Form revised June 11, 2010
FISCAL NOTE FOR NON-CAPITAL PROJECTS
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Department: |
Contact Person/Phone: |
DOF Analyst/Phone: |
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DPD |
Maureen Traxler/233-3892 |
Amanda Allen/684-8894 |
Legislation Title:
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AN ORDINANCE relating to the Seattle Building Code, amending Section 22.100.010, and adopting by reference Chapters 2 through 28, Chapters 31 through 35 of the 2009 International Building Code; and amending certain of those chapters; and adopting a new Chapter 1 for the Seattle Building Code related to administration, permitting and enforcement, a new Chapter 29 related to plumbing systems, and a new Chapter 30 related to elevators and conveying systems; and repealing Sections 2-30 of Ordinance 122528 and Sections 2-13 of Ordinance 122773. |
· Background: These codes are adopted by the State, and State law requires local jurisdictions to enforce them. Seattle adds local amendments to the State codes. (A detailed list of Seattle amendments is attached.) The Construction Codes Advisory Board (CCAB) has approved these proposed ordinances. CCAB, which consists of representatives of the general public, and design, development and construction industries, has devoted countless hours to reviewing and discussing these proposals. A draft of the Seattle Building Code was made available for public comment in January 2010. There is substantial consensus about this ordinance.
· Please check one of the following:
__X__ This legislation does not have any financial implications.
Attachment 1: Changes in 2009 Seattle Building Code
Changes in 2009 Seattle Building Code
1. Highlights of changes in International Building Code
Most of the changes in the International Building Code are technical changes that will not have a major impact on construction. The most significant of the changes are listed here.
· New provisions governing ambulatory health care are added to the Building Code.
· Areas of refuge for persons with impaired mobility will not be required in sprinklered buildings.
· Several new provisions apply to high-rise buildings:
o Luminous egress path marking will be required in Groups A, B, E, I, M and R-1
o Seattle will allow elevator lobbies as an alternative to hoistway pressurization.
o In buildings more than 120 feet in height, at least one elevator would be required to have enhanced features to aid firefighters and would be designated a “fire service access elevator”.
o Buildings more than 420 feet in height will be required to have either one additional exit stairway or occupant evacuation elevators. The elevators would be available for building occupants when there is an alarm in the building before the elevators are recalled to the main floor.
· Provisions for live-work units are added. With minor revisions, these provisions are consistent with Seattle’s existing practices.
· A provision allowing reduced width for means of egress in sprinklered buildings has been deleted from the IBC. Seattle is proposing an amendment that would allow the reduced width in most sprinklered high-rise buildings.
· Specific provisions for courtrooms to be accessible to persons with disabilities are added.
2. Detailed list of changes in Seattle amendments
Note: This list includes changes proposed for the Seattle amendments to the 2009 International Building Code. Amendments that are carried forward from the 2006 Seattle Building Code are not listed, nor are differences between the 2006 and 2009 editions of the International Building Code.
Chapter 1 Administration
Several sections. Procedures for emergency orders, hazard correction orders, notices of violation, stop work orders, occupancy violations, notices of revocation of permits, suspensions and revocations of certificates of occupancy are revised for consistency.
Several sections. The term “permit plans” and similar phrases have been replaced with the term “construction documents” for consistency with terminology used in the International codes.
101.2 Language is added to the “Scope” section to clarify that the Building Code does not apply to construction equipment, including tower cranes.
101.3 A new section is proposed to clarify that permit applications are reviewed under the codes in effect on the date a complete permit application is submitted. This codifies DPD’s practice for “vesting” of permit applications.
Previous Section 101.8, which was a State amendment, addressing potential conflict between the Building Code and the Washington Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality Code has been removed, since the relevant ventilation requirements are now directly incorporated into the Building and Mechanical codes.
103.10 A new section is added to specify that applicants may request administrative review by the building official of decisions about enforcement of the Building Code. Applicants may also request an advisory review by the Construction Codes Advisory Board except for specific enforcement orders.
104.2 A revision gives DPD authority to delegate responsibilities to agents who are not employees. This authority would be used, for example, to delegate inspection authority to the Health Department.
106.5.2.3 A provision is added requiring that fire-rated assemblies be identified on architectural plans.
106.5.2.5 The provision requiring that structural design loads be identified on plans is modified to apply to all applications instead of only larger buildings.
106.5.4 A section on deferred submittals, often referred to as shop drawings, is added. The language is taken from the 2009 International Building Code.
106.5.5 A provision is added allowing DPD to accept applications in electronic format.
106.6.4 Procedures for phased permits are clarified to reflect DPD’s existing practices.
106.6.3 and other sections Provisions clarifying the relationship between grading permits and reviews conducted according to the Grading Code relate to building permit applications.
108.9 An inspection is added for permanent erosion controls, stormwater facilities, and stormwater best management practices.
Chapter 3 Use and Occupancy Classification
308, 310 Amendments are added to coordinate with State regulations for care facilities such as hospice care centers, and residential treatment facilities.
Chapter 4 Special Detailed Requirements Based on Use and Occupancy
403.1 An existing amendment is deleted that categorized as high-rises, buildings with occupied floors 35 feet above grade and no fire department vehicle access.
403.6.4 A Seattle amendment deletes new IBC provisions requiring high-rises have equipment for post-fire smoke removal. Seattle Fire Department’s tactics do not require this type of equipment.
Chapter 5 General Building Heights and Areas
508.4 The table that establishes the required fire separation between different occupancies in mixed use buildings is modified to increase the fire rating of the separations required between high- and moderate-hazard manufacturing and storage occupancies.
Chapter 7 Fire-resistance-rated Construction
701 An amendment is added that allows small, lightweight carports at single-family homes to be installed without fire-resistance ratings. These carports are commonly available from retail stores and are believed to pose extremely low hazard.
708.14 DPD and the Seattle Fire Department are modifying the current practice of requiring that all elevator hoistways in high-rise buildings have emergency pressurization systems. The 2009 SBC will allow elevator lobbies as an alternative.
Chapter 9 Fire Protection Systems
907.2.8 Provisions are added to require carbon monoxide detectors in residences as mandated by the 2009 State Legislature and the State Building Code Council.
Chapter 10 Means of Egress
1005.1 A new amendment establishes the minimum width for all points in the means of egress for locations where there is no door or corridor.
1005.1 Another new amendment modifies a change in the IBC that primarily affects high-rise residential buildings. A provision as removed from the IBC that allowed narrower corridors in sprinklered buildings. Several architects pointed out that the provision makes design of small footprint buildings difficult, and also that a modified version of the provision has been approved for the 2012 IBC. DPD is proposing an amendment to the 2009 code based on the language approved for the 2012 IBC.
1007, 1010 State amendments which were proposed by DPD, solves a practical problem with providing egress for persons with disabilities in parking ramps.
1009.13 An existing amendment is deleted that required stairways serving the top floor in 4 story buildings be provided with a roof hatch, in addition to one stairway with a rooftop penthouse. The 2009 IBC provisions require one stairway to the roof with a penthouse.
1011 A longstanding Seattle amendment requiring that exit signs be green is being deleted in favor of the national standards.
1021.2 An amendment excluding boarding houses from using Seattle’s single-exit building provisions.
Chapter 11 Accessibility
Note: All amendments to Chapter 11 are State Building Code amendments and are not detailed here. Local amendments are not permitted.
Chapter 12 Interior Environment
1208.2, 3404.1 An existing amendment allowing ceiling height in residences to be reduced to 7 feet instead of 7 feet 6 inches is limited to existing buildings.
Chapter 16 Structural Design
1601 A companion to the amendment in Section 701 allows small, lightweight carports at single-family homes to be installed without meeting strict structural standards.
1607 New amendments clarify structural standards for roof gardens and roof decks.
Chapter 29 Plumbing Fixtures
Note: All amendments to Chapter 29 are State Building Code amendments and are not detailed here. Chapter 29 is enforced by Public Health Seattle and King County.
Chapter 30 Elevators
3007 This section is revised to clarify the submittal requirements for elevator permits.
3016 Two energy conservation provisions are added establishing minimum efficiency for elevator car lighting and ventilation fans.
3017.5 An amendment to the national standard is added for firefighter safety. The national standard requires a lighted signal inside elevators cars when smoke is initially detected in the elevator’s lobby, hoistway or machine room. Seattle’s amendment requires the signal to remain on during the entire time the smoke is detected.
3020.1, 708 Amendments are added clarifying where hoistways are required to be enclosed, and where fire-rated enclosures are required.
3020.2 A new requirement for enclosed machine rooms for elevators in private residences is added.
3021.1 A new provision requires that elevator machine rooms have floors that cover area of the entire room.
Chapter 34 Existing Structures
The format of Chapter 34 is changed. In the past, Seattle has adopted a unique chapter for existing buildings. For the 2009 SBC, DPD is proposing to adopt the IBC chapter with amendments. Few substantive changes result, but code users will be able to see how the Seattle Code differs from other jurisdictions’.
3405 Provisions for repairs of damaged buildings are expanded to apply to repairs of damage from causes other than earthquake.