City commissioners table vote on updated building codes

Vice Mayor James Meier and Commissioner Henry Schwaller

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Hays city commissioners tabled a vote Thursday night, deciding they needed more time to review proposed updates to several building codes.

“Others have had two years to look at it. We’ve had a week,” said City Commissioner Henry Schwaller as he explained why he planned to vote no.

“If we have the inevitable conversation in a grocery store or Heartland Building Center with a contractor about why did you guys pass this, I’ll have no idea what I passed,” Schwaller said. “I would like to know what’s in the new codes.”

City of Hays staff as well as the Building Trades Board is recommending adoption of several updated building codes, according to Jesse Rohr, Hays Planning, Inspection and Enforcement Supervisor.

The proposal updates the 2006 versions of the codes to the 2015 codes and includes the Building Code (IBC), Residential Code (IRC), Fire Code, (IFC), Existing Building Code (IEBC), and the Property Maintenance Code (IPMC). Also included is the 2014 National Electrical Code (NEC) which is being updated from the 2005 version. The changes are reflected in 2015 International Building Codes under the International Code Council.

Rohr said city staff has had several meetings the past 18 to 24 months with the Building Trades Board and local licensed contractors discussing the changes in-depth.

Commissioner Lance Jones suggested a joint meeting with the Trades Board. The other commissioners didn’t think that was necessary.

“I have no intention to micromanage,” Commissioner Sandy Jacobs said, “but I think we all need a comfort level that I’m not feeling in the group right now.”

Rohr told Mayor Shaun Musil there would be no impact in delaying the proposal vote by a month.

“Why don’t you let us send out the Cliff Notes version of the codes to start with,” suggested Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty. Rohr told commissioners he would also send them online links to the information. The current codes are available on the city’s website.

“I think that’s good,” agreed Vice-Mayor James Meier. “When we adopted the Unified Development Code, that was available online and we had it several months ahead of time so that we had the opportunity to look through it.”