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Westchester committee weighs ICC certification requirement after resident complaints about costs
Summary
Committee discussion on borough requirement that mechanical, plumbing and electrical contractors hold International Code Council (ICC) certification drew competing views from residents and committee members about safety, cost and local access to work. Staff was asked to report back with comparisons to other municipalities.
The Smart Growth Committee of the Westchester Borough Council discussed the boroughrequirement that contractors performing electrical, plumbing and mechanical work hold International Code Council (ICC) certification, after a resident raised concerns that the rule is keeping local contractors out of borough jobs and raising costs for homeowners.
Committee Chair Nicole Schimony opened the discussion, saying she had been told by a resident that some contractors who live near the borough cannot work in Westchester because they lack ICC certification. Sally Domenico, the boroughDirector of Building, Housing and Codes Enforcement, said the borough accepts ICC certifications or equivalent licenses from the City of Philadelphia and maintains a grandfathered list dating to February 2004 for some contractors.
Domenico and other proponents said the ICC certifications set a high safety standard and reflect the state-adopted codes the borough enforces. Committee member Bernie Flynn and another resident noted the ICC tests are rigorous and that the ICCprocess includes apprenticeship pathways intended to raise safety and workforce training standards.
Resident Tom Cropp, who said he has solicited quotes for a planned home addition, told the committee the ICC requirement had raised his projected trade costs substantially. Cropp presented vendor estimates showing ICC-certified bids several times higher than bids from long-standing local contractors he described as master tradespeople. Cropp asked the borough to consider allowing alternative safeguards such as additional inspections in lieu of the ICC requirement for single-family home work.
Committee members and staff did not adopt a change at the meeting. Council members asked staff to gather comparative information from the Chester County Consortium of Communities and other nearby municipalities about what licensing alternatives they accept and to return with recommendations at the next meeting.
The committee did not vote on an ordinance change during the session; members directed staff to research alternatives and present findings at a future meeting.
