Webster Groves starts public review to update building codes to 2021 cycle

City staff told council they will begin a public 90‑day display and stakeholder outreach as part of a building‑code update to adopt the 2021 family of technical codes and the 2020 National Electric Code. Deputy City Manager Bookless said much of the city’s prior local amendments are now incorporated into the national codebooks and that staff has reduced and reorganized amendments to make the code easier to use.

Why it matters: Updating from the 2015 code will affect designers, contractors and inspections processes; it also allows the city to include provisions such as EV‑charger readiness and to align local amendments with modern construction and safety standards. Staff noted insurance‑rating and inspection implications for falling too far behind current code cycles.

Process and outreach: The city will post draft amendments in the city clerk’s office and planning office, hold work sessions to highlight substantive changes (for example, contractor licensing and energy‑efficiency updates), expect feedback from the Home Builders Association, realtors, trades and unions, and consider an open house to present the final draft to the public. Staff said they plan iterative work sessions rather than a line‑by‑line presentation at a single meeting.

Next steps: Staff will make the draft amendments available for public review starting tomorrow (90‑day display) and will bring focused work‑session items back to council along the way. The city plans to move forward without waiting on county code updates, which remain on an older cycle.