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Commission committee approves joint Memphis‑Shelby County updates to building and energy codes
Summary
Committee 5 approved three joint ordinances with the City of Memphis to adopt and amend national building standards and local amendments to align with recent state law changes affecting residential and multi‑unit construction.
Shelby County commissioners in Committee 5 voted to send three joint Memphis‑Shelby County ordinances forward with favorable recommendations to update local building and energy codes and to incorporate recent changes in state law.
The measures — adopting the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and amending the 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) and 2021 International Building Code (IBC) with local revisions — were presented as a package that responds to state statutory changes affecting single‑ and multi‑family construction and local amendment authority. John Zena of Planning and Development briefed commissioners that the items were intended “to conform with changes in state law” and specifically called out changes touching 3‑to‑6 unit residential buildings and related fire‑separation and sprinkler provisions.
Zena said the IBC/IRC amendments restore provisions for 3‑to‑6 unit buildings into the applicable building code and permit local amendments authorized by state law, including changes adopted in the 2024 state legislative session that affect fire‑separation requirements and multi‑story stair issues. Commissioners asked whether the changes would force retroactive work; Zena replied the rule applies to new construction and conversions, and the state change was intended to allow an alternative to sprinklers by requiring greater fire‑separation (for example, a two‑hour separation instead of sprinklering in some triplex/quadplex designs).
All three items were approved on second reading by the Memphis City Council prior to the committee votes. The committee recorded aye votes and sent the items down with favorable recommendations: the energy code item recorded aye votes from Commissioners Ford and Avant; the residential code amendment recorded four aye votes; and the building code amendment recorded five aye votes.
The ordinances move next for final adoption steps in the Commission/City process. Officials said the changes should reduce inconsistencies between the residential code, building code and the fire code and follow state law changes that take effect for new construction.
For context, Zena noted the City of Memphis had already approved the measures on second reading the night before the committee vote. Staff and council members said the local amendments are intended to preserve safety while giving designers and developers clear, state‑authorized local options.
The committee did not alter the substance of the measures; questions from commissioners focused on grandfathering and cost impacts for owners converting properties. Zena emphasized the measures apply to new construction or conversions and that some projects may avoid sprinkler systems by meeting the revised separation requirements.
