Staff members from the Wiscasset office of Planning and Codes warned the public during the Tuesday night Board of Selectmen meeting about significant building code changes that will affect the town over the next couple of years.
At the start of the March 9 meeting, Codes Enforcement Officer Rick Lang and Planning Director Jeff Hinderliter also discussed ordinance changes, the process for approving liquor licenses and a Planning and Codes newspaper column.
As stated on documents provided by the town, the Maine Legislature enacted the Uniform Building and Energy Code, which is to be adopted statewide by June 1 this year. Towns with populations of 2000 residents and over and have not adopted building codes, criteria which the town of Wiscasset falls under, have until July 1, 2012 to comply with the statewide codes.
“It’s going to be a shock for the town when that does happen,” Lang said.
He said the new codes will require standards for all new building and construction. Projects will need to be designed before being built and there will be multiple inspections. Lang also said he expected newer model homes to be “sprinklered” (installation of sprinkler systems), eliciting groans from the audience.
“What?” Selectman Phil Divece said, sounding surprised. “How would you sprinkle a home that didn’t have access to public water?”
Lang said whoever was building the home could install a large storage tank in the basement, leaving open opportunities for other questions in the matter. He said he wanted to give the town a heads up as to what is coming down the road.
The codes to be adopted include: the International Building Code (IBC), the International Residential Code (IRC) the International Existing Building Code (“Rehab code”, IEBC), the International Energy and Conservation Code (IECC) and a number of standards established by the Technical Codes and Standards Board (so named ASHRAE Standards 62.1, 62.2 and 90.1).
Lang said there are a number of energy issues new builders will have to take into consideration. In response to Divece’s question about how large a storage tank would have to be, Lang said the state is still writing the law. He said the regulation is going to be fairly strict.
“It’s going to be complex,” he added. “In the next two years there’s going to be a lot of training on this.”
To Divece’s surprise, Lang said the Legislature has already passed the code and amendments. He added the State Planning Office has until June 1 to finish the final draft of the statewide code, which will only apply to towns that have over 2000 residents.
Divece said he would like to invite legislators to attend a future Board of Selectmen meeting to explain the law to them. Several of those in attendance applauded.
“That would be a good idea,” Lang said, adding he thought it was going to be a nightmare to enforce.
Divece’s motion passed and interim Town Manager Don Gerrish agreed he would look into the possibility of inviting legislators to speak on the matter. The document made available at the meeting states that questions on the code, its adoption or the standards should be directed to Kathy Chamberlain of the Dept. of Public Safety at: kathy.chamberlain@maine.gov. The phone number is: 624-7007.
Hinderliter said the electrical permit standard has caused confusion, as the town does not have an electrical code. Deletion of the town’s standard would not eliminate electrical standards for the town, he said, as the state has its own electrical code and inspectors.
Selectmen approved changing the date of the appointment of a fire chief from April 1 to July 1, to correspond with the new town meeting ballot.
A June 2010 ballot ordinance information sheet outlines the proposed amendments with relation to street excavation, parking, traffic and vehicle regulation and street naming. According to the documentation, the focus of the proposed changes is on public safety. The codes office recommends amendments to ensure adequate space near fire hydrants and to improve rapid identification of roads and addresses for public safety and the postal service.
Hinderliter asked selectmen to authorize staff to review applications for liquor licenses that have been in renewal for the previous five years. The decision among selectmen was tabled after some discussion over the process of public involvement and streamlining the procedure came to a head. Interim Town Manager Gerrish said by the next meeting he would have a written policy on liquor license approval, at the request of board members.
Hinderliter said the article would likely include information relating to building permits, planning board applications, board and committee news, ordinance and statute information and other updates. He anticipated the first article to be published in the last week of this month or the first week in April.
Selectman Divece was not keen on the idea. He said it ought to be up to reporters to report the news and up to citizens to attend meetings and follow the activities of their town governments. Selectman Bob Fairfield said he thought it was a good idea to let people know what is going on in their community, a sentiment shared by other selectmen and Gerrish, as well as some residents sitting in at the meeting.
