AGENDA #4c

memorandum

to:                  Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager

from:            Lance Norris, Director of Inspections

                        Dan Jones, Fire Chief

subject:      Enactment of the International Building and Fire Codes with North Carolina Amendments and to clarify the Fire Limits

date:            October 9, 2006

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to request Town Council to enact the attached ordinance to enact the following codes:

• 2006 North Carolina Administration and Enforcement Requirements Code
• 2006 North Carolina Building Code with applicable Appendixes
• 2006 North Carolina Fire Code with applicable Appendixes
• 2002 North Carolina Residential Code
• 2006 North Carolina Plumbing Code
• 2006 North Carolina Mechanical Code
• 2005 North Carolina Electrical Code
• 2006 North Carolina Fuel Gas Code
• 2006 North Carolina Energy Code
• 2005 North Carolina Electrical Code - National Fire Protection Association (NFiPA) -70
• North Carolina Accessibility Code 2002 Edition
• Volume 8 North Carolina Regulations for Modular Construction 1994 Edition
• North Carolina Regulations for Manufactured and Mobile Homes 1995 Edition with 1996 Amendments

Enactment of the ordinance would define the Fire Limits of the Town of Chapel Hill as referenced by General Statutes and applicable codes and ordinances

BACKGROUND

The 2003 International Building Code, Fire, Administrative and Enforcement, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Energy Code and 2005 Edition of the National Electrical Code (NFiPA -70) with North Carolina Amendments would replace the current 2002 International Building, Fire, Administrative and Enforcement, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Energy Code and 2002 Edition of the National Electrical Code (NFiPA -70) with North Carolina Amendments.  The State of North Carolina has already adopted the 2003 International Building Code(s) with North Carolina Amendments effective on December 31, 2006.

With the development and publication of the family of International Codes in 2000, the continued development and maintenance of the model codes individually promulgated by Building Officials and Code Administrators ("BOCA National Codes"), International Conference of Building Officials, ICBO (“Uniform Codes") and Southern Building Code Council International, SBCCI ("Standard Codes") was discontinued. The 2003 International Building Code, as well as its predecessor-the 2000 edition, is intended to be the successor building code to those codes previously developed by BOCA, ICBO and SBCCI.

DISCUSSION

We believe that the enactment of the new code will be beneficial.  Since code enforcement applies to the Town’s planning district, the new codes would be enforceable within the Town limits and in the extra-territorial jurisdiction, as is the existing code.

Fire Limits

The North Carolina General Statutes require an incorporated city to pass an ordinance defining the fire limits, which includes and identifies the central business portions of a city, also known as the primary fire district. There are fire and building codes, as well as local ordinances that may have restrictions that are specifically referenced in the respective codes. As for the Town of Chapel Hill, we are asking that we define our central business districts as Town Center Zoning Districts. Defining the fire limit clarifies our enforcement of building, fire and local codes or ordinances on Franklin Street, Rosemary, etc. for the safety of citizens and visitors, in preserving the downtown buildings, but first and foremost to protect lives and property.

RECOMMENDATION

That Town Council adopts the attached documents into the Town of Chapel Hill Ordinances as applicable.