Lewis County codes office: 2026 state code will bar fossil fuels in new buildings, raise snow-load and engineering requirements

Jonathan Rose, representing the Lewis County codes office, briefed the General Services Committee on pending New York State 2026 building-code updates and on local permit trends, saying the new rules will prohibit fossil‑fuel systems in most new construction and raise structural snow‑load requirements that are likely to require stamped engineering for many projects.

Rose said the codes office issued 244 building permits and 94 zoning permits from July through Sept. 30, collecting $54,940 in fees and recording roughly $16 million in construction valuation on permit applications. He said office staffing remains short and that new hires typically require six to nine months before they are certified and able to perform full duties.

Why this matters: The code changes will affect routine residential and small commercial projects across Lewis County, increasing the technical threshold for approvals and the volume of work for county inspectors. That may push some property owners to build without permits and will enlarge the county's inspection workload for short‑term rentals, officials said.

Rose said the two items most discussed publicly are the state prohibition on fossil fuels in new buildings and higher snow‑load classifications. "So no more propane, natural gas, fuel oil…" Rose said, describing the policy as "no fossil fuels" for new construction. He said the rule applies to new, fully constructed buildings and not to renovations or additions to existing structures.

On structural requirements, Rose said the state and the International Code Council calculations will put Lewis County properties into snow‑load classifications above the historic threshold that local officers are authorized to approve. "The highest the code book allows us as officers to go is 70 pounds snow load," he said. "There won't be a property in Lewis County anymore that's 70 pounds…We're not designers, but we can't legally give those design answers — that responsibility is being pushed to engineers."

Rose warned that raising the threshold of design and engineering required to obtain a permit could increase the incidence of unpermitted construction. "We're seeing more and more of it and we're just not really sure how to combat it," he said, adding that the office sends violation letters and receives responses in many cases but cannot follow up on every complaint because of staffing limits.

He also highlighted a rise in property‑maintenance complaints and in rodent infestations this summer. "We have four cases currently open," he said, noting that multiple complaints clustered in one village are often counted as a single case even though they require many field visits. Rose identified food sources such as bird feeders and stored animal feed as recurring contributors.

Rose said the state short‑term rental registry law will require code inspections prior to operating an Airbnb and that the county will be responsible for those inspections when the registry becomes active. He said the new registry "is going to have a significant workload as well."

Committee members asked whether wood heat is allowed under the new rule; Rose replied that wood heat and pellet stoves remain allowed because the code definition of "fossil fuel" pertains to petroleum‑based fuels, natural gas and coal. He declined to forecast insurance premium impacts, saying he could not answer whether stricter structural standards will lead to lower premiums.

The codes office asked the committee for guidance and outreach support and said it will begin handling in‑person visits by appointment to reduce disruptions and to allow more proactive work. Rose said the office is open to suggestions on how to incentivize property owners to maintain properties rather than to rely solely on enforcement.

Rose concluded by asking for the committee's input on reporting preferences and outreach strategies; he said his staff will share permit summaries by municipality on request and that the office seeks to be a partner to homeowners, contractors and investors in Lewis County.

For follow up: Rose said the office will return with information and asked the committee for any direction or feedback they wish to provide.