Council adopts update to county building code, aligns with 2021 International Codes

Wicomico County Council unanimously approved Legislative Bill 2025-05 on May 6, 2025, to update the countys building construction code to the 2021 editions of the International Residential Code, International Building Code and International Energy Conservation Code.

County staff introduced the bill as an amendment to Chapter 117 of the Wicomico County Code, explaining that the county previously adopted the 2015 International Codes and that the update would adopt the 2021 codes and include provisions to streamline future promulgation so updates would not require repeated council action.

The council opened and closed a public hearing without public comment and then voted to approve the bill. The roll call recorded the final result beginning with members Joe, Josh, James, Jeff, Chaney and the chair each voting "aye," and the bill passed unanimously.

The measure revises the countys building construction code to reflect the 2021 model codes and changes the countys process for adopting future editions, per the text read into the record during the public hearing. The law will be recorded in the county code and take effect according to the councils normal ordinance timetable.

No public speakers addressed legislative bill 2025-05 during the hearing; the council took the action as a single-item vote on the evenings agenda.