Prescott staff present 2024 building and fire code amendments; council set to consider Nov. 18 vote

Prescott City staff presented a combined package of proposed amendments to the city's building and fire codes at the Nov. 4 study session, seeking regional uniformity and fewer local amendments while adopting the 2024 model code family and the 2023 National Electrical Code. Staff said a tentative council vote on the package is scheduled for Nov. 18, 2025, and that several items will require additional stakeholder review before final adoption.

Doug Stowarski, Prescott's chief building official, said the proposal covers the 2024 editions of the International Building Code family (building, existing building, fuel gas, mechanical, plumbing and residential) and the 2023 National Electrical Code. He said the one exception is the energy code, which staff recommend remain at the 2012 edition so Prescott aligns with other regional jurisdictions and to avoid greater immediate costs for builders.

Stowarski described a multi-jurisdictional review process with Sedona, Cottonwood, Camp Verde, Dewey-Humboldt, Prescott Valley and Yavapai County, and said the goal was to reduce bespoke local amendments. "We worked hard to try to eliminate some of that," he said, noting meetings with the Yavapai County Contractors Association (YCCA), community outreach events and endorsements from the Building Safety Advisory Board.

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