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Commission advances building‑code changes that make school storm shelters optional in parts of Shelby County
Summary
On first reading commissioners advanced joint ordinances to amend the 2021 Memphis & Shelby County building code and existing building code to make storm shelters optional for educational buildings; staff said the change largely reflects state code amendments and financial impacts for smaller schools.
The Shelby County Commission voted on Oct. 6 to move forward with first‑reading ordinances amending the 2021 Memphis and Shelby County building codes to alter storm‑shelter requirements for educational buildings and to add optional middle‑scale housing construction provisions.
Rita Anderson, building official for Code Enforcement, explained the storm‑shelter requirement was adopted in the 2015 code and reconsidered during adoption of the 2021 code. The City of Memphis issued a moratorium in 2021, and the state later adopted the 2021 code with the storm‑shelter requirement removed. "This is not a code issue. It's a financial issue," Anderson told commissioners, adding that larger schools see less financial impact than smaller ones.
Commissioner Edmond Ford raised safety concerns and said he would be opposed on first reading without more information about student safety: "I don't want finances getting in the way of...safety for our youth," he said. Staff responded that the building advisory board reviewed the issue and that the proposed change reflects consultation with the city and state codes.
Commissioners also clarified jurisdictional reach: the county's ordinance would apply to unincorporated Shelby County and most municipalities except Bartlett and Collierville; the City of Memphis adopts its own code and had already approved first reading on its side.
Both ordinances (new and existing building code variants) moved to second reading after recorded votes (Item 16 recorded as 7 ayes, 1 no, 2 abstentions on one vote; Item 17 recorded as 8 ayes, 1 no, 2 abstain on the other). The commission said further committee-level conversations will continue before later readings.
What’s next: Additional committee discussion and subsequent readings are expected before any permanent change becomes law; staff indicated further analysis of fiscal impacts by school size will be available for commissioners prior to final action.
