(Riverton, WY) – Proposed ordinance 22-002 failed the second of three readings on March 1st at the regular Riverton City Council meeting Tuesday night.
Every three years, the International Code Council (ICC) releases new versions of the building code. Wyoming statute 35-9-121 allows municipalities, such as Riverton, with local enforcement authority, six months to adopt the new building codes after the state does so every 3 years.
The Board of Appeals, the City of Riverton’s recommending body for building codes, is a seven-member board comprised of local builders and tradesmen. The 2021 building codes were provided to the Board of Appeals members on January 15th, 2022 for their review and comment. On February 8, 2021, the Board of Appeals met and recommended Council adoption of the 2021 codes with the same exemptions and omissions as the 2018 building codes; with the following additions:
• Omission of Section P2904 Dwelling unit fire sprinkler systems was deleted in its entirety
• Table 301.2 has been amended to reflect changes in the wind loading zone the City is in as well as the seismic category the city is under as well.
This ordinance, amending Chapter 15 – Building and Construction of the Riverton Municipal Code will update the current code from the 2018 IBC to the 2021 IBC (with the same amendments and exemptions as were put in place in 2021).
Adoption of the 2021 International Building Code is required by the City of Riverton.
Councilmember Kyle Larson brought up the notion that fire suppression sprinklers should not be required at all including commercial buildings. This was during the February 15th regular meeting, where the ordinance initially passed its first reading.
Staff was tasked with reporting back to the council last night on what they can and cannot omit in regard to fire suppression and commercial buildings.
At the meeting last night, Michael Miller, Community Development Director, did report back that they are not able to “omit directly or indirectly fire suppression from code.”
This second reading failed with a vote of 2 to 4.
Click here to view the full ordinance.