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Howard County delays vote on 2024 building, plumbing and energy codes after public push for electrification

3081424 · April 21, 2025
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Summary

At an April legislative public hearing, county officials introduced updates to the 2024 model building, plumbing, property‑maintenance and fire codes but agreed to postpone final action after dozens of residents and professionals urged stronger electrification and other climate measures.

Howard County Council heard hours of testimony on proposed updates to local building, plumbing, property‑maintenance and fire prevention codes during its April legislative public hearing, but the council and administration agreed to delay final action and hold a work session in June to consider amendments, including electrification measures.

The county's director of inspections, licenses and permits, Bob Francis, told the council the packages before them are the standard triennial updates to the International Code Council and related standards. "My intent is and has always been, to adopt the codes with as few local amendments as possible," Francis said. The package includes the International Building Code, the International Residential Code, the International Mechanical Code, the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, the International Property Maintenance Code and the International Plumbing Code together with NFPA 54 (the National Fuel Gas Code).

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