Chapter 15.10
INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE
Sections:
15.10.010 Adoption of the International Building Code.
15.10.020 IBC Section 1608.1 amended.
15.10.030 IBC Section 1608.2 amended.
15.10.040 IBC Section 1612.3 amended.
15.10.050 IBC Section 1704.2 amended.
15.10.060 IBC Section 1704.2.3 amended.
15.10.070 IBC Section 1704.6 amended.
15.10.080 IBC Section G101.5 amended.
15.10.010 Adoption of the International Building Code.
A. The 2021 Edition of the International Building Code (IBC), including Appendix E, “Supplementary Accessibility Requirements,” and ICC/ANSI A117.1-2017, “Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities,” as adopted and amended by the State Building Code Council (SBCC) in Chapter 51-50 WAC, including Appendix J, “Grading”; Appendix G, “Flood-Resistant Construction”; and excluding Chapter 1, “Scope and Administration,” is adopted by reference and shall be applicable within the city, subject to the following SBCC-adopted exceptions and city amendments set forth in this chapter.
B. State Building Code Council-Adopted Exceptions.
1. Exceptions. The provisions of this code do not apply to temporary growing structures used solely for the commercial production of horticultural plants including ornamental plants, flowers, vegetables, and fruits. “Temporary growing structure” means a structure that has the sides and roof covered with polyethylene, polyvinyl, or similar flexible synthetic material and is used to provide plants with either frost protection or increased heat retention. A temporary growing structure is not considered a building for purposes of this code.
The provisions of this code do not apply to the construction, alteration, or repair of temporary worker housing except as provided by rule adopted under Chapter 70.114A RCW or Chapter 37, Laws of 1998 (SB 6168). “Temporary worker housing” means a place, area, or piece of land where sleeping places or housing sites are provided by an employer for his or her employees or by another person, including a temporary worker housing operator, who is providing such accommodations for employees, for temporary, seasonal occupancy, and includes “labor camps” under RCW 70.54.110.
C. City Amendment Adopting City of Bellevue Ordinance. The 2021 Edition of the IBC, as adopted and amended by subsection (A) of this section, is hereby further amended to include the local amendments adopted in Section 6 of the city of Bellevue IBC code-adopting ordinance, defined herein, in which local amendments to the 2021 Edition of the IBC are adopted by reference and shall be applicable within the city subject to the amendments set forth below:
1. All references therein to the city of Bellevue and/or city of Bellevue officials shall be construed as meaning the city of Newcastle and/or the relevant city of Newcastle officials.
2. All references to the Washington Cities Electrical Code shall be replaced with references to the electrical code adopted by the state of Washington.
3. The provisions of Chapter 15.05 NMC, “Construction Administrative Code,” shall apply fully to the city’s administration and enforcement of the city of Bellevue ordinance provisions adopted by reference herein.
4. The following provisions of Section 6 of city of Bellevue IBC code-adopting ordinance are expressly not adopted by reference, and shall have no applicability within the city of Newcastle:
23.10.010 – Amendments and adoptions;
23.10.1608.1 – Roof snow loads;
23.10.1608.2 – Ground snow loads;
23.10.1612.2 – Design and construction;
23.10.1612.3 – Establishment of flood hazard areas;
23.10.1612.4 – Flood hazard documentation;
23.10.1704.2 – Special inspections and tests;
23.10.1704.2.3 – Statement of special inspections;
23.10.1704.6 – Structural observations;
23.10.2801.1 – Scope.
5. The Bellevue Fire Department Smoke Control Guidelines shall be adopted for administering the smoke control provisions of the International Building Code and International Fire Code.
D. All codes, ordinances, standards, rules, and regulations adopted by this section are adopted by reference thereto and by this reference fully incorporated herein. Not less than one copy of each code, ordinance, rule or regulation, in the form in which it was adopted, shall be filed in the city clerk’s office and be available for use and examination by the public. (Ord. 2024-659 § 2 (Exh. A)).
15.10.020 IBC Section 1608.1 amended.
IBC Section 1608.1 is amended to read as follows:
1608.1 General. Design snow loads shall be determined in accordance with Chapter 7 of ASCE 7, but the design roof load shall not be less than that determined by Section 1607.
1608.1.1 Roof Snow Load. Roofs shall be designed for a uniform snow load of at least 25 psf. Drift snow load and sliding snow load shall be considered for:
1. Buildings and other structures with a site elevation greater than 700 feet above sea level.
2. Risk category III and IV structures.
3. Buildings and other structures with an unusual roof configuration that may result in substantial snow drift loads.
(Ord. 2024-659 § 2 (Exh. A)).
15.10.030 IBC Section 1608.2 amended.
IBC Section 1608.2 is amended to read as follows:
1608.2 Ground snow loads. The ground snow loads to be used in determining the design snow loads for roofs shall be determined in accordance with the following:
Minimum design snow loads shall be determined in accordance with King County Public Rule 16-04 Structural Loading: Minimum Roof Snow Loads. Pg=Cg *hmsl where Pg = ground snow load, Cg = ground snow load coefficient determined by interpolating the isolines established in the “King County Ground Snow Load Map,” and hmsl = site elevation in feet above sea level.
(Ord. 2024-659 § 2 (Exh. A)).
15.10.040 IBC Section 1612.3 amended.
IBC Section 1612.3 is amended to read as follows:
1612.3 Establishment of flood hazard areas. To establish flood hazard areas, the applicable governing authority shall adopt a flood hazard map and supporting data. The flood hazard map shall include, at a minimum, areas of special flood hazard as identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in an engineering report entitled “The Flood Insurance Study for King County, Washington and Incorporated Areas” dated August 19, 2020, with accompanying flood insurance rate maps (FIRMs) dated August 19, 2020, and any revisions thereto, which are adopted by reference and are declared to part of this chapter. In case of any conflicts between this section and Newcastle Municipal Code Chapter 14.25 regarding areas of special flood hazard, Newcastle Municipal Code Chapter 14.25 shall govern.
(Ord. 2024-659 § 2 (Exh. A)).
15.10.050 IBC Section 1704.2 amended.
IBC Section 1704.2 is amended to read as follows:
1704.2 Special inspections and tests. Where application is made to the building official for construction as specified in NMC Section 15.05.105, the owner or the owner’s authorized agent, other than the contractor, shall employ one or more approved agencies to provide special inspections and tests during construction on the types of work specified in Section 1705 and identify the approved agencies to the building official. These special inspections and tests are in addition to the inspections by the building official that are identified in NMC Section 15.05.110.
Exceptions:
1. Special inspections and tests are not required for construction of a minor nature or as warranted by conditions in the jurisdiction as approved by the building official.
2. Unless otherwise required by the building official, special inspections and tests are not required for Group U occupancies that are accessory to a residential occupancy including, but not limited to, those listed in Section 312.1.
3. Special inspections and tests are not required for portions of structures designed and constructed in accordance with the cold-formed steel light-frame construction provisions of Section 2211.1.2 or the conventional light-frame construction provisions of Section 2308.
4. The contractor is permitted to employ the approved agencies where the contractor is also the owner.
(Ord. 2024-659 § 2 (Exh. A)).
15.10.060 IBC Section 1704.2.3 amended.
IBC Section 1704.2.3 is amended to read as follows:
1704.2.3 Statement of special inspections. The applicant shall submit a statement of special inspections in accordance with NMC Section 15.05.107.1 as a condition for permit issuance. This statement shall be in accordance with Section 1704.3.
Exception:
A statement of special inspections is not required for portions of structures designed and constructed in accordance with the cold-formed steel light-frame construction provisions of Section 2211.1.2 or the conventional light-frame construction provisions of Section 2308.
(Ord. 2024-659 § 2 (Exh. A)).
15.10.070 IBC Section 1704.6 amended.
IBC Section 1704.6 is amended to read as follows:
1704.6 Structural observations. Where required by the provisions of Section 1704.6.1, the owner or the owner’s authorized agent shall employ a registered design professional to perform structural observations. The structural observer shall visually observe representative locations of structural systems, details and load paths for general conformance to the approved construction documents. Structural observation does not include or waive the responsibility for the inspections in NMC Section 15.05.110 or the special inspections in Section 1705 or other sections of this code. Prior to the commencement of observations, the structural observer shall submit to the building official a written statement identifying the frequency and extent of structural observations. At the conclusion of the work included in the permit, the structural observer shall submit to the building official a written statement that the site visits have been made and identify any reported deficiencies that, to the best of the structural observer’s knowledge, have not been resolved.
(Ord. 2024-659 § 2 (Exh. A)).
15.10.080 IBC Section G101.5 amended.
IBC Section G101.5 is amended to read as follows:
G101.5 Designation of floodplain administrator. The floodplain administrator is designated as the floodplain administrator and is authorized and directed to enforce the provisions of this appendix. The floodplain administrator is authorized to delegate performance of certain duties to other employees of the jurisdiction. Such designation shall not alter any duties and powers of the building official.
(Ord. 2024-659 § 2 (Exh. A)).