Denison staff outline plan to adopt 2024 building and fire codes; energy enforcement delayed until March 1, 2026

Denison City staff presented a package of proposed building and fire code updates to the City Council on Nov. 17, 2025, saying the city should adopt the 2024 International Code Council (ICC) codes with North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) amendments effective Jan. 1, 2026, and delay formal enforcement of the energy provisions until March 1 to allow a transition period for builders and permit applicants.

Kirk Kern, who introduced the proposal, said staff had met with local builders, designers and energy raters and received constructive feedback on the changes. "Building codes are the rules that make sure every structure in our city is safe to live in, work in or visit," Kern said, arguing the updates are intended to protect people from preventable hazards and to align Denison with neighboring North Texas municipalities.

Kern said Denison currently relies on the 2018 code editions, with the energy code still at the 2015 edition, leaving the city more than one code cycle behind. He told the council the adoption would restore access to current ICC certification testing for inspectors and protect the city’s Building Codes Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS) score, which can affect insurance premiums.

The p…