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Mount Pleasant adopts 2024 International Codes and 2023 NEC to protect safety, improve ISO rating
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Summary
The City Council unanimously adopted the 2024 International Building Code suite (with local amendments) and the 2023 National Electric Code on Feb. 3, citing improved safety and benefits to the city's ISO/BCEGS insurance grading.
The Mount Pleasant City Council on Feb. 3 voted unanimously to adopt a package of updated building and fire codes — the 2024 editions of the International Building Code suite with local amendments and the 2023 National Electric Code — after a public hearing and staff presentation.
Building official John explained the adoption is designed to protect "health, safety and general welfare" and to keep the city within five years of the most current codes so the city's Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS) and ISO rating are not penalized. He told council that being current with the codes contributes to lower insurance rates for homeowners: "If you're a rating of 1 to 2, it's about a 15 to 25% reduction in premiums..." He said Mount Pleasant's previous adoption (2018) left the city at risk of a lower rating and that inspectors, plan-review staff and documentation influence the grading.
John highlighted two of the significant changes in the 2024 codes: a required exterior emergency disconnect for residential properties (driven by rooftop solar installations that can feed power back into lines during outages) and a new requirement for tracer wire on sewer lines (previously required only on gas pipelines). Staff said most local electricians and the utility provider are already aware of the disconnect requirement and that the change will be phased in after adoption.
Council opened and closed the public hearing during the meeting and voted to adopt Ordinance 2026-2 with the local amendments presented. Several council members said the changes support development while protecting residents: "We want development friendly... but we want to make sure that development is safe and adds quality of life," a council member said.
The adoption also reorganizes Chapter 150 (building regulations) to make codes and their local amendments easier for contractors and plan reviewers to find and aligns the city's codes with state and national standards where appropriate. Staff said they will provide additional guidance to contractors about the new provisions and noted an upcoming ISO review.
