Mayor’s Task Force On Adoption of 2006 I-Codes

 The following issues were discussed by Mayor DiTullio and Ken Johnstone on November 20, 2009 with Steve Thomas of Colorado Code Consulting (CCC).  Issues were presented to a task force appointed by the Mayor on January 12,  Task force discussed each issue and voted on a recommendation to be presented to City Council.

What is the purpose of the planning permits issued by the community development department? Are these permits necessary? Recommendation – Eliminate the proposed requirement for planning permits and transfer enforcement over to a complaint basis or observation by code enforcement personnel.

Permits were not required for replacing siding on a existing home in the past. They are now required. What is the purpose of the permits and are they necessary? Recommendation – Exempt replacement of exterior siding for the purpose of maintenance from a permit when the amount of siding being replaced is less than 35% of the wall area for each type of material and the work does not include the relocation of electrical or gas utilities. – Code Amendment

Permits were not required for window replacements in a home in the past. They are now required. What is the purpose of the permits and are they necessary? Recommendation – Amend the code to exempt window replacements from a permit as long as the size of the window does not change and the window is not an emergency escape and rescue opening.– Code amendment

Can the building code be amended to provide a higher number of occupants that can be provided with a single toilet room? Recommendation – Amend the code to increase the number of occupants needed before separate sex toilet facilities are required (see new proposed chart).

 Should ice-dam protection be required in Wheat Ridge?  Recommendation  Maintain current code requirement to require the ice-barrier.  Include language not requiring ice-barrier over unheated areas.

 Is it necessary to do multiple inspections on roof replacement projects?  Recommendation  Revise the policy to only require a final inspection of the roof system.

What should the policy/code regarding the egress opening requirements for the replacement of windows be? Recommendation – Maintain the current policy regarding egress window installations & codify the requirement.

 Should furnace efficiency ratings be required?  Recommendation  Maintain the current policy that high-efficiency appliances are not required.

Are there ways to limit the number of inspections conducted on existing multi-family buildings and still ensure compliance with the city’s housing code? Recommendation – Support and continue the suspension of the proactive enforcement of the International Property Maintenance Code pending further research and discussions.

What type of fee schedule could be adopted for multiple inspections of existing multi-family buildings Recommendation – Support and continue the suspension on the proactive enforcement of the International Property Maintenance Code pending further research and discussions.

Are there ways to address multi-family building owners to do maintenance work without having to hire a licensed contractor? Recommendation – Revise the contractor license ordinance to allow owners of multi-family buildings to do work on their own buildings without requiring the owner to be a licensed contractor. All work that requires a permit would still require the permits to be pulled.

 What is the purpose of contractor license insurance requirements and are they necessary?  Recommendation  Amend the contractor license regulations to eliminate the requirement for insurance.

How does the proposed fee schedule compare to the building division assessment done earlier this year? Recommendation – Adopt the fee schedule (base fee of $23.50) proposed by the staff for permits and plan reviews with the deletion of planning permits (Slide #3).

Is the current fee schedule for flood plain reviews reasonable? Recommendation - Revise the fee schedule for flood plain permit to reflect the time needed for reviewing submittals with a cap of $300 for Class I Exemptions – Non-human buildings and $840 for human occupancy.

Is there a policy on the issuance of stop work orders; or should there be? Recommendation – Develop a written policy regarding the issuance of stop work orders.

Are there additional diagrams and/or handouts that can be distributed to help homeowners understand the code better? Recommendation – Maintain the current building guides. – Provide a link on the City website to the CCICC page to download the handouts.

 Is the building division perceived as a revenue generating department; or should it be a break-even operation?  Recommendation  Maintain the proposed permit fee schedule (Slide #15).

 What should the policy regarding ladders be for roof inspections?  Recommendation  Maintain policy that the contractor must provide a ladder & consider a call- ahead program for roof inspections.

 Is there a more reasonable standard for ventilation requirements in the IMC?  Recommendation  Amend the 2006 IMC to include the ventilation rates of the 2009 IMC.

 Is there a difference between general permits and specific trade permits?  Recommendation  Maintain the current General Permit Policy.

Should there be a written policy regarding how changes to plans are handled by the building division? Recommendation – Develop a written policy regarding changes to approved drawings. Minor changes may be approved in field. Major changes must be submitted to building division.