PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County officials voted to update their local building codes, but those codes won’t go into effect for several months if they are adopted at all.
The Washington State Building Code Council updates its codes every three years, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 codes have still not been adopted by the state. The SBCC voted twice this year to delay the effective date for the new codes, most recently in September, to delay the effective date until March 15, 2024.
The Board of Jefferson County Commissioners voted unanimously Monday to update the county’s code to be in line with changes in the SBCC’s with some local exemptions, with changes going into effect once the state adopts its updated code.
However, 2024 is when the council will again update its code, and there’s a possibility the 2021 code updates might be skipped entirely.
“I got a little insider information that the State Building Code Council is going into a special session to engage in emergency rule-making to adopt the significant changes of the 2021 fire code, just the fire code, and implement them into the 2018 code in preparation for potentially skipping the ’21 code,” said Phil Cecere, Jefferson County fire marshal and building inspector.
The state building code states what requirements buildings must have in order to be permitted, and counties are allowed to make certain exemptions to accommodate local needs.
Commissioners first heard public feedback on the proposed changes earlier this month and had requested additional clarification on exemptions for agricultural buildings and minor construction. On Monday, commissioners approved amendments that clarified what kinds of agricultural construction do not require a building permit — such as water systems not connected to a septic system — and the financial threshold for what’s considered minor construction; currently $1,500 as set by the state building code.
Minor construction exemptions do not include projects where there is a life and safety component such as a connection to natural gas.
Josh Peters, the county’s Community Development director, said the county intends to publish a brochure to help explain building codes and when a building permit might or might not be needed.
The updated building codes outlined by the state are likely to increase the upfront cost of construction, meeting documents said.
“The state is determined to reduce the use of fossil fuels and increase the use of clean and efficient electrical energy,” documents said. “Increased upfront costs can be recouped through utility savings over the lifetime of projects.”
Updates to the Wildland Urban Interface could also result in additional costs due to newly mandated fire-resistant material requirements, which are seen by the state as necessary for fire prevention, documents said.
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Reporter Peter Segall can be reached at peter.segall@peninsuladailynews.com.
