2015 International Residential Code
End
Background:
Chapter 6 of the Broken Arrow Municipal Code addresses buildings and building regulations. In early 2009, an exploratory committee was formed to the discuss the feasibility of creating an Oklahoma uniform building code following recent inclusions of code items from the International Code Hearings in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Following this ICC hearing, local municipalities, local and State Contractor associations, local and State Homebuilder associations, State Senator and Representatives and the State Fire Marshal Office began holding meetings to discuss the feasibility of forming an Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission (OUBCC). Several States have undergone similar process to control building codes that may adversely impact the construction community and to create uniformity across the State with the codes. Senate Bill 1182, forming the OUBCC was developed, approved and signed by the Governor Brad Henry on June 2, 2009.
The OUBCC chose to utilize the 2009 International Residential Code as the base code. Technical committees were formed to review each section of the residential code. Several City inspectors were involved in these committee code reviews. The committee’s recommendations were reviewed and approved by the Board and the Board set out for adoption of the 2009 OUBCC Residential Code. The Code went into effect on July 15, 2011. The requirement for residential sprinklers to be installed in one and two family dwellings was taken out of the body of the code and placed in Appendix R.
The OUBCC chose not to adopt the 2012 International Residential Code as the states minimum code and elected to wait until the 2015 International Residential Code was published to do code updates. In February of 2015 the OUBCC Technical committees were formed to review each section of the 2015 International Residential Code. The Chief Building Inspector was involved in these committee code reviews. The committee’s recommendations were reviewed and approved by the OUBCC Board and the Board set out for adoption of the 2015 International Residential Code with various modifications. The adoption of this code was approved by legislative action, signed by Governor Mary Fallin and will be effective state-wide on November 1, 2016. The requirements for residential sprinklers to be installed in one and two family dwellings was again taken out of the body of the code and placed in Appendix V and is not considered part of the code unless Appendix V is adopted. City staff recommends approval of the adoption of the 2015 ICC Residential Code (noted above) as adopted and amended by the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission with various local amendments.
The majority of the local amendments are to incorporate current city code requirements into the 2015 International Residential Code (noted above). While reviewing the current city code it was discovered that a lot of the current city code requirements already exist in the 2015 International Residential Code therefore staff is recommending removal of these items from the city code.
The Broken Arrow City Council, approved Ordnance 3366 adopting the 2015 International Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas Codes and the 2014 National Electric Code for commercial construction as adopted and amended by the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission with various local amendments on October 6, 2015.
Staff recommends approval of these revisions and adoption to improve the health, safety and welfare of the City and its citizens.
Cost: None
Prepared By: Joe Williford, MCP, Chief Building Inspector
Reviewed By: Assistant City Manager - Operations
Legal Department
Approved By: Michael Spurgeon, City Manager
Attachments: Preview Ordinance
OUBCC 2015 IRC Amendments
Notice of Adoption letter
Recommendation:
Preview the ordinance and set for adoption at the next meeting.