new building code

[Seeb]

did the new code ever get past?

[Obie]

Last thing in the paper was they were still working on it.

[OpenD]

quote:

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Originally posted by Seeb

did the new code ever get past?

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Depends on what you mean by passed. Yes, it was passed by the State, 4 years ago. They then gave the County 3 years to implement it, which is overdue but still in process.

The sticking point is that the County wants to drop certain requirements of the standard IBC 2006 code the State adopted, BUT the State says they can only make BI rules more restrictive, not less restrictive.

The handwriting, however, is on the wall... the Wild West days are over.

[Seeb]

I think this http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2012/0...y-council/ gives a tiny glemer of hope that things might improve around here someday

[hereonearth]

The IBC (International Building Code) does not apply to single family dwellings or duplexes. This is covered by the IRC (International Residential Code). I saw no reference to the IRC when the County of Hawaii considered this Code change. I was told recently by an architect here on the island of Hawaii that you can't pass one code, without the other. Can someone clarify this?

[Kapohocat]

As of last Thursday when I was at Bldg Dept, the code had been accepted by the County Council and was on the Mayor's desk for signature.

[kjlpahoa]

quote:

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Originally posted by hereonearth

The IBC (International Building Code) does not apply to single family dwellings or duplexes. This is covered by the IRC (International Residential Code). I saw no reference to the IRC when the County of Hawaii considered this Code change. I was told recently by an architect here on the island of Hawaii that you can't pass one code, without the other. Can someone clarify this?

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When the IRC is not adopted, then the IBC applies to single family residents and duplexes The State does not mandate the adoption of the IRC so the County of Hawaii did not adopt it. They have referenced it in the Building code as a standard that can be followed but they did not give an edition so the reference is meaningless. The other Counties have adopted the IRC but Hawaii insists on being archaic and out of touch.

[Seeb]

It's an election year, make it an issue

[hereonearth]

Thanks Kjlpahoa for the information. I really don't understand why the County Council was even asked to make this decision. The code is THICK and the IBC would certainly have a lot of criteria that would not make sense in residential construction. Perhaps this is why, after so much testimony was heard, it appeared that most of them, couldn't absorb any of it. Also why so much of the code seems to be overkill and removes what we know works best here in Hawaii; it references commercial structures.

[OpenD]

quote:

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Originally posted by hereonearth

Thanks Kjlpahoa for the information. I really don't understand why the County Council was even asked to make this decision. The code is THICK and the IBC would certainly have a lot of criteria that would not make sense in residential construction.

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My theory is that since the counties used to be fairly autonomous re: Building codes... each county had its own standards... that when the state adopted this standard 4 years ago they gave the counties 3 years to consider any changes they wanted to incorporate, with the stipulation that the changes could only be made MORE restrictive, not less. IOW, it was just theater to ease the fact that the state was taking control.