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SBCC committee advances Uniform Plumbing Code proposal package to council despite builder concern
Summary
A State Building Code Council committee voted to forward a package of Uniform Plumbing Code proposals, including one opposed by builders, to the council for public review and comment.
A committee of the State Building Code Council (SBCC) voted to forward the committee’s package of proposed Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) amendments to the council for further review and public comment.
The committee advanced the entire proposal log — the set of petitions the SBCC’s MVP tag reviewed and recommended for action — by voice vote after a motion by Ben Omura. The motion passed with no recorded opposition.
The move sends the bundle of UPC proposals to the full SBCC for the next stage of rulemaking and public review. Dustin (staff member) introduced the package as “the proposal log for the uniform plumbing code,” saying the MVP tag had reviewed the petitions and “made appropriate recommendations.” Ben Omura, the MVP tag chair, told the committee the tag’s reviews were “consensus votes without any dissenting votes.”
During the committee discussion, Patrick Hanks of the Building Industry Association of Washington raised concerns about a single petition identified as Proposal 005. Hanks said he had not raised the issue earlier and that after consulting builders “there’s concerns with that. The language deals with stopping the permitting process, but it's under the suspension or relocation section,” and that allowing a permit to be “pulled or paused” could cause construction delays.
Committee members asked whether a denial from a tag prevents a petition from reaching the council; Dustin explained a change in law between the 2021 and 2024 code cycles means a petition that a tag does not recommend cannot be forwarded to the council by the tag. He also explained the committee (MBPE) could amend proposals that the tag recommended, or deny proposals at the committee level, though the council may still consider items at the council stage.
Ben Omura moved to advance the whole package to the council “for further public review and comment,” and members voted in favor. Katie Sheehan confirmed that Proposal 005 would also be forwarded and “would get more public comment perhaps.”
The committee record shows the tag recommended adoption for many items and recommended denial for others; the committee advanced the tag-recommended package to the council, where public comment and further review will occur.
The committee took no further formal action on Proposal 005 during the meeting; the transcript records concern from industry representatives and confirms the petition will receive additional public review at the council level.
