Committee amends demolition definition to 50% threshold for Everett historic-structure ordinance

Everett City Council Committee on Legislative Affairs and Elections members amended and gave a favorable recommendation April 14, 2025, to an ordinance that would regulate demolition of historic structures by defining demolition as removal or destruction of 50% or more of a building.

Councilor Robert VanCampen presented the ordinance and said the remaining open question for the committee concerned "the definition of demolition in terms of ... what percentage of the building or structure was to be demolished." He said the committee had received email guidance from Palumbo (read into the record by John) referencing Chapter 9 of the IEBC and its treatment of level 3 alterations.

The email excerpt read into the record said that Chapter 9 of the International Existing Building Code (IEBC) treats level 3 alterations as applying "when the work impacts 50% or more of the aggregate area of the building," and contrasted level 1 and level 2 alterations. John read that the chapter "may also trigger safety" requirements such as upgrades to egress and other systems depending on scope and location.

Following that information, VanCampen proposed amending the definition of demolition to read: any act of "pulling down, destroying, removing, or raising 50% or more of a building" and that such work would require issuance of a demolition permit under the State Building Code. Councilor Smith asked to change the phrasing to "50% or more" so that a 50/50 case would fall under the rule; the committee accepted that edit. Councilor Marchese asked whether altering a building facade would count; the committee was told, consistent with the IEBC excerpt, that facade work that preserves appearance but repairs elements would typically be a level 2 alteration because it affects less than 50% of the building area.

A motion to amend the demolition definition as described was made, seconded and approved by voice vote; the committee then voted to forward the ordinance with a favorable recommendation to the full City Council.

The committee discussion cited Chapter 9 of the IEBC and the State Building Code as the technical references informing the chosen 50% threshold.

Next steps: the ordinance, as amended, will be considered by the full Everett City Council; the committee did not record a roll-call tally during its voice votes.