Mesa staff outline broad building and fire code updates; effective roughly 30 days after adoption
Summary
Staff described a package of building-code updates (items 11 a–j) and fire code (12a) to align Mesa with International Code Council cycles; staff said changes follow stakeholder engagement and generally take effect about 30 days after adoption, with protections for projects already permitted.
City staff presented a comprehensive set of code updates at the Dec. 8 study session intended to bring Mesa into alignment with the International Code Council cycle and to adopt the 2024 code elements.
Staff said the updates cover the building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire code families and include limited local amendments. The updates reflect stakeholder engagement with the development community and neighborhood meetings, and staff described the package as intended to standardize rules across jurisdictions to reduce development friction.
A staff speaker said the changes typically take effect about 30 days after adoption and would not apply retroactively to projects that have already applied for a permit. Staff also noted benefits to the city's ISO (Insurance Services Office) rating and that the fire department plans to undergo evaluation in January.
Council members asked whether the updates would stifle development; staff and others said the intent is the opposite — to provide consistency that helps developers move projects forward. No final council action was recorded in the study session.
