Syracuse committee reviews local-law amendments to align with New York’s 2025 fire and building codes

Syracuse City staff told the Neighborhood Preservation, Homeless and Housing Committee on an informational agenda item that they have drafted local-law amendments to bring the city’s administration and enforcement rules into alignment with New York State’s updated 2025 uniform fire prevention and building code, which the state says takes effect Jan. 1.

The amendments largely add administrative language — for example, accepting electronic construction documents, requiring electronically sealed plans, allowing remote inspections, and listing specific items required for certificates of occupancy — so Syracuse can demonstrate to the state that it has the local laws needed to administer the state code. Deputy Commissioner Jake Dushaw said he had not yet completed advanced training on the new code and was presenting summary changes rather than the full 2025 code text.

Why it matters: the updates affect how the city processes permits, inspects work and verifies compliance on residential and commercial projects. Committee members raised concerns about public awareness, unpermitted work, and the fire-safety implications of proposed battery-storage facilities, and staff described the legal and procedural limits on what the city can require without additional approvals from the state.

Staff said the local amendments are intended primarily to add missing verbiage in the city’s existing local law (Local Law No. 5, 2011) so that Syracuse meets the state’s minimum administrative requirements. Examples staff cited include inserting a requirement for a written statement of energy-code compliance…