Elko council initiates adoption of 2024 fire and building codes and moves to update permit fees

On Oct. 14 the Elko City Council voted to initiate the formal process to adopt the 2024 International Fire Code and the 2024 International Building Code and to initiate business impact statements under the cited Nevada statutes.

Staff said the primary code changes of local interest concern lithium‑ion battery storage and manufacturing, structural updates and accessibility standards. Chris Kimball (presenter) and city building staff urged council members to review the large packet and noted staff will mail proposed‑rule notifications to businesses and trade associations so they may comment during the 15‑business‑day response period.

Fees: Council also reviewed a proposed resolution to update building valuation tables and several permit fees. Staff proposed aligning the city’s valuation tables with the International Code Council (ICC) data so valuation‑based fees update automatically, and recommended changes including a minimum permit fee of $47, a processing fee of $40 for sign/demo/miscellaneous permits, and an hourly inspection rate of $100. Staff said some permit fees have not been updated since 2009 and that the valuation table had not been updated for about 16 years.

Council action and next steps: The council voted to initiate adoption of the 2024 codes and to begin business impact statements for both the fire and building code changes, and it voted to pursue the proposed building valuation and permit fee updates and initiate the business impact statement process. Staff will mail the proposed‑rule notifications, accept comments, and return with any business impact statements and ordinance drafts for future council consideration.

Public outreach: Staff said QR codes and packet materials will be distributed so business owners and the public can review proposed changes and supporting documents before the council considers final adoption.