Memorandum
City
of Lawrence
Planning
& Development Services
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TO:
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David L. Corliss, City Manager
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FROM:
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Barry Walthall, Building Safety Manager
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Thru:
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Scott McCullough, Planning & Development Services
Director
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Date:
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June 13, 2008
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RE:
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Ordinance 8287 - mechanical code amendments
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The
attached Ordinance No. 8287 includes amendments to the 2006 International
Residential Code (IRC), and International Mechanical Code (IMC), The Mechanical Board considered revising requirements
for maximum dryer vent length during its meeting in May 2008. The
review was performed at the request of the public.
Maximum dryer vent length – Multi-Family Dwellings
The
Mechanical Board met June 16, 2008 for a regular scheduled meeting. At the meeting they finalized a recommendation
at the request of a contractor to alter the current regulations for maximum
dryer vent length. On May 29, 2008 the
Mechanical Board heard an appeal from Fairfield Development regarding dryer
vent length and utilizing the manufacturer’s installation instructions that is
contained in the 2006 IMC. Fairfield
Development is the contractor proposing to build a 324 unit apartment complex
at 31st & Ousdahl
Rd. The 2006 IMC was adopted effective January 1,
2008. Section 504.6 was amended to
delete an exception that allowed the manufacturer’s installation instructions in
place of the prescriptive code requirements.
The appellant requested the
exception be allowed since it would be physically impossible to comply with the
requirements of the currently adopted code in some apartment units.
The
board voted to recommend allowing the manufacturer’s installation instructions
in multi-family dwellings with an additional requirement to have a placard
permanently affixed in the dryer area listing the dryer vent length and number
of bends, with instructions that the dryer’s venting requirements must conform to
the stated dryer vent configuration. The board voted 3-1 to amend the code as noted.
Maximum dryer vent length – Single-Family Dwellings
Chapter 5 – “Building
and Construction” was amended in September 2007 in Ordinance 8180 to
incorporate the International family of codes, with amendments. An amendment to the IRC, recommended by the
mechanical code board of appeals in June 2007 removing the exception allowing dryer
manufacturer’s installation instructions be used to determine the maximum vent
length, was inadvertently omitted. The board’s reason for removing the exception is the
wide range of allowable vent configurations recommended by manufacturers and the
probability the manufacturers instructions will not be followed as houses
change ownership and knowledge of the vent configuration and original
manufacturer's requirements are lost.
The Board voted 4-0 in September 2007 and 3-0 with one abstention in June
2008 to amend the code as noted.
Attachments
Action Recommended:
Staff recommends
adopting Ordinance 8287