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In an ongoing effort to update and improve county services, the Navajo County Board of Supervisors approved the resolution amending the Navajo County Addenda and Additions to the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) and the 2015 International Residential Code (IRC) at the Dec. 11 meeting.
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Public Works Director John Osgood presented the motion to the board, stating, “The results of last year’s audit based on the Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS) survey in September of 2017, recommended a regression from Class 5 rating to Class 10 for commercial and industrial property; and from Class 6 to Class 10 for one and two family residential properties.”
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The BCEGS scale rates communities on the effectiveness of their building codes with one being the best and 10 being non-compliant. Osgood went on to say that for new build properties to get full credit for insurance discounts the adopted code edition can be no more than five years old. Currently, Navajo County is working with the adopted 2003 version of the IBC and IRC.
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The main objectives in updating the code are to protect the public, to reduce loss of life, to minimize the risk of property loss and to reduce economic and social disruption that result from natural catastrophes as well as assuring structures built in Navajo County will be constructed to current industry standards while maintain a rating in the 4-7 range for the highest insurance discount possible for new properties builds.
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Osgood went on to say, “We can get full credit for adopted codes when the adopted code addition is no more than five years old. The best way to improve our scores is through the adoption of the code addition.”
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With the need to bring the county back into compliance Osgood assembled a team that included Robert Douglas, chief building inspector, Donald Perkins, senior building inspector and Ricky Denton, building department manager and highway maintenance manager, along with the input of Bill Bess, county engineer and assistant public works director, and Sandy Phillips, assistant county engineer and flood control manager.
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In November and December of last year, the public works team conducted public meetings in Heber and Show Low to get the input of the building professionals throughout the county.
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Osgood said, “These discussions continued throughout the year, the building community knew these changes were coming. In November of this year, we sent out a final draft to 80 or more building professionals for comment. In general there has not been much resistance to the county’s intent to modernize the code.”
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Perkins said, “It also enhances the contractors and communities ability to expand into the current building technology, like solar. It enables them to catch up to the technology of today.” Denton added, “Some things are more relaxed, which saves money.”
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Among the safety issues addressed within the code are the addition of carbon monoxide detectors due to the more prevalent use of gas and other fuels for heating.
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Vice Chairwoman Dawnafe Whitesinger asked how this would impact building projects that were already in process.
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Osgood said, “We have put the effective date for June 11, 2019, to give a six-month transition period to the building community and industry professionals.”
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Denton added, “The existing permits will be under the 2003 Code, but moving forward from today, the permits will be for the 2015 code.”
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Osgood further noted, “We don’t want to play gotcha with the community. This will be fluid for the next month or so while we figure out a reasonable period for transitioning on current projects.”
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Douglas commented, “The State of Arizona is on the 2012 IBC and IRC, so we will be above those standards now with the 2015 codes.”
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The board unanimously approved the resolution.
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