Fernley council adopts 2024 building codes with Northern Nevada amendments

The Fernley City Council voted 3-0 to adopt Bill 360, an ordinance to adopt the 2024 International Code Council (ICC) code series, the 2023 National Electrical Code and the Northern Nevada chapter amendments. Building Official Charity Burkle described the adoption as routine for Northern Nevada jurisdictions and noted key local amendments drawn from a regional committee of industry and jurisdictional representatives.

Burkle highlighted several code changes included in the Northern Nevada package: updated seismic and rockery-wall design criteria reflecting local conditions, an amendment mirroring state increases in allowable children for certain group care dwellings, and the Northern Nevada chapter’s removal of a code provision that would have mandated rooftop power-generation retrofits for commercial structures. She said the Northern Nevada chapter also reduced continuous energy-monitoring requirements to desegregated end-use totals and that the governor’s Office of Energy participated in the amendment process.

Staff outlined the implementation timeline: a six-month grace period beginning July 14, 2025, during which permit applications can use either the 2018 or 2024 codes; beginning Jan. 14, 2026, only applications using the 2024 codes will be accepted. Council members discussed the potential to draft a local amendment if they later decide to require residential sprinkler systems for certain homes; Burkle said that possibility would require additional research and a local amendment to the adopted package.

The ordinance passed by a 3-0 council vote.