AgdaPkt 2005-03-28 - Laserfiche WebLink

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/' � — � LEAGUE URGES CITIES TO SUPPORT ICC BUILD[NG AND FIRE CODES WHY THE LEAGUE SUPPORTS THE ICC FOR CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE � The League strongly encourages aties to send letters to the Secretary of the State and Consumer The League believes that the process for Affairs Agency to support a recommendation by the selecting building codes should be objective Building Standards Commission Coordinating and focused upon providing the highest level Counal that Califomia adopt the Intemational of public safety in the most efficient manner Building Codes and Intemationaf Fire and Residen- possible for both the consumer and construc- fial Codes. (See "Why the League Supports the tion practitioners; and that the International ICC Building Code".) Building Codes best achieve these goals. Additionally, there are other substantive The Building Standards Commission Coordinat- reasons that form the basis far the League's ing Council made i1s recommendation to adopt the recommendation: ICC building and fire codes in a unanimous vote taken on Tuesday, March 8, in Sacramento, after • The ICC Building Code is the successor of also voting unanimously to reverse their July 29, the Uniform Bu'tlding Code, which California 2003, deasion to adopt the two building codes has used since 1927. Switching to the un- produced by the National Fire ProtecUon Assoaa- tested National Fire Protection Association tion for Califomia (NFPA 1 and NFPA 5000). (NFPA) 5000 code would cost cities hundreds of thousands of dollars to retrain fire and The coordinating counal held several public building officials, as well as architects, engi- hearings in early 2005 to address issues impeding neers and others complying with California the progress of adopting the NFPA 1 and 5000 fire and building requirements. Building Codes, and to hear key concems from local govemments regarding the recommendation of • Local governments will incur substantial adop6ng the NFPA codes for Califomia. costs in order to purchase and update the reference library required by adoption of the Along with fire chiefs, aty planners, building NFPA 5000 Building Code. offiaals, attomeys and many others, the League testified at a hearing held February 22 and strongly • The code selection and development recommended that the Commission adopt the process works best when it relies primarily Internafional Building and Fire Codes for Califomia. upon the expertise and independence of local and state code officials to make final Next Steps decisions. It is the League's view that the ICC code development process offers better The Building Standards Commission will meet on opportunifies for local government participa- March 16 to receive and take action on the recorrr tion than does the NFPA 5000 code. mendation of the Coordinating Counal. • Finally, a change to the new NFPA Model The League encourages cities to send Codes would take California out of sync with letters in support of the Coordinating surrounding states, and most of the United Council's decision to adopt the International States (43 states use the ICC International Building Codes and International Fire and Building Code and 32 states use the ICC Residential Codes for Califomia. Please send International Fire Code). support letters to: Fred P�quiar, Secretary, State and Consumer Services Agency Chair, Califomia Building Stan- dards Comrrission,2525 Natomas Park Drive, Suite 130, Sacramento, CA 95833. PAGE 4/PRlOR1TY FOCUS Visit the League's Official Web Site--www.cacities.org