Agenda Date: 11/19/2024
Subject:
Title
Ordinance 22-2024: An ordinance on second reading amending sections of the Littleton City Code, Title 4, Building Regulations
Body
|
From: |
James L. Becklenberg, City Manager |
|
Prepared by: |
Tim Steinwinder, Chief Building Official |
|
|
Matt Knight, Community Development Director |
|
Presentations: |
Tim Steinwinder, Chief Building Official |
|
|
Matt Knight, Community Development Director |
PURPOSE:
Staff is proposing minor Building Code Amendments, to help alleviate confusion, streamline inspections, support the city’s Design the Future process improvement work, and better serve customers. Adoption of these changes will lay the groundwork for the 2024 International Codes (I-Codes) adoption next year.
LONG-TERM OUTCOME(S) SERVED:
High-Quality Governance; Sustainable Community with Natural Beauty; Safe Community
DISCUSSION:
The building code amendments proposed primarily deal with the following:
Clarify reviews and inspections are conducted to meet the adopted Second Printing
Between the first and second printing of the 2021 IRC there were major changes made to the minimum insulation R-Value requirements. Depending on what time of year a contractor purchased a book or researched requirements, the values may have been different. To alleviate confusion, and ensure reviews and inspections are complying with the latest, and most stringent standards, this clarifies that the city has adopted the 2nd printing.
List all adopted I-Codes
With the adoption of the 2021 I-Codes, the city did not specifically adopt the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, or ANSI 117.1 Accessibility Code. These are both critical codes for plan review and inspection. Both codes were referenced in the IBC and enforced in the field during inspections, but cause confusion as they were not listed in the officially adopted codes for the city. By adding them to the list of adopted I-Codes staff can eliminate failed inspections, and contractor confusion when dealing with Swimming Pools, or Accessibility requirements.
Editing work exempt from permits to align with industry standards
Both the International Residential Code and the International Building Code have a list of small projects that are exempt from permits. Previous Code Amendments edited these to require permits on small decks, fences, and retaining walls under two feet tall. Homeowners and Contractors using a cursory internet search would find overwhelming documentation stating that these types of projects did not require a permit. This creates an endless stream of Stop Work Orders and Fines, as well as difficult post construction permitting processes. By aligning the City’s adopted codes with industry standard, staff can eliminate unnecessary inspections, community frustration, and staff processing times, with negligible effects to permit revenues.
Reinstating 180-day expirations to align with standard code language and permitting software limitations
All I-Codes use a 180-day standard for permit expiration. The permit would expire 180 days after issuance if no inspections were performed and would be extended by 180 days when an inspection was performed. The city’s permitting software is designed to work this way. The current amended code language uses a one-year expiration with extensions only with approval. This creates a situation where staff must manually search for and edit expiration dates constantly to keep the system updated. By reverting to original code language, software can be utilized as designed, and the process automated.
Simplifying roofing underlayment requirements to align with industry standard and reduce consumer cost
Current City Code Amendments created a roofing underlayment system that exceeds the standard requirements of the code. While staff believes the enhanced roofing underlayment requirements provide better protection, they also greatly increase the cost to consumers. Very few contractors were researching and following the amended requirements causing numerous inspection failures, and consumer complaints, for both cost, and confusion. The City of Littleton does not lie in a geographic area that justifies these extra measures. Eliminating the extra measures in the Code Amendments, saves roofing cost for the end consumer, and reduces contractor confusion. The contractor and homeowner community have advocated for this amendment.
Simplifying and clarifying geographic and weather-related design criteria
Using the Colorado Front Range Wind Gust Map, the City of Littleton fell into 3 different wind speed categories depending on what part of the city you were in. This changes requirements for roofing materials, siding materials, and anchoring for structures. By narrowing that to just the highest wind speed, the city can have a standard used throughout the jurisdiction eliminating confusion on requirements based on location. There were also two (2) different snow loads used based on minor elevation changes. By choosing the higher snow load of 38psf, the city can standardize structural requirements for roofs and decks.
Reinstating fire sprinklers in Townhomes to align with South Metro Fire standards and improving life safety concerns
Currently the I-Codes require fire sprinklers in every structure including single family homes. Jurisdictions nationwide have amended the code to eliminate fire sprinklers in all but the largest homes, or homes not situated near fire infrastructure. This is standard practice. City code amendments also eliminate fire sprinklers in Townhomes. South Metro Fire requires sprinklers in Townhomes, thereby rendering this city code amendment obsolete in all cases. It is the opinion of staff that this amendment be removed, aligning the city’s Code Amendments with SMFR’s requirements, and greatly improving life safety for these residential community members.
Reducing solar setbacks to support environmental sustainability recommendations
Current city code amendments increase setbacks at roof eaves and ridges to 36”. This is double what is required by fire and reduces the total surface area of a roof that can be used for solar panels. Removing this amendment will align city code with the Environmental Sustainability Board’s recommendations. This will also expedite solar plan reviews by reducing corrections required.
Adding an exception to the Plumbing code for bottle fillers as a drinking fountain
Currently all businesses are required to provide two drinking fountains, one required to be accessible, unless that business serves free water to its customers such as a restaurant or coffee shop. This amendment would allow the non-accessible drinking fountain to be a bottle filler. Personal water bottles are becoming more common, and under the current code if a business wants to provide a bottle filler it would be a third fixture. This increases plumbing costs and may not be possible due to space restraints. Staff believes this adds flexibility in the code to accommodate a greater percentage of consumers, while still retaining a usable drinking fountain at every location.
Removing an exception allowing pre-existing undersized windows to be used as a rescue opening, to address life safety concerns
Utilizing the International Existing Building Code, an undersized window can be considered an emergency rescue opening when adding a bedroom to a basement by installing the largest available manufacturers window into the existing undersized opening. This results in windows that do not meet emergency rescue opening minimum size requirements but are allowed by code. This amendment would eliminate this loophole, requiring window openings to be enlarged to the minimum size to be considered emergency rescue openings. This protects not only the current occupants but all future occupants as well.
Creating a framework to to streamline the adoption of the 2024 I-Codes planned for 2025
By simplifying current code amendments, this creates an adoption framework to work within to streamline the adoption of the 2024 I-Codes planned for 2025.
BACKGROUND:
Over the last year, staff has been evaluating the current code through the lens of supporting the Design the Future process improvements work, aligning practices with industry standards, reducing impacts to the community, supporting the Environmental Sustainability Board (ESB) recommendations, and reducing community risk. Additionally, staff has spent time over the last year compiling feedback from applicants, property owners, business owners and contractors in relation to the code and permitting processes. Staff has used this feedback to help develop this list of recommended changes.
Prior Actions or Discussions
Staff presented proposed updates and amendments of current city code to council at the September 10, 2024, study session, and council directed that staff prepare an ordinance to adopt the changes.
This ordinance passed on first reading on October 15, 2024.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
These amendments will have no fiscal impact on the city but will likely reduce costs for homeowners and contractors.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends council support of these building code amendments in 2024 through the appropriate ordinance process.
ALTERNATIVES:
Declining to adopt the amendments at this time, will continue to financially impact homeowners, burden the permit center with phone calls for clarification, leave life safety issues unaddressed, and complicate the 2024 I-Code adoption process.
PROPOSED MOTION:
Proposed Motion
I move to approve Ordinance 22-2024 on second reading amending sections of the Littleton City Code, Title 4, Building Regulations.