Building Code Review Board

MINUTES CITY OF DEKALB BUILDING BOARD OF APPEALS SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING June 29, 2016 at 1:00 P.M. The Building Board of Appeals held a Subcommittee Meeting on June 29, 2016 at 1:00 P.M. at the City of DeKalb Municipal Building, 200 South Fourth Street, DeKalb, Illinois, 60115, in the Ellwood Conference Room. Chair Don Whitmore called the meeting to order at 1:00 P.M. A. ROLL CALL The following members of the Building Board of Appeals were present: Chairman Don Whitmore and Commissioners Lisa Sharp, Christine Scholl, and Chuck Shepard. Also present were: Fire Chief Eric Hicks, Community Development Director Ellen Divita, Administrative Assistant Natalie Nelson, and Chief Building Official Don Plass of HR Green. B. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA – ADDITIONS / DELETIONS No action. C. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION None. D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES No minutes were presented. E. OLD BUSINESS Introductions were made to Don Plass, Chief Building Official at HR Green. Don Plass provided an overview of his experience with other municipalities and BOCA and ICC Code updates. He praised the Building Board of Appeals for their work thus far on updating the City’s code. Chair Whitmore stated that the Rooming Houses chapter would not be within the scope of the Code updates. There are some fire safety issues that only Fire Chief Eric Hicks Building Board of Appeals Subcommittee Meeting June 29, 2016 Page 2 of 6 must be involved in updating. There may be some definitions in this chapter that are also up to date. Community Development Director Divita reminded that one of the changes to Chapter 24 in the City’s Municipal Code is the BBA composition, which include representatives from each of the trades: plumbing, electrical, and mechanical, instead of having separate commissions for each. None of the trade commissions have met for several years, and Director Divita reported that when she called the members that were on the rosters, she could reach very few of them. The structure of the updated Chapter 24 was discussed. At the beginning will be a list of the adopted codes with the amendments to follow after. D. Plass reported that effective January 1, 2017 Illinois will have an updated Accessibility Code, which will reflect the Federal ADA guidelines and be easier for designers and builders to follow. The public comment period does not appear to have been opened yet. Mr. Plass also reported that the 2012 Illinois Energy Conservation Code is not very much different from the 2015 Code, especially for residential. He provided an overview of the process of updating the energy code and the parties who were involved in it. He also discussed his experience with the Chicago Roofing Contractors Association. D. Plass asked if building permit fees need to be in a separate chapter, as they are currently located in four separate subchapters of Chapter 24. D. Plass stated that he would look into how other communities publish permit fees schedules. Director Divita noted that the water fees are in placed in Chapter 24 and perhaps should be moved to a more appropriate location. D. Plass commented that the Illinois Plumbing Code does not address roof drainage. He stated that the Illinois code and International Building Code are 98% the same, except for fixture count for water sizing. The demand was adjusted. Storm drainage is in the International Building Code. C. Scholl told D. Plass that the sprinkler requirement in the residential code has been a topic of discussion. Chair Whitmore recalled that the committee recommended an amendment omitting the requirement for single-family homes and town homes. D. Plass stated that he is happy to attend any Building Board of Appeals meetings while updating the code, even after his scheduled time at the City of DeKalb has ended. Director Divita stated she intends to bring the updated City Code to Council in September. D. Plass related his experience in code development for fire suppression requirements. He voted against requiring fire sprinklers in homes. He reported that almost every state Building Board of Appeals Subcommittee Meeting June 29, 2016 Page 3 of 6 in the east has removed sprinkler requirements from their municipal codes. This protects the municipalities from being responsible for any fires or fire deaths if water is turned off on a sprinkled home. Mr. Plass also spoke about fire protection building methods, including I-trusses, floor joists, and other fire safety issues, including the size and area for sprinkler requirements. The discussion moved to specific sections of the Chapter 24 Building Code in the DeKalb Municipal Code It was decided that the 2015 ICC Residential Code Part IV—ENERGY CONSERVATION Chapter 11: ENERGY EFFICIENCY should be examined in greater detail to determine if it should be adopted in whole or amended. 24.02-2 INTERNATIONAL EXISTING BUILDING CODE adoption should be moved to appear the beginning of Chapter 24 with the other code adoption statements. 24.03 BOND should be deleted. It already appears in Municipal Code Chapter 6, Section 6.11. 24.03-1 SITE PLAN REVIEW AND INSPECTION FEE and 24.3 BUILDING PERMIT FEES should be removed and placed in the appropriate section of Chapter 9 ESTABLISHMENT OF FEES or some other appropriate location within the Municipal Code. Director Divita stated that City staff will review the current schedules for fees and provide recommendations for revisions. 24.04-2 TEMPORARY AND FINAL OCCUPANCY INSPECTION FEE SCHEDULE will be discussed by the Commission at a future date. 24.04-3 WATER PERMIT FEES will be discussed by the Commission at a future date. 24.05 CHANGE PLANS should be removed, as this is addressed in the 2015 IBC 107.4 Amended construction documents. 24.06 STREET OPERATIONS should be removed as it is already covered in the 2015 IBC Chapter 33 CONSTRUCTION SAFEGUARDS. 24.07 RUBBISH should be removed as it is covered in the Property Maintenance Code. 24.08 BUILDINGS ENDANGERING OTHERS should be removed as it is covered Property Maintenance Code. 24.09 RESIDENTIAL BUILDING SECURITY REGULATIONS. Building Board of Appeals Subcommittee Meeting June 29, 2016 Page 4 of 6 a) Scope – It was recommended that this section should be updated to be applicable to existing buildings as of a specific date yet to be determined, not for “all ‘Multiple Dwelling Buildings’”. b) Doors and Locks - Portions of this section apply to Rooming Houses and should be moved to the appropriate place in Municipal Code Chapter 14 ROOMING HOUSES. Other portions of this section apply to ‘Multiple Dwelling Buildings’ and should be moved to the appropriate section in Municipal Code Chapter 13 HOUSING AND PROPERTY MAINTENANCE. c) Definitions – The text should be updated to conform to the 2015 code. d) Specification Applicable Generally To All Multiple Dwelling Buildings or Buildings and Additions Thereto – [specific recommended changes to be discussed at a later date.] e) Additional Specifications Applicable to Multiple Dwellings and to Additions and Alterations Thereto – [specific recommended changes to be discussed at a later date.] f) Retroactive Operation 24.09.f.1(all sections, paragraphs) should be moved to the appropriate section in Municipal Code Chapter 13 HOUSING AND PROPERTY MAINTENANCE. 24.09.f.2 (all sections, paragraphs) should be moved to the appropriate section in Municipal Code Chapter 14 ROOMING HOUSES. g) through i) should be moved to the appropriate sections in Municipal Code Chapters 13 and 14. 24.10 SMOKE DETECTOR REQUIREMENTS…. Portions of this section should be moved to the appropriate place in Municipal Code Chapter 14 ROOMING HOUSES. Other portions of this section should be moved to the appropriate section in Municipal Code Chapter 28 FIRE PREVENTION REGULATIONS. Chief Hicks noted that even though the language is from the 1980s and 1990s, he recommended no changes except moving the text to different places, so owners of apartments and rooming houses are not affected. 24.10.a.5 references the 2002 National Electric Code, which should be updated. 24.10.b.5 references the 1996 National Electric Code, which should be updated. Building Board of Appeals Subcommittee Meeting June 29, 2016 Page 5 of 6 24.11 CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR REQUIREMENTS – these requirements are covered in 2015 IBC Section 915 and in the 2015 International Fire Code Section 915 and Chapter 11. The paragraphs 2.A-2B should be moved the Municipal Code Chapter 14 ROOMING HOUSES. 24.11 REVOCATION OF CONTRACTOR’S CERTIFICATE AND BONDS – move to be near BONDS paragraph, which will be moved to Municipal Code Chapter 6, Section 6.11. 24.12-1 APPEALS FROM DECISIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER - [specific recommended changes to be discussed at a later date.] 24.12 NATIONAL FIRE PREVENTION ASSOCIATION STANDARD AMENDMENT – BBA members did not agree about removal or retention of this amendment, as it only applies to one airport hangar. It is not an issue that arises frequently. It allowed the builder of a hangar at the DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport to downgrade from foam system, which was required by code due to building size/height, to a sprinkler system. Chief Hicks reported that other airports in the area have the same kind of language in their code, for example, DuPage Airport. The hangar is a stand-alone building, heated year-round, and used for maintenance. [specific recommended changes to be discussed at a later date] 24.14 ACCESSIBILITY CODE – move to top of Chapter 24 to keep with the other Code adoption statements. 24.15 MINIMUM INSULATION STANDARDS – [specific recommended changes to be discussed at a later date.] C. Scholl confirmed the City attorney will be reviewing these changes after they are completed through BBA discussion. Don Plass reported that during the 2015 Code revision process, in which he was involved, about 1,700 changes were proposed, but only 475 made it through, many which were proposed by home builders. D. Plass discussed the Illinois radon law, which is not a code, so builders must adhere to it. In Illinois the sump pit cannot be used to evacuate radon gas even though the 2015 IRC allows a sump pit can be used to evacuate radon gas. D. Plass recommended listing the adopted codes and Illinois laws at the beginning of Chapter 24. He recommended including the adoption years in the list, not just the “latest published” or “most recently adopted.” This Illinois Energy Code and Illinois Plumbing Code are both required, and the updated Illinois Accessibility Code will be finished soon, to be more restrictive than the ADA requirements. It was suggested that the City Building Board of Appeals Subcommittee Meeting June 29, 2016 Page 6 of 6 website should have a list of applicable codes with hyperlinks to codes and amendments. Director Divita stated she will write up the roofing guidelines and over-the-counter form/fee. Commercial property owners would be required to get inspections on roof jobs. Residential property owners would have peace of mind that roofing contractors have the appropriate knowledge, insurance, bond. Discussion of the process of getting proposed Chapter 24 to City Council took place. The Council approval of the new Commission composition will be done before the Chapter 24 is presented. L. Sharp asked for an overview of the HR Green staffing. Director Divita reported that Don Plass will be present for 90 days, Rob Wierzba will be inspector, and additional staff from HR Green McHenry will be provided as needed for plan review. A part-time City position will be hired to help with inspection intake and schedule coordination to assist Brenda Hart F. NEW BUSINESS None. G. ADJOURNMENT Hearing and seeing no further discussion, Chairman Whitmore adjourned the meeting at 2:55 P.M. _________________________________ Natalie Nelson, Administrative Assistant Minutes approved by Building Board of Appeals on August 25, 2016.