Planning commission recommends City Council adopt 2021 ICC codes and 2020 NEC with local amendments

The Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend City Council adopt the 2021 editions of the International Building Code, International Existing Building Code, International Fire Code, International Residential Code, International Mechanical Code, International Plumbing Code, International Fuel Gas Code, International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, International Property Maintenance Code, and the 2020 edition of the National Electric Code, all with local amendments.

City staff presented the package and noted the city currently uses 2015 editions of most codes. Senior staff and the city’s building and fire teams described several local amendments and said the proposed language largely mirrors regional practice, particularly the recent work in Corpus Christi, which many local contractors are already using.

Why it matters: Adopting updated model codes changes minimum construction and safety standards, can affect insurance calculations, and aligns Portland with regional building practice. Staff noted code updates can influence ISO ratings and insurance costs because newer-code construction can reduce structural and fire risk when buildings are constructed to current standards.

Details highlighted in the presentation

- Building code: Additions include type IV heavy timber provisions for tall wood buildings, clarified requirements for posting certificates of occupancy, and added flexibility for illuminated egress paths.

- Residential code: Added definitions for homeowner permits, clarified natural-gas service requirements, and updated provisions for backflow testing.

- Electrical code (NEC 2020): New safety provisions for one- and two-family dwellings, expanded ground-fault and arc-fault protection areas, and additional surge-protection requirements were noted.

- Fuel gas and pool codes: The fuel-gas amendments ban threaded bushings, increase minimum burial depths for gas piping from 12 to 18 inches locally, and prohibit certain spring-type gauges; the pool code adds splash-pad design safety standards and commercial pool construction fencing requirements.

- Fire code and local amendments: The fire-code updates include emergency-related provisions; staff said they consulted contractors at a developer roundtable and briefed City Council in a workshop prior to the hearing and received no fundamental objections from the contractor community.

Public process and contractor engagement

Staff said they held a developer roundtable and a City Council workshop to solicit feedback; attendees reported most area contractors are already using the updated codes because of work in neighboring jurisdictions. City staff also noted they posted the proposed local amendments on the city website for public review.

Action taken

The commission moved and seconded a recommendation that City Council adopt the adopted model code editions with the noted local amendments. The motion passed; the transcript records the motion, a second and that the motion passed but does not record a roll-call tally.

Ending note

City staff identified the city’s fire marshal, building official, permit technician, and senior planner as contributors to the package; staff said they are available to answer follow-up questions as Council considers the adoption ordinance.