Planning Board unanimously recommends adoption of 2024 international building codes (Ordinance 8684)

The Boulder Planning Board on Jan. 28 voted unanimously to recommend that City Council adopt ordinance 8684, which updates the city’s Title 10 building and property maintenance regulations by adopting the 2024 International Codes with a limited set of local amendments. Planning staff briefed the board on key changes ranging from clarified property‑maintenance enforcement to updates that allow new refrigerants and altered minimum ceiling heights for certain habitable spaces.

Why it matters: The proposed update moves the city to the 2024 code series for the International Building Code and related model codes. Staff said adopting the newer codes with fewer local amendments simplifies regulation, aligns Boulder with surrounding jurisdictions, can reduce future insurance premium pressure and incorporates new safety and energy provisions developed at the national level.

Staff presentation and principal changes Rob Adrian, the City of Boulder’s chief building official, and colleagues presented the ordinance. Adrian said the update’s objectives included adopting the 2024 International Codes with minimal local amendments, using the city’s racial equity review instrument to vet impacts, and reducing code‑related construction costs where possible. He explained staff outreach (two public office‑hours sessions) and summarized substantive code changes, including: - Administrative and local‑amendment cleanup: broad removal of now‑redundant local amendments where the international model code already incorporates comparable provisions. - Property maintenance (IPMC): clarified expert/test report requirements and adjusted enforcement language; staff proposed aligning IPMC remedies with existing local administrative enforcement and civil‑penalty rules. - Mobile homes: removed legacy sections that duplicated state authority over foundation/tie‑down permitting and clarified that mobile homes are not appropriate for commercial use. - Electrical and safety changes: deletion of a locally unique amendment that required arc‑fault breakers on panel replacement (staff said removal avoids disproportionate cost increases that aren’t required by base national code). - Energy/building performance and appliances: updated allowances for new refrigerants (A2L and others) and new requirements for batteries and battery storage rooms; clarified carbon monoxide detection requirements tied to CO‑producing appliances. - Residential code relief: a notable change reduces the minimum habitable ceiling height from 7 feet to 6 feet 8 inches for some spaces, which staff said could allow more basements/attics to be finished for housing. - Fire code: new appendix adoption proposed (Appendix O) that allows valet trash in qualifying multifamily corridors; new sections address storage and manufacturing of lithium batteries and micro‑mobility charging/storage in commercial contexts.

Public comment and board discussion One public commenter, Lynn Siegel, expressed concerns about housing density and policy choices; staff and board members acknowledged the comment and noted the ordinance is a technical code adoption rather than a land‑use policy decision.

Board members asked technical questions about impacts to renters, whether previously denied permits might now be feasible with the new rules (for example, finishing basements under the lower ceiling standard), and about fire‑safety provisions for lithium‑ion battery storage and micromobility charging. Fire Marshal Dave Lowry clarified that water remains the primary extinguishing agent for many lithium‑ion battery fires and spoke to how sprinkler and storage requirements work in commercial contexts. Staff said additional outreach would follow before and after council consideration to explain practical impacts for homeowners and landlords.

Motion and vote Planning Board member Laura (last name not specified) moved that the Planning Board recommend City Council adopt ordinance 8684 amending Title 10 and adopting the 2024 International Codes covering property maintenance, building, electrical, fire, mechanical, fuel gas and plumbing. The motion was seconded (second not named in the record) and the board voted unanimously in favor: Claudia — yes; Kurt — yes; Mason — yes; Mark — yes; Laura — yes; Chair George — yes.

Next steps Staff said Ordinance 8684 will go to City Council for first reading on Feb. 6 and second reading on Feb. 20; if adopted, staff targeted an effective date of Aug. 1, 2025. Staff also noted the International Wildland‑Urban Interface Code adoption would be considered separately with additional outreach, given significant cost implications for some homeowners.