Iowa City panel recommends 2024 building and fire codes to council, adds local amendments

Iowa City staff and officials recommended that the City Council adopt the 2024 editions of the International Building Code and International Fire Code, with local amendments, after a detailed review of proposed changes that the panel approved to send forward.

Tim (staff) led the building-code discussion, noting the three-year model for code updates and highlighting key proposed amendments: removal of a required self-closing mechanism on house-to-garage doors, retention of window-guard requirements in certain low-window situations, reinstating a requirement for interconnected smoke alarms where technology now permits wireless interconnection, deletion of mandatory residential sprinklers from the International Residential Code (IRC) and adoption of certain appendices such as the radon-control passive system (Appendix). Tim said Eastern Iowa jurisdictions commonly adopt the radon appendix because Iowa has higher radon risk.

Troy Roth, Iowa City Fire Marshal, presented the fire-code items. Roth flagged new provisions to regulate charging and storage of micro-mobility devices (e-bikes and scooters) in multiunit buildings to reduce fire risk, a modification to allow NFPA 13R residential sprinkler systems for more four-story apartment buildings based on a 45-foot height clarification, backflow-prevention and metering language for sprinkler systems to help detect hidden leaks and protect the municipal potable-water supply, and a new Appendix O to permit regulated valet-trash practices in apartment hallways under time/containment limits. Roth also described a local amendment to set allowed hours for permitted outdoor recreational fire pits from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Panel members asked how retrofits would be enforced where permits are not required and discussed practical enforcement limits; staff noted Appendix B.O (Existing Buildings and Structures) includes leniency for certain retrofits and that building-permit triggers remain the primary enforcement mechanism. A resident (Tom) said he installed a radon fan after a passive system measured high levels; Tim said a fan retrofit cost about $250 to install and test in that example.

The panel moved, seconded and voted unanimously to recommend the council adopt the amended 2024 building code and then to recommend the council adopt the amended 2024 fire code. Both motions carried with no recorded opposing votes in the meeting transcript. The recommendations will be forwarded to City Council for final action.