Subcommittee backs 2024 Phoenix Building Construction Code; council directs more talks on elevator provision

PHOENIX — City staff and stakeholders on May 21 presented the proposed 2024 Phoenix Building Construction Code to the Transportation, Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittee and the panel voted to recommend the code to City Council, with a direction that staff continue working with the elevator industry on potential language changes to one elevator‑safety amendment.

Planning and Development Director Joshua Bednar introduced staff who led the 18‑month review and public outreach process. "We are happy to present our proposal for the adoption of the 2024 Phoenix Building Construction Code," Assistant Director Jason Blakely said, adding that staff notified more than 600 stakeholders and held Development Advisory Board and subcommittee meetings during the review.

Staff outlined substantive proposed changes: provisions to require conduit paths and a rough‑in box for future electric‑vehicle charging in one‑ and two‑family dwellings (consistent with the Transportation Electrification Action Plan), updated water‑efficient fixtures to meet EPA WaterSense standards, national code changes that enable limited use of mass timber, streamlined permitting for storage shipping containers and fence replacements, eased refrigerant‑line installation rules for multifamily housing, and updated fire‑separation and elevator evacuation measures. The staff memo set a proposed effective date of Aug. 1 and a council hearing date of June 18.

A major policy change under debate was the Inclusive Home Design Amendment. JJ Prosca, the acting building official, described the standard as including no‑step single entrances, minimum interior circulation widths (36 inches in most paths; 32 inches for doors), accessible operable part heights, hidden wall backing for future grab‑bar installations and a requirement that at least one restroom on the first floor provide minimum clear floor space. Staff said the amendment follows ordinances enacted earlier by Pima County and the city of Tucson.

The home‑builder industry registered concerns. "There are significant floor plans being built today in the city of Phoenix that are very popular and diverse floor plans that would not be permitted under this mandate," James Ashley of the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona told the committee and urged exemptions for existing standard plans. In contrast, disability advocates and aging‑advocacy groups strongly supported the inclusive design change: Daryl Christiansen said the amendment is a "low cost for high impact" change because accessible homes enable independence and may reduce institutional care costs, and Dana Marie Kennedy of AARP Arizona urged the council to "prioritize housing that is livable for everyone." Nicole Anderson, chair of the mayor's commission on disability issues, described personal experience asking a builder to include wider doorways and a zero‑threshold entrance.

Industry witnesses and elevator manufacturers raised objections to a separate proposed amendment to the ASME A17.1 elevator code (section 2.7.5.11). Staff explained the amendment intends to clarify that language about preventing "unexpected vertical car movement" applies to "any work" performed on top of an elevator car, replacing the phrase "maintenance or inspection" because of inconsistent interpretations in litigation elsewhere. Safety‑industry witnesses asked for further review. Billy Taylor of the National Elevator Industry trade association and Lawrence Taylor of Schindler said language changes could inadvertently bar technological designs that safely mitigate movement; Schindler representatives reported their installed intelligent systems have not produced incidents and asked for more stakeholder review.

After public testimony and council questions, Councilwoman Stark moved to recommend approval of the 2024 code per the department memo and directed staff to continue working with the elevator industry on potential modifications to the ASME A17.1 amendment; another councilmember seconded the motion. The subcommittee recorded a unanimous vote in favor of the recommendation to council.

The staff packet and presentation propose a grace period and grandfathering for certain projects: standard residential subdivision plans that received preliminary site plan approval prior to adoption may be exempt, and projects that have begun development processes may elect to submit under the prior (2018) code. Staff said requests for code interpretations or code modifications will remain available to permit equipment‑specific approvals for elevator systems that demonstrate compliance with the intent of the safety provisions.

The subcommittee vote forwards the package to City Council for consideration on June 18 with a proposed effective date of Aug. 1, 2025.