#BuildingCode — Bluesky Posts

Committee hears bill to define 'kit homes' and require code rulemaking by 2027 Committee staff and sponsor Sen. Jeff Wilson described ESSB 5552, which would require the State Building Code Council to complete rulemaking by 03/31/2027 on standards for 'kit homes'—residential, prefabricated houses 800 sq ft or smaller assembled on site—while clarifying that the bill does not override local zoning or inspections.

3 weeks ago

A new bill could revolutionize housing in Washington by defining "kit homes" and streamlining their construction—could this be the solution to our housing shortage?

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#WA #CitizenPortal #AffordableHousing #RegulatoryReform #BuildingCode

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Citizen Portal News Utah

@citizenptnewsut.bsky.social

3 weeks ago

Committee rejects bill to let homeowners choose third‑party plan review and inspections for remodels After extended testimony from builders, contractors, cities and advocates, the committee voted down HB470, which would have allowed owner-occupied remodels to use qualified third‑party plan reviewers and inspectors for plan review and inspections; opponents cited statewide data showing municipalities meet timelines.

Homeowners seeking faster and cheaper remodel approvals just faced a setback as the committee rejects a bill allowing third-party inspections.

Read the full story!

#UT #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #ConstructionReform #BuildingCode

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CPBH

@cpbh01.bsky.social

3 weeks ago

#BuildingCode
#BuildingCodeViolations
#BuyerBeware
#HealthAndSafety
#cdnpoli

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TAG tables proposed IRC language for modular components, asks proponents for inspection and certification clarifications Discussion of proposed modular‑component standards (panelization and factory production language tied to MBI/ICC reference standards) raised questions about inspection, third‑party certification, transportation clauses and L&I jurisdiction; the TAG voted to table the item for two weeks pending clarifications.

1 month ago

The proposed standards for modular components have been tabled as critical questions about inspection and certification processes emerge, leaving stakeholders eager for clarity on the path forward.

Get the details!

#WA #CitizenPortal #ThirdPartyReview #InspectionCertification #BuildingCode

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Citizen Portal News Utah

@citizenptnewsut.bsky.social

1 month ago

Oakley council adopts state WUI building code; local map to be set later The Oakley City Council on Jan. 28 adopted Ordinance 2026‑01 to incorporate Utah's Wildland‑Urban Interface building code, leaving the map and boundaries to be determined at a later meeting. Residents raised concerns about an unreadable state map and possible insurance and fee impacts.

The Oakley City Council has just adopted a new building code aimed at wildfire prevention, but residents are raising alarms about its potential impact on insurance and property taxes.

Read the full story!

#UT #CommunityPlanning #BuildingCode #CitizenPortal #FireSafety

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Santa Rosa council adopts federal and state platforms, building‑code updates and several appointments In addition to the gas‑station study session, the council voted to update appointments, adopt the 2026 federal and state legislative platforms, approve consent items, and adopt the 2025 California Building Code by reference; roll‑call votes were recorded for each action.

2 months ago

Santa Rosa City Council has made significant moves by adopting new federal and state legislative platforms, updating building codes, and shifting key appointments—what does this mean for the community?

Learn more here

#SantaRosaCitySonomaCounty #CA #SantaRosaCityCouncil #BuildingCode

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Citizen Portal News Oregon

@citizenptnewsor.bsky.social

2 months ago

Deschutes County holds work session on optional wildfire building code; public hearing set County staff previewed a proposal to adopt Oregon’s R3-27 home-hardening building-code standards for new residential construction, estimated to raise construction costs modestly, and set a public hearing for Jan. 14 to decide whether to adopt the standards and where they would apply.

Deschutes County is considering a new wildfire building code that could increase construction costs by up to 11%—but could it protect your home from future fires?

Get the details!

#DeschutesCounty #OR #SustainableConstruction #WildfireRisk #BuildingCode

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### Takeaways * A new video by Vancouver-based documentarians About Here explains why the United States and Canada have the fewest elevators among rich countries: elevators here cost three to four times more. * Because elevators make taller buildings pleasant to live in, this is a big barrier to building more walkable, accessible, transit-rich, and age-friendly cities. * Allowing smaller elevators is a key incremental step, but the deeper problem is that our needlessly unique technical standards lock us out of the world’s common elevator market. Phones that refuse standard chargers. Half-strength sunscreen. Ounces. All symptoms of the American tendency to pretend the rest of the world hasn’t already settled on a better way to do things. Now, add another symptom: The fact that you’ve probably never lived in a building with an elevator. The United States has the fewest elevators in the rich world, with Canada only a bit ahead. That’s true even after you adjust for our lower shares of multifamily housing—while also being part of the reason _for_ our lower shares of multifamily housing. The fundamental issue? Elevators in these two countries cost three to four times more to build and to operate than in other rich countries. The result is that unlike in Spain, Austria, Taiwan, or Australia, Americans and Canadians almost never see a residential building with fewer than 50 homes that has an elevator. This restricts elevators, along with the convenience, age-friendliness, and accessibility they bring, to the biggest buildings and the biggest cities. It’s been this way for decades, but nobody has been talking about it. Until now. Inspired by a groundbreaking 2024 report on this subject by the Center for Building in North America, Sightline Institute teamed up with one of Cascadia’s finest YouTubers, Uytae Lee of Vancouver-based About Here, to investigate why, as he puts it, “North America kind of sucks at elevators.” ## How we locked ourselves out of the global elevator market As in his other videos about how to make cities better, Lee packs a lot into 14 minutes. Some of the issue, as he says, is just size. Inch by inch, elevator shafts in the United States and Canada have become 85 percent bigger than the global baseline required to fit at least two people, one of them in a wheelchair: But a bigger share of the problem is that, as with the metric system, the US and its code-writing institutions have been using their own unique set of technical standards for no particular reason except habit. Canadian institutions have, as usual, tagged along with their more populous neighbor. This has continued even as almost every other country in the world has gradually “harmonized” its elevator rules to the similarly reliable but differently calculated standards in Europe. It’s not really our fault that it played out this way. But it’s stranded us on a technological island. The United States and Canada—the countries that first popularized passenger elevators by inventing the skyscraper—now represent less than 5 percent of the world’s new elevator and escalator installations. Few companies bother to play in such a small market with such a big barrier to entry. This, in turn, keeps our prices high, our elevator buildings scarce, and our market small. ## How to get more elevators in our cities and towns North America’s problem isn’t only that its elevators are expensive. It’s also that they’re _so_ expensive that they make multifamily buildings expensive. This makes an especially big difference on smaller parcels, where the only direction to go is up, and in smaller cities, where markets rarely support buildings of 50 or more homes. So, unlike their peers around the world, most North Americans have just learned to live without. In a six-story building, a US elevator and its future operations add something like $310,000 to the upfront cost of a building—roughly the same as an entire extra home that everybody in the building must collectively pay for. (That’s $175,000 for the elevator, shaft, and machinery; $40,000 for hoistway opening protections; and $95,000 for the present value of $7,500 per year in future operating and maintenance costs.) If most people aren’t willing to pay that much, the builder has to forgo the elevator. And because so few people want to live on the fifth or sixth stories of a building without an elevator, that can send the financial math for the entire building into collapse. The math gets especially harsh for the smallest buildings, fewer than 25 homes or so, because America’s high elevator costs must be shared among so few households. So, what can a city, state, or province do to change this? One step would be to allow smaller elevators in smaller buildings—specifically, in the sort of buildings that aren’t currently getting any elevators at all. It’d make sense to use the same standards various states and cities have been adopting for sunlight suites: small-lot apartment buildings of up to six stories and 24 homes. Another step would be to join the international elevator market by harmonizing regional or local codes to the international standard, just as most other countries have. Washington legislators came close to doing this in 2025, but understandably balked at the cost of the code work and training required. (Larger states, or maybe those sharing a border with a country that has already harmonized, might weigh those transition costs differently.) As a half-measure, a government body might formally state its support for _national_ code bodies to finally harmonize with the global system. Though many people see this as inevitable, nothing will happen without effort. Individuals and institutions can help, too. Late last year, a group of accessibility and housing organizations started assembling as the “National Coalition for Elevator Reform” by joining a policy statement about the need for more elevators in the United States. It’s currently collecting logos and signatures. (Sightline’s is one.) If this effort succeeds, it’ll require a lot of people to hear and share the story Lee tells in the video above. Maybe you’d like to be one of the first.

2 months ago

www.sightline.org/2026/01/11/video-fixing-... “elevators here cost three to four times more” #BuildingCode #housing #shortage #inflation #displacement #ElevatorReform #accessibility #MissingMiddle

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2 months ago

Happy to see Maine taking action on making new homes more affordable and accessible bsky.app/profile/stephenjacobsmit... #BuildingCode #housing #Maine #accessibility #ADA

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Washington code advisory group narrows scope for temporary emergency shelters, adopts California appendix as working base The Washington Building Code Council IBC Technical Advisory Group on Dec. 18 focused on defining temporary emergency shelters (hard‑sided cabins/panelized 'pallet' shelters vs. encampments), debated temperature and structural performance thresholds, and voted to use the California appendix as the working base document while preserving local edits.

2 months ago

The Washington Building Code Council is redefining the future of temporary emergency shelters by focusing on innovative solutions like panelized sleeping cabins.

Learn more here

#WA #EmergencyShelters #HomelessnessResponse #BuildingCode #CitizenPortal

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Citizen Portal News Tennessee

@citizenptnewstn.bsky.social

2 months ago

Loudon City Council approves parks grant submission, consultant amendment and moves to adopt 2021 building and fire codes At its Dec. 15 meeting, Loudon City Council approved a parks grant application, approved an amendment to Kim and Horn consulting services, and advanced adoption of the 2021 International Building and Fire Codes by roll call. The council also heard a tourism update and an extended public comment about a disputed right-of-way.

Loudon City Council just greenlit a major parks grant and adopted new building codes—what does this mean for your community?

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#LoudonCityLoudonCounty #TN #LoudonCity #ParksImprovement #CommunityInvolvement #BuildingCode #CitizenPortal

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Commission defers decision on requiring sprinklers in new homes after cost and enforcement concerns The Planning Commission discussed a proposal — narrowed to require sprinklers in new residential construction only — and voted to request more information before taking a position; commissioners cited safety benefits but raised cost, maintenance and enforcement questions.

2 months ago

The Ocean Shores Planning Commission is torn over a proposal to mandate residential sprinklers in new homes, weighing vital safety benefits against hefty costs and maintenance challenges.

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#OceanShoresGraysHarborCounty #WA #BuildingCode #PublicSafety #CitizenPortal

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Lindsay council adopts updated building codes and 2023–2031 housing element; state compliance changes follow Lindsay’s City Council adopted an updated local building‑code ordinance and approved the 2023–2031 housing element and related zoning and ADU code changes, which staff said will align the city with state requirements and add inventory capacity.

2 months ago

Lindsay's City Council just approved a major update to their building codes and housing plan, paving the way for nearly 800 new units and better alignment with state laws!

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#LindsayCityTulareCounty #CA #FairHousing #LindsayCity #BuildingCode #HousingDevelopment #CitizenPortal

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@citizenptnewsoh.bsky.social

3 months ago

Very interested in this project. As we change building code to allow safer and more affordable family homes in more urban areas, we are finding that the old zoning does not make as much sense. #zoning #BuildingCode #design #SingleStair #housing https://bsky.app/profile/lanefab.com/post/3m7jcaexii22y

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Brit

@britvulcan.net

3 months ago

There's a Department of Labor and Industry meeting at 1pm, but the Single Egress Report is now live!
dli.mn.gov/sites/defaul...

#SingleStair #SingleEgress #BuildingCode #MNleg

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Citizen Portal News Ohio

3 months ago

Victorian Village Commission OKs rooftop terrace and ‘dog house’ access at 28 Butles with conditions After lengthy debate about visibility and precedent, the commission approved a third-floor terrace and penthouse-style rooftop access at 28 Butles Avenue, requiring a 2-foot setback, smaller railing posts, and staff signoff on final railing materials and building-code clearance.

The Victorian Village Commission has given the green light for a rooftop terrace and penthouse access at 28 Butles Avenue, but only after imposing strict conditions to ensure it won't disrupt the historic streetscape.

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#OH #HistoricPreservation #BuildingCode #CitizenPortal

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New Vancouver building rules aim to improve safety and housing supply Vancouver approves new space-saving stair designs and Abandoned and Vacated Buildings By-law.

3 months ago

vancouver.ca/news-calendar/new-vancou... “Modernizing our building rules is about making practical, forward-thinking changes that protect people and support more housing options” #Vancouver #housing #design #BuildingCode #SingleStair #FireSafety

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TAG opts for IRC's more conservative fire-separation table and adopts detailed egress protections for single-exit multiplexes The TAG debated fire-separation distances and means-of-egress protections for sprinklered multiplex housing and decided to reference the IRC Table R302.1(1) (more conservative IRC table) for fire-separation distances while approving detailed guidance on corridors, stairs, door ratings and travel distances for single-exit designs.

3 months ago

In a crucial decision for fire safety, the TAG has opted for a more conservative approach to fire separation distances for multiplex homes, prioritizing protection in the face of increasing urban density.

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#WA #CitizenPortal #FireSafety #EmergencyResponders #BuildingCode

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Patrick Siegman

@siegman.biz

3 months ago

I would like to see this table updated to add a new column listing fire deaths per 100,000 people. This would reveal that #Switzerland allows single-stair high-rise towers and has a fire death rate five times LOWER than the United States.

#BuildingCode #FireCode #Firefighting

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Tulare County moves to adopt 2025 California building and fire codes, adds sprinkler requirement for new manufactured homes The Tulare County Board of Supervisors introduced an ordinance to adopt the 2025 California Building Code cycle and set adoption for Dec. 9, 2025. Staff emphasized WUI and electrification changes and recommended a county amendment requiring sprinklers in new manufactured/pre‑manufactured homes outside regulated mobile home parks.

3 months ago

Tulare County is stepping up fire safety by adopting new building codes that mandate sprinklers in manufactured homes, aiming to cut fire fatalities significantly!

Learn more here

#TulareCounty #CA #SustainabilityStandards #CitizenPortal #FireSafety #BuildingCode

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Council reports progress on single‑exit and multiplex‑housing code work The Building Code Council’s tags reported near‑final decisions on single‑exit appendices and substantial progress on an IRC‑based multiplex housing proposal with target tag approvals and full council review planned for December.

4 months ago

Exciting developments in Washington as the Council moves closer to finalizing single-exit provisions and a new multiplex-housing code—changes that could reshape residential living!

Learn more here

#WA #CitizenPortal #HousingInnovation #UrbanDevelopment #BuildingCode

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Citizen Portal News Oregon

@citizenptnewsor.bsky.social

4 months ago

Deschutes County staff to pursue public review of recommended wildfire building standards after state law change County staff recommended and commissioners agreed to move forward with public review of building-code standards known as R3-327 after Senate Bill 83 removed the statewide wildfire-hazard map; the board directed staff to schedule planning commission review and public hearings and to draft code language for early next year.

Deschutes County is gearing up for a critical public review of new wildfire building standards after a significant state law change—how will it impact your future home?

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#DeschutesCounty #OR #CommunityPlanning #BuildingCode #WildfireSafety

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@citizenptnewsut.bsky.social

4 months ago

"Harmonization with ISO codes is a stated goal of the industry" elevatorworld.com/ #accessibility #USPolitics #FreeTrade #BuildingCode #elevators #shortage #inflation #standards

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Citizen Portal News Utah

4 months ago

Council adopts Utah Wildland Urban Interface code for identified areas; town-hall meetings scheduled for residents Following state legislation (HB 48), Spanish Fork adopted an ordinance to incorporate the Utah Wildland Urban Interface Code and identified local interface areas (notably portions of the Oaks neighborhood). The code prescribes building construction, landscaping and water-suppression standards for properties in the designated zone; the ordinance

Spanish Fork just took a major step to protect homes from wildfires by adopting the Utah Wildland Urban Interface Code, setting new standards for construction and landscaping!

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#UT #SpanishForkWildfireSafety #CitizenPortal #CommunityEngagement #FirePrevention #BuildingCode

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ElevatorReform.org Where to take action on the latest updates for elevator reform.

4 months ago

It is early days but there is an effort to organize to permit more affordable and accessible homes with elevators in North America https://elevatorreform.org #BuildingCode #accessibility #housing #elevator #shortage #ADA #NationalCoalitionforElevatorReform

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4 months ago

www.centerforbuilding.org/publication/beyond-zonin... “communities are also finding that simply allowing a fourplex on paper does not guarantee that one will be built” #zoning #MissingMiddle #housing #shortage #BuildingCode

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Original post on cville.online

4 months ago

"Our code today treats a four-plex the same as a 200-unit apartment building. That doesn’t make sense. It drives up construction costs and discourages the kinds of housing we say we want in Dallas" #Dallas #BuildingCode #housing #MissingMiddle #shortage […]

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Ojai introduces 2025 California building code with local amendments; council corrects clerical typo City staff introduced an ordinance to adopt the 2025 California Building Code and to carry forward previously adopted local amendments tied to roof-covering thresholds, WUI code provisions and FlexPath allowances. Council introduced the ordinance for second reading and corrected a typographical reference.

4 months ago

Ojai is set to strengthen building safety with local amendments to the 2025 California Building Code, ensuring stricter roof replacement rules and more for community resilience.

Learn more here!

#OjaiCityVenturaCounty #CA #CitizenPortal #CommunityDevelopment #OjaiCity #BuildingCode

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