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Tacoma proponent’s visibility/accessible-housing appendix fails after cost and scope concerns
Summary
The IRC tag on Aug. 28 declined to move forward with a proposed optional “visibility” appendix from the city of Tacoma that would have encouraged minimal accessible units (type C). Members raised questions about applicability, enforcement discretion for building officials, and potential cost impacts; the motion to not move the proposal forward was
At the Aug. 28 meeting of the IRC tag, the group voted to not advance an optional “visibility” appendix proposed by the city of Tacoma that would have given jurisdictions a model to require a small number of minimally accessible (type C) dwelling units on multi-unit sites.
The proposal was presented by Lucas Shattuck, client examiner for the city of Tacoma, who said the draft was intended as “a tool in the toolbox” for jurisdictions that want to increase access and equity in housing and that it principally adopts existing, minimal type C provisions from ICC model material. Shattuck said the appendix includes multiple exceptions intended to reduce the cost impact on builders, such as exemptions where steep topography, flood-hazard elevation requirements, or certain townhouse/garage configurations make an exterior circulation path impractical.
Tag members said the exceptions and the proposal’s scope left too many open questions about when the requirement would apply and how building officials would exercise discretion.
Why it matters: The appendix was framed…
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