Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Attorney's Office

TO:	Thomas M. Markus, City Manager Toni R. Wheeler, City Attorney
FROM:	Randall F. Larkin, Senior Assistant City Attorney
DATE:	May 23, 2016
RE:	Building Code Ordinances

On February 23, 2016, the City Commission adopted ten ordinances adopting, as modified, various model codes, including the International Building Code (No. 9168), International Residential Code (No. 9169), International Electrical Code (No. 9170), International Plumbing Code (No. 9171), International Mechanical Code (No. 9172), International Fuel Gas Code (No. 9173), International Energy Conservation Code (No. 9174), International Exiting Building Code (No. 9175), National Fire Code (No. 9199), and the International Property Maintenance Code (No. 9203). Those ordinances adopted the model codes and set forth verbatim each amendment the City made thereto. The ordinances were rather lengthy and would be costly to publish in their entirety.

To achieve economy in the use of City resources, staff recommends the City adopt the model codes through incorporation.  Under K.S.A. 12-3009 et seq. and K.S.A. 12-3301 et seq., the City may adopt model codes, like those referenced above, by adopting ordinances that incorporate therein by reference the model code, as may be modified by the City. Such documents that are incorporated must be identified by the Ordinance Number, show any amendments made, and be made available to the general public in the City Clerk’s office during normal business hours. Because of the savings it will afford the City, staff has put together revised ordinances for each model code adopted on February 23, 2016, adopting those model codes by incorporation by reference and repealing the previous and corresponding ordinances.

Please note that the ordinances adopt the exact same model codes the City Commission adopted on February 23, 2016, with no substantive changes. The sole purpose of these ordinances is to save the City money.

Action Requested:

Staff requests the City Commission to adopt on first reading the following ordinances:

Ordinance No. 9238 (Building Code), Ordinance No. 9239 (Residential Code), Ordinance No. 9240 (Electrical Code), Ordinance No. 9241 (Plumbing Code), Ordinance No. 9242 (Mechanical Code), Ordinance No. 9243 (Fuel Gas Code), Ordinance No. 9244 (Energy Conservation Code), Ordinance No. 9245 (Existing Building Code), Ordinance No. 9246 (Fire Code), and Ordinance No. 9247 (Property Maintenance Code).