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Lancaster County adopts updated building codes and revises electrical/mechanical fees
Summary
Lancaster County formally adopted the 2021 and 2023 model building codes used by the City of Lincoln and approved updated electrical and mechanical fee schedules; county officials said residents and contractors should see no immediate changes because the County has been administratively applying the standards under an interlocal agreement.
The Lancaster County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on June 16 to adopt a package of updated building codes and to approve a revised electrical and mechanical fee schedule.
David Cary, Planning Director, told the Board that the County has already been applying the 2021 International Residential Code and related 2021 model codes, the 2023 National Electrical Code and the 2018 International Energy Code under the City-County interlocal agreement with the City of Lincoln, and recommended formal adoption to align County records with existing practice. ‘‘Under the City-County interlocal agreement, the County is required to adopt the same building codes,’’ Cary said during the public hearing.
Commissioner Matt Schulte asked whether contractors or residents would experience practical changes; Cary replied that users should see no change because the standards have been applied administratively. Cary also explained that fees are intended to cover both plan review and inspection work.
The Board adopted separate resolutions for each code: the 2021 International Residential Code; the 2021 International Building Code; the 2021 International Existing Building Code; the 2021 International Mechanical Code; the 2021 International Fuel Gas Code; the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code; the 2023 National Electrical Code; and the 2018 International Energy Code. The Board also adopted an updated mechanical and electrical fee schedule prepared to accompany the code updates. All motions carried 4–0, with Vice Chair Chelsea Johnson absent.
The county’s staff noted the fee revisions were reviewed by trade task forces and that some fees were reduced; staff said permit and inspection operations remain expected to be self-supporting despite reductions. The Planning Department is transitioning its permitting system to a cloud-based Acela platform, which staff said contributed to timing of the fee updates.
Next steps: the adopted resolutions update County records and clarify enforcement authority; the Board scheduled no additional hearings on the codes. County staff will implement the fee schedule and the Planning Department will continue processing permits under the newly adopted rules.
