Broken Arrow City Council
Meeting of: 05-19-2020
Title:
title
Consideration, discussion, and possible preview of an ordinance amending Chapter 6, Building and Building Regulations, Article IV, Electrical Code; Section 6-66, Adoption of National Code; amendments; repealing all ordinances to the contrary and declaring an emergency
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Background:
On October 6, 2015, the City Council approved Ordinance No. 3366, which, adopted the 2014 National Electrical Code (NEC) as adopted and amended by the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission (OUBCC) with City amendments. The amendment made to section 334.10 of the 2014 NEC was carried forward from previous City adoptions of the NEC. The amendment prohibits Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable (a factory assembly of two or more insulated wires enclosed within an overall nonmetallic jacket, also known as ROMEX): Types NM (insulated wires enclosed within an overall nonmetallic jacket), NMC (insulated wired enclosed within an overall, corrosion resistant, nonmetallic jacket), and NMS (insulated power or control wires with signaling, data, and communications conductors within an overall nonmetallic jacket) from being installed in one and two family dwellings, multifamily dwellings and other structures exceeding three floors above grade. The current amendment also prohibits the use of Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable in hotels, motels, commercial structures, office buildings, industrial buildings or similar uses. At the time the amendment was first made by the City it was intended to prohibit Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable from being installed in hotels, motels, commercial structures, office buildings, industrial buildings or similar uses. The NEC at that time already prohibited Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable from being installed in one and two family dwellings, multifamily dwellings and other structures exceeding three floors above grade.
In the 2002 NEC there was a change to section 334.10, this change removed the height restriction of three floors for one and two family dwellings, their attached or detached garages, and their storage buildings and in multi-family dwellings and other structures permitted to be of Type III construction (construction in which the exterior walls are of noncombustible materials and the interior building elements are of any material permitted by the International Building Code), Type IV construction (construction in which the exterior walls are of noncombustible materials and the interior building elements are of solid or laminated wood without concealed spaces), and Type V construction (construction in which the structural elements, exterior walls and interior walls are of any materials permitted by the International Building Code, typically light-frame wood construction). However the City amendment has not been updated to coincide with the NEC.
The proposed amendment to the 2014 NEC section 334.10 would allow Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable to be installed in One- and two-family dwellings, their attached or detached garages, and their storage buildings and in Multi-family dwellings permitted to be of Types III, IV, and V construction without the height restriction of three floors and remove the allowance of Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable in other structures of Types III, IV, and V.
The proposed amendment to the 2014 NEC section 334.12 will continue to prohibit Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable in hotels, motels, commercial structures, office buildings, industrial buildings or similar uses.
These amendments will not reduce the health, safety and welfare of the City and its citizens.
Cost: No Cost
Funding Source: No Source
Requested By: Larry Curtis, Director of Community Development
Approved By: City Manager’s Office
Attachments: Preview Ordinance No. 3629
2014 NEC Sections 334.10 and 334.12 as published in the NEC
2014 NEC Sections 334.10 and 334.12 showing the proposed amendments
HBA Letter of Support
Recommendation:
recommend
Preview the Ordinance and set for adoption.
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