Work begins to revise city codes
Trades board appoints residential construction review committee
By Jennifer Roblez
Originally published 02:05 p.m., September 25, 2007
Updated 02:05 p.m., September 25, 2007
Emporia last revised its building codes for single family dwellings when it adopted the 1997 Uniform Building Code. After Monday night’s Building Trades Board meeting, the city took its first steps to adopting the current standard, the 2006 International Residential Code.
K.B. Thomas of American Real Estate, who commented as an audience member, told board members he hoped the goal would not be to “raise building costs ... I’d like to see things loosen up.”
Building trades board member Mark Runge, Emporia State University’s director of university faculties, echoed that thought, saying, “I’m looking for it to be more reasonable.”
The process could take up to 8 months to complete. A building code review committee was established to mold the IRC code to Emporia’s needs. It consists of six members. Three are members of the building trades board — Runge, contractor Joe Endres, who also represents the American Electric Power Co., and Rick Mitchell, co-owner of contractor Mitchell-Markowitz. Three contractors were appointed to the committee: Eric Pauls of Pauls Productions, Roger Cerretti of Cerretti Cabinets and Contracting and J.C. Moore of Moore and Hagemann.
The buidling trades board’s two at-large members may also attend the review committee’s meetings, but will not have voting power.
Martin Peres, chief of Emporia’s code services department and secretary of the Building Trades Board, said the first meeting likely will be Oct. 10 or Oct. 17.
He said the public is encouraged to attend the meetings to work toward consensus on residential building for one- and two-family dwellings.
create (anonymous) says...
Did I miss something? There are no cut lines on the pictures to explain what the building code violations might be. Once I expanded the picture of the stairs, I could see where the wood is very worn out. There seems to be a leak on the furnace/heater in the other picture. ???
September 25, 2007 at 5:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
glarson (anonymous) says...
Dear Create,
Thanks for being so observant. Unfortunately, we had technical difficulties here. The photos that were linked to this story are for an upcoming two-part series on the proposed rental codes in Emporia.
Look for that series in the next week — and I promise that cutlines will explain the photos.
Gwen Larson
Managing Editor
September 26, 2007 at 7:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Thank you, Ms Larson. 'preciate it.
September 26, 2007 at 2:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )