The Value of the

1
The Value of the Permit Process Robert Rice,
Josephine County Building Safety Director
2
Introduction/Welcome

• Personal Background
• 10 years in Construction/Destruction
• Returned to College AAS Manufacturing CAD/CAM -
  RCC
• 7 Years in Engineering Firm as a Drafter doing
  structural, mechanical, electrical plumbing
  plans using AutoCAD
• 3 Years w/ Engineering Firms as a Structural
  Designer
• 4 Years as Plans Examiner for Jo Co Building
  Safety
• Josephine County Building Safety Director since
  2007

3
Certifications

• State of Oregon A-level Plans Examiner
• State of Oregon Residential Plans Examiner
• State of Oregon Residential Inspector
• State of Oregon Post-Earthquake Evaluation
• State of Oregon Manuf. Dwelling Inspector
• State of Oregon Inspector Certification
• ICC Residential Inspector
• ICC Building Plans Examiner
• ICC Residential Plans Examiner
• ICC Building Official Legal / Administrative
• ICC Fire Plans Examiner

4
Other Related Interests/Involvement

• RCC Part Time Instructor
• AutoCAD, CADkey, DataCAD
• Blueprint Reading I II (10 years)
• President of the Southern Oregon Chapter of the
  International Code Council (ICC) representing 15
  jurisdictions in our region
• Actively Involved in code changes at the State
  and National level to help make better codes

5
Topics

• History of Building Codes
• Model Code Development
• Oregons Code Adoption Process
• Permitting Process
• Inspections
• Certificate of Occupancy

6

• The History of Building Codes

7
Babylonian Empire of Hammurabi

• Oldest know written code pertaining to building
  construction.
• Around 2000 B.C.
• However, it was more about prescribing punishment
  than how to build.

8
Building Code of Hammurabi

• Translations
• 228 If a builder has built a house for a man and
  his work is not strong, and if the house he has
  built falls in and kills the householder, that
  builder shall be slain.

9
Building Code of Hammurabi

• Translations
• 230 If the child of the householder be killed,
  the child of that builder shall be slain.
• 231 If the slave of the householder be killed,
  he shall give slave for slave to the householder

10
Building Code of Hammurabi

• Translations
• 232 If goods have been destroyed, he shall
  replace all that has been destroyed
• 233 If a builder has built a house for a man,
  and his work is not done properly and a wall
  shifts, then that builder shall make that wall
  good with his own silver

11
The earliest Modern Building codes were a
result of tragic catastrophes. Burning of Rome
64 A.D. The rebuilding of the city, public
and private, was closely monitored and
controlled.
12
London Fire 1866 5 days/nights 15,000
buildings destroyed Parliament enacted a
building code called London Building Act
13

• Chicago Fire - 1871
• 2 days/nights
• 17,000 buildings destroyed
• 250 lives lost
• 100,000 homeless due to fire
• 60 insurance companies went bankrupt

14

• Early controls in the United States
• Wooden chimneys were forbidden in New York as
  early as of 1648 and inspectors were appointed.
• Fire district created in 1766 where ..all
  buildings shall be made of stone or brick and
  roofed with tile or slate.

15

• Pre-1994 Legacy Code Groups
• BOCA (Northern and Eastern States)
• Building Officials and Code Administrators
  International, Inc.
• Established 1915
• ICBO (Western States)
• International Conference of Building Officials
• Established 1922
• SBCCI (Southern States)
• Southern Building Code Congress International,
  Inc. (SBCCI).
• Established 1940

16

• Since the early part of the last century, these
  nonprofit organizations developed the three
  separate sets of model codes used throughout the
  United States.

17

• Although regional code development has been
  effective and responsive to our countrys needs,
  the time came for a single set of codes.
• The nations three model code groups responded by
  merging into the International Code Council (ICC)
  and by developing codes without regional
  limitations known as the International Codes.

18
INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL
www.iccsafe.org

• The International Code Council (ICC) was
  established in 1994 as a nonprofit organization
  dedicated to developing a single set of
  comprehensive and coordinated national model
  construction codes.

19

• ICC Vision
• Protecting the health, safety, and welfare of
  people by creating better buildings and safer
  communities.

20

• ICC Mission
• Providing the highest quality codes,
• standards, products, and services for all
• concerned with the safety and performance
• of the built environment.

21
So, who are these people that actually writes the
codes?

22

• Lawmakers in
• Washington DC ?

23

• Lawmakers in
• Washington DC

24
INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL

• Code Development Process

25

• 13 ICC I-Codes
• Building
• International Building Code (IBC)
• International Residential Code (IRC)
• Fire
• International Fire Code (IFC)
• International Wildland Urban Interface Code
  (IWUIC)
• Plumbing and Mechanical
• International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC)
• International Mechanical Code (IMC)
• International Plumbing (IPC)
• International Private Sewage Disposal Code
  (IPSDC)

26

• 13 ICC I-Codes (cont)
• Existing Buildings
• International Existing Building Code (IEBC)
• International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC)
• Specialty
• International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)
• ICC Performance Code for Buildings and Facilities
  
• International Zoning Code (IZC)

27

• Characteristics of International Codes
• Each code is comprehensive
• All codes are coordinated and compatible with
  each other
• All codes are developed according to the same
  process in the same forum
• All codes reference consensus national standards

28
(No Transcript)
29

• Coordination of I-codes
• Defined scope of each code
• Interdependence and reliance on the entire family
  of codes - cross referencing and duplication of
  provisions within code scopes
• Issues resolved in a single and central public
  forum
• Single interpretation applies to all codes

30
Development Process Goal Utilize a process
open to all parties with safeguards to avoid
domination by proprietary interests. ICC
Governmental Consensus Process achieves this with
the final vote resting with those enforcing the
codes.
31

• The players
• Code officials
• Design professionals/consultants
• Trade associations
• Builders/contractors
• Manufacturers/suppliers
• Government agencies
• Property owner/maintenance groups
• Insurance companies
• Anyone with an interest

32
Gary Ehrlich National Home Builders Association
33
Kelly Cobeen, P.E. Cobeen and Associates, Inc
34
Professor Dan Dolan, P.E. S.E. University of
Washington
35
Ed Keith, P.E. American Plywood Association
36
Randy Shackleford, P.E. Simpson Strong-Tie
37
Robert Rice Building Official
38

• The Process
• Hearings are according to Roberts Rules of
  Order where motions are made, discussed and
  voted on.
• Open
• Transparent
• Balance of Interest
• Due Process
• Appeals Process
• Consensus

39
Code Changes Submitted
Code Changes Printed Distributed
Supplement Or New Edition Published
Code Development Hearing
I-CODE DEVELOPMENT CYCLE
Final Action Hearing
Public Hearing Results Printed Distributed
Public Comments Printed Distributed
Public Comments Sought on Public Hearing Results
40
(No Transcript)
41
Code Development Hearing

• 13 Code Committees. One for each code, except
• IBC 4 Subcommittees
• IFC IWUIC combined
• IPC IPSDC combined
• IPMC IZC combined
• IRC 2 Subcommittees
• Anyone can attend and testify. No cost to attend
  the hearings

42
Code Committees

• Materially affected interests represented
• Not less than 33 of each committee is to be
  regulators
• All meetings in public forum
• All actions and reasons for action published

43
Code Development Hearing(Speaking to the
Committee)

• Committee action
• Approval as Submitted (AS)
• Approval as Modified (AM)
• Disapproval (D)

44
Code Development Hearing(Speaking to the
Committee)

• Committee action
• Approval as Submitted (AS)
• Approval as Modified (AM)
• Disapproval (D)
• Assembly action
• All members of ICC can vote in response to
  committee action (e.g. Overturn committee action)
• Successful assembly action results in an
  automatic public comment

45
(No Transcript)
46
Public Comment Submittal

• Allows anyone to submit a comment (Public
  Comment) in response to the results of the Code
  Development Hearing

47
Public Comment Submittal

• Disagree with the committee action
• Disagree with the assembly action
• Propose revisions (modifications) to the code
  change. Further revisions proposed in legislative
  format.
• Public Comments are then published in the Final
  Action Agenda

48
(No Transcript)
49
Final Action Hearing(Speaking to the Assembly)

• Anyone can attend and testify. No cost to attend
  the hearings.
• Agenda
• Consent agenda Block vote on all code changes
  which did not receive a public comment or
  successful assembly action
• Individual Consideration Agenda Vote
  individually on each code change which received a
  public comment or successful assembly action

50
Final Action Hearing

• Final vote on whether or not to change the code
  rests with the Governmental Member
  Representatives those who enforce the code and
  are charged with the publics safety
• Open, fair and objective with no proprietary
  interest

51
Bill Bryant Moderator - ICC Staff
52
Final Action Hearing Assembly casts final votes
53
Final vote after support and opposition speakers
54
Results of Code Development

• First edition of full family of I-Codes in 2000
• Editions follow every 3 years after 2000
• Intervening Supplement between Editions

55
Conclusions

• The ICC remains dedicated to a single family of
  comprehensive and coordinated model codes. The
  ICC process allows all interests to participate
  in the code development process.

56
State of Oregon

• Prior to 1973 the State of Oregon had codes in
  place for
• Electrical
• Boilers
• Elevators
• Mobile Homes
• Plumbing (But, permits/insps not required)

57
State of Oregon

• Prior to 1973 some communities/cities had adopted
  other codes such as building and mechanical
• Unfortunately, this lead to the lack of
  uniformity across the state

58
State of Oregon

• In 1973 the state legislature passed a law
  requiring state-wide specialty codes for
  structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing,
  etc.
• A key concept of the legislation was state-wide
  uniformity

59
State of Oregon

• Building Codes Division is charged through
  Statute to adopt and implement codes to ensure
  safe buildings.

60
State Adoption Process

• Process starts with the appropriate model code
  (Typically an ICC code)
• Any interested person can submit a code change
  proposal that meets certain criteria defined in
  statute.
• The proposals are reviewed by committee.
• Any person can attend and testify.

61
State Adoption Process (Cont.)The Committee

• The committee is made up of industry
  representatives, Building Officials, Engineers
  and others.
• It serves the purpose of reviewing the proposed
  changes and adoption of each specialty code

62
State Adoption Process (Cont.)

• Committee makes recommendation to the appropriate
  board.
• Board reviews the proposal and sends
  recommendation to the Director of BCD for
  approval or denial.

63
State Adoption Process (Cont.)The Board

• The committee is made up of industry
  representatives, Building Officials, Engineers
  and others.
• The Board is permanent and serves the purpose of
  dealing with all the issues regarding each
  specialty code.

64

State Adoption Process (Cont.)The end result

State Code Changes
In the case of the residential code, the 2003 IRC
model code became our 2005 Oregon Residential
Specialty Code
65
Josephine County

• Through statute, local jurisdictions can
  establish a building safety department and assume
  the duties of administering the states codes
  locally.

66
Scope of the Residential Code

• R101.2 Scope. The provisions of the Oregon
  Residential Specialty Code shall apply to the
  construction, alteration, movement, enlargement,
  replacement, repair, equipment, use and
  occupancy, location, removal and demolition of
  detached one- and two-family dwellings .

67
Purpose of the Residential Code

• R101.3 Purpose. The purpose of this code is to
  provide minimum requirements to safeguard the
  public safety, health and general welfare through
  affordability, structural strength, means of
  egress facilities, stability, sanitation, light
  and ventilation, energy conservation and safety
  to life and property from fire and other hazards
  attributed to the built environment.

68

The Permitting Process Application for
permit Plan review when required Permit
issuance Inspections Certificate of Occupancy
(for new construction)

69
The Permit Process

• Permit Application
• Plan Review
• Inspections
• Certificate of
• Occupancy

70
Value-added service

• Upon completion of permit / inspection process
  there is assurance that the building meets the
  States minimum code

71
Permits and Inspections Required

• R108.4 Work commencing before permit issuance.
  Any person who commences any work on a building
  or structure before obtaining the necessary
  permits shall be subject to an investigation fee
  equal to the permit fee that shall be in addition
  to the required permit fees.

72
Permits and Inspections Required

• R109.1 Inspections. Construction or work for
  which a permit is required shall be subject to
  inspection by the building official and such
  construction or work shall remain accessible and
  exposed for inspection purposes until
  approved..It shall be the duty of the permit
  applicant to cause the work to remain accessible
  and exposed for inspection purposes. Neither the
  building official nor the jurisdiction shall be
  liable for expense entailed in the removal or
  replacement of any material required to allow
  inspection.

73
Work done without permits

• R109.4 Approval required. Work shall not be done
  beyond the point indicated in each successive
  inspection without first obtaining the approval
  of the building official.
• Any portions that do not comply shall be
  corrected and such portion shall not be covered
  or concealed until authorized by the building
  official.

74

• Procedures for work done without permits
• Provide a scaled floor plan drawing(s) to the
  Building Department for plan review the same as
  for new construction showing
• Walls, doors, windows, with dimensions and room
  name/use.
• Fire Life safety information such as smoke
  detectors, emergency escapes and rescue openings,
  stair riser heights tread depths, handrails,
  etc.
• After plan review, obtain the necessary permits.
• Correct/repair any items resulting from the plan
  review.
• Request inspections once the work is complete.

75

• Obtain a permit for the work and hire an Oregon
  licensed Plumber to inspect the plumbing system
  and correct any deficiencies. Once complete, the
  Plumber is to provide a letter to the Building
  Department stating that the work done complies
  with the applicable plumbing code.
• Obtain a permit and hire an Oregon licensed
  Electrician to inspect the electrical system and
  correct any deficiencies. Once complete, the
  Electrician is to provide a letter to the
  Building Department stating that the work done
  complies with the applicable electrical code.
• Note The steps outlined above are an attempt to
  primarily verify, to the extent possible, that
  fire and life-safety concerns comply with the
  states minimum code. Items not seen cannot be
  verified such as footing reinforcement, wall
  insulation/vapor barrier, framing, etc.
  Therefore, a certificate of occupancy will NOT
  be issued.

76
The project lacks Value when done without
permits / inspections
77

• Our challenge is to use the building code as a
  tool and not an impediment to the construction
  industry, to adopt appropriate codes and to
  facilitate the construction of buildings that are
  safe., Mark Long, Director Building Codes
  Division

78
(No Transcript)
79
(No Transcript)
80
(No Transcript)
81

• For additional information
• Oregon Building Codes Division
• www.cbs.state.or.us/external/bcd/
• International Code Council
• www.iccsafe.org
• Josephine County Building Safety
• www.co.josephine.or.us (Select Building Safety)
• Oregons Current Codes
• www.ecodes.biz