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Council adopts updated building codes with phased implementation to align fire-code changes

Dripping Springs City Council · December 17, 2025

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Summary

Council approved an ordinance adopting the 2024 ICC building codes with local amendments drawn from NCTCOG, directed staff to phase implementation to July 1 to align with pending fire-code adoption, and asked staff to return with the fire-code ordinance.

The City Council voted to adopt updated building construction codes (the 2024 International Code Council cycle as recommended by staff) and directed staff to phase implementation with a July 1 effective date so the city can align building-code changes with forthcoming fire-code adoption.

Shane PBhouse, the city’s building official, told council the city’s last code adoption was in December 2019 (the 2018 ICC series) and that updating the codes improves the Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS) score used by ISO for insurance evaluations. PBhouse said proposed local amendments were reviewed by a committee and drawn from North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) recommended amendments tailored to local needs.

PBhouse also described changes needed to reflect new state provisions that allow third‑party review and inspection for residential generators, solar systems and energy storage systems; the draft ordinance adds language describing who may conduct third‑party plan review and the documentation required. PBhouse said staff preferred an earlier (April 1) adoption to facilitate BCEGS scheduling, but several council members raised concerns about the potential impact on large, in‑process projects and asked for a July 1 implementation to allow the fire-code update to be considered alongside the building-code changes.

Dylan, a fire department representative, told council that, from the fire-code perspective, the updates are not expected to introduce major changes for typical local projects beyond some spacing and electric-vehicle-related provisions. Council directed staff to return with a revised ordinance that incorporates the '24 code updates and to bring the fire-code item for coordinated adoption.

Ending: Council adopted the ordinance with direction for a July 1 implementation and asked staff to bring the fire-code ordinance back for coordinated consideration; the ordinance adoption carried on the council vote.