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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Estes Park Board of Appeals 2015-07-02RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Estes Park Board of Appeals . July 2, 2015 Board Room, Estes Park Town Hall Commission: Attending: Also Attending: Absent: Brad Klein, John Spooner, Joe Calvin, Don Darling, Tony Schiaffo Chair Spooner, Members Klein, Calvin, Darling and Schiaffo Chief Building Official Will Birchfield, Building Inspector Claude Traufield, Recording Secretary Karen Thompson None The following minutes reflect the order of the agenda and not necessarily the chronological sequence. There were four people in the audience. Chair Spooner opened the meeting, stating this meeting would be a review of the International Plumbing Code (IPC) Significant Changes for 2012 and 2015. He explained the reasoning behind reviewing two code cycles/editions: the Town adopted the 2009 codes, and is planning to skip the 2012 and adopt the 2015 codes. However, in order to do this, the 2012 changes still apply. CONSENT AGENDA Minutes from June 4, 2015 Board of Appeals meeting. It was moved and seconded (Schiaffo/Calvin) to approve the minutes as presented and the motion passed unanimously. REPORTS CBO Birchfield stated the August meeting will be a review of the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC). He encouraged members of the public to attend and participate in the discussion. Next month's meeting will be the Property Maintenance Code. CBO Birchfield stated portions of the IPC are also in the International Residential Code (IRC). He reminded the Board that all the ICC codes are written as minimum standards. These regulations are a target to aim past, not a target to shoot for. The significant changes being discussed today are part of the publications from the ICC. CBO Birchfield reviewed the changes and will focus on the changes significant to the Estes Park community. The ICC publications are available for check out through the Division of Building Safety. CURRENT LOCAL AMENDMENTS TO THE INTERNATIONAL MECHANICAL CODE (2009) CBO reviewed the current local amendments, and stated the public would be given the opportunity to ask questions during the review. CBO Birchfield stated almost all of the local amendments to the IPC are to provide consistency with the Larimer County Health Department, the Town Water Department, or both of the Sanitation Districts. Most of the amendments make the International Plumbing Code line up with their regulations, to avoid conflict in the field. Chapter 1 contains administrative provisions for fees, daily operating procedures, etc. These items are moved from the International Building Code (IBC) to the International Plumbing Code (IPC). Connection of service utilities. The pressure release valve (PRV) must be placed ahead of the meter. Cut offs shall be located in appropriate places in order to replace the entire assembly of meter and PRV without cutting into the water service line. CBO Birchfield stated inspections for these connections are done by the Building Staff, which means the regulations have to be in the IPC. Contractor's affidavit of compliance. CBO Birchfield stated the current amendment allows pre­ approved contractors to submit an affidavit of compliance for the following work: (1) Water service line, new and replacement; (2) Sewer service line, new and replacement, or (3) Pressure test for underground plumbing connected to an existing system, only the test is exempt, inspection is still required. He stated the sewer service line item will be deleted from the proposed amendments because the sanitation districts are doing their own inspections. Concerning the pressure test, CBO RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Estes Park Board of Appeals 2 July 2, 2015 Board Room, Estes Park Town Hall Birchfield stated if there is a state certified plumber doing the work, they can do a hose test to make sure it doesn't leak. The goal is to keep jobs moving forward. Means of Appeal. This section of the IPC will be deleted, and reference made to the appeals section of the IBC. Each code has its own appeals section, and it is more appropriate for the Town to have only one appeals process for all construction appeals. That also applies to the floodplain regulations. The Board of Appeals serves as the appeal body for floodplain regulations. Building drain. CBO Birchfield stated the IPC says the building drain is the lowest piping of a drainage system that receives the discharge from soil, waste and other drainage pipes inside and extends 30 inches beyond the exterior walls of the building. Everything past the 30 inches is considered the building sewer. The differences in the definitions between building drain and sewer is important to know because the sewer districts do their own inspections. CBO Birchfield stated a proposed amendment to the code would remove the 30 inches and add "to the cleanouts." There are some construction situations when the cleanouts are not installed within 30 inches of the building. The Sanitation District would take over downstream of the cleanout. Pipes through or under footings or foundation walls. CBO Birchfield stated the IPC requires pipes going through a foundation to be in a sleeve two pipe sizes larger than the pipe. The current local amendment requires a sleeve one pipe size larger, because the soils in Estes Park are not expansive like in other parts of the country. He emphasized that pipes cannot be embedded inside the footing. Freezing. The exterior water supply shall be installed not less than 60 inches below grade. This is a water department standard for Estes Park. Sewer depth. The IPC requires municipalities to adopt a minimum depth. The current amendment states private sewage disposal systems shall comply with the most recent edition of the Larimer County Individual Sewer System Regulation enforced by the Larimer County Health Department. The local sanitation districts require a minimum depth of four feet for a sewer main and 36 inches for service lines. Water supply system test. The current local amendment states the required minimum air pressure test shall be at 80 psi (up from 50 psi in the IPC).. Gravity sewer test. This current amendment concerns the line from the building to the tap. If connected to public sewer, the building sewer downstream of the double cleanouts required by 708.3.5 shall be regulated by the requirements of the appropriate sanitation district. The sanitation district or health department will perform the inspections, depending on the type of system. Forced sewer test. The current local amendment states if connected to public sewer, the building sewer downstream of the double cleanouts required by 708.3.5 shall be regulated by the requirements of the appropriate sanitation district. The sanitation district or health department will perform the inspections, depending on the type of system. Inspection and testing of backflow prevention assemblies. The current local amendment states all backflow prevention assemblies shall be in compliance with the requirements of and be approved by the Town of Estes Park Water Department. Inspections. The current local amendment states backflow prevention assemblies and air gaps shall comply with requirements of the Town of Estes park Water Department. CBO Birchfield stated the Water Department and/or Sanitation Districts are required to sign off on the inspection record cards. Fuel burning applicances. The current local amendment states condensate shall not discharge into a street, alley, or other areas so as to cause a nuisance. Size of water service pipe. CBO Birchfield stated because of the town's high water pressure, the Water Department has a different sizing system than the IPC. The current local amendment accounts for this in a table of Maximum Units per Meter Size. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Estes Park Board of Appeals July 2, 2015 Board Room, Estes Park Town Hall Separation of water service and building sewer. CBO Birchfieid stated the current local amendment requires separation of water and sewer lines by at least ten feet unless one is sleeved. Water service pipe. Exceptions were added to the IPC to require ductile iron pipe or another material pre-approved for service lines for fire suppression systems and services lines larger than two inches. Prohibited joints and connections. The current local amendment states service taps shall be made or approved by the Town of Estes Park Water Department. Location of full-open valves. The current local amendment states full-open valves must be at certain locations near property lines. This is because there are few curbs in town. General. The current local amendment added a statement that all backflow assemblies shall be in compliance with the requirements of and be approved by the Town of Estes Park Water Department. Sewer required. This current local amendment replaces the reference to the International private Sewage Disposal Code with the Larimer County Individual Sewer System Regulation enforced by the Larimer County Health Department. Building sewer pipe near the water service. The current local amendment states building sewers shall not be installed within ten feet of the water service pipe, unless one of them is sleeved. Prohibited joints. The current local amendment prohibits saddle-type fittings unless these service taps are installed by the appropriate sanitation district and comply with their regulations.. Building sewers. The current local amendment states sewer cleanouts shall be regulated by the appropriate sanitation district. Building drain and building sewer junction. This current local amendment reworded the text to clarify where town jurisdiction stops and health department or sanitation district jurisdiction starts. Text was also added to allow the cleanout closest to the building to be used as the required cleanout for the building drain and building sewer. This complies with the sanitation district's and the Town's inspections. Roof extensions. The current local amendment states all open vent pipes that extend through a roof shall be terminated at least six inches above the roof, except that where a roof is to be used for any purpose other than weather protection, the vent extensions shall be at least seven feet above the roof. Approval. CBO Birchfieid states this current local amendment concerns traps and interceptors. He suggested amending this code to put everything in the hands of the sanitation districts (grease interceptors, sand interceptors outside garages, etc.) The goal of this section of the IPC is to protect sewer lines. Grease interceptors. CBO Birchfieid would suggest amending this code the same way as the previous amendment, with an exception stating new and replacement grease interceptors shall not be located inside buildings. Grease interceptors and automatic grease removal devices required. CBO Birchfieid asked for comments from the local sanitation districts concerning this current local amendment. Jim Dueli/Estes Park Sanitation District stated when the process starts it will be defined from the beginning and actual connections would be verified before the final is approved. Todd Krula/Upper Thompson Sanitation District stated they are OK with the way the current local amendment is written, Mr. Duell stated a minor change to the code would allow a developer to upsize an interceptor if needed. CBO Birchfieid stated the Town would not perform an inspection in the field, and the appropriate sanitation district would sign off on the device, meaning there would not be two people performing inspections. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Estes Park Board of Appeals 4 July 2, 2015 Board Room, Estes Park Town Hall Grease intercept capacity. The current local amendment states the appropriate sanitation district shall determine the size required. Separate systems required. This current local amendment states stormwater cannot be discharged into sewer systems. Appendix D - Degree day and design temperatures. CBO Birchfield stated if we want to use these appendices, they must be officially adopted. Appendix D is currently adopted. Appendix E - Sizing of water piping system. The same statement as Appendix D applies to this appendix. End of proposed local amendments. 2012 SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING CODE Hot or Tempered Water Supply to Fixtures. CBO Birchfield stated this change states the maximum distance between a hot water supply source and all fixtures served by the supply source has been reduced from 100 feet to 50 feet. Fixture Protection from Sewage Backflow. CBO Birchfield stated if you have plumbing fixtures are installed on a floor with a finished floor elevation below the elevation of the manhole cover of the next upstream manhole in the public sewer, fixtures shall be protected by a backwater valve installed in the building drain or horizontal branch serving such fixtures. The measurement currently used is the top of the bowl or lavoratory. This has now changed to measure from the floor. There was brief discussion about how backwater valves work and where they should be located. CBO Birchfield stated discussion with other changes later in the meeting would add useful Information to this change. Prohibited Locations for Waste Receptors. This changes states you cannot install p-traps in building spaces that are uninhabitable. This item was tabled for further discussion at the request of Member Klein. NOTE: CBO Birchfield stated the Board needs to have additional discussion about condensation. The August meeting will be a review of the International Property Maintenance Code, which has not been previously adopted by the Town. The Board will review this code and make recommendations to the elected officials as to whether or not to adopt this code. CBO Birchfield stated the current adopted codes require issues in existing buildings be deemed imminently dangerous before he can issue a building code violation. The IPMC would allow violations to be issued and addressed before a situation becomes imminently dangerous. CBO Birchfield stated there should be some time at the August meeting for additional discussion on all the items that have been tabled thus far. Combination Waste and Vent System Sizing. CBO Birchfield stated the length of a combination waste and vent system is unlimited, and every fixture has a trap and a vent or it will not work. The change states this type of system must now be sized. Gray Water Recycling Systems. CBO Birchfield stated provisions addressing gray water recycling systems have been relocated from Appendix C to a new Chapter 13 in the IPC. 2015 SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING CODE Determining Minimum Number of Plumbing Fixtures. CBO Birchfield stated the required number of plumbing fixtures is based on the occupancy classification. The IBC occupancy classifications are no longer used to determine which row in Table 403.1 Minimum Number of Required Plumbing Fixtures, to use for fixture quantities. This is a philosophical change in the code. The ICC is moving into a performance arena and looking at actual use instead of strictly using occupancy classifications. The 2015 International Existing Building Code also takes this approach, based on use. Directional Signage for Location of Public Toilet Facilities. CBO Birchfield stated this change states directional signage indicating the route to the required public toilet facilities shall be posted in a lobby, corridor, aisle or similar space so it can be readily seen from the main entrance. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Estes Park Board of Appeals July 2, 2015 Board Room, Estes Park Town Hall Water Heater Pan Drain Line. CBO Birchfield stated this change allows where a pan drain was not previously installed, a pan drain shall not be required for a replacement water heater installation. He stated this issue is regularly discussed among staff and contractors. There was brief discussion concerning this regulation and how it might apply to both electric and gas water heaters. CBO Birchfield stated permits are currently not required by the Division of Building Safety for electric water heaters. Additional discussion needs to occur concerning this change. Hot Water Thermal Expansion Pressure Control. CBO Birchfield stated this change has to do with the available method to control closed-system pressure increases caused by the heating of water. It has been limited to the use of thermal expansion tanks only. In this case, the code is catching up with the manufacturers, and is mostly a warranty issue. Identification of Nonpotable Water. CBO Birchfield stated fixtures with nonpotable water must now be identified with words and a symbol indicating nonpotable water is being used. The color purple has been established for identifying distribution piping conveying nonpotable water. Local designer Paul Brown inquired about gray water and the effects on the sanitation districts. CBO Birchfield stated the state of Colorado does not currently allow use of rain/surface water. If it is ever approved, there will need to be discussions with the Water Department and Sanitation Districts. Exception for Solvent Cementing PVC Piping 4 Inches and Smaller. CBO Birchfield stated this is for non-pressurized systems only. The application of a primer to drain, waste and vent PVC pipe and fittings prior to solvent cementing is not required for 4-inch pipe size and smaller. He stated the systems will still require testing and have to pass inspection. Pressurized systems are still glued according to the manufacturer's specifications. Exception for Backwater Valve Installations. In existing buildings, fixtures above the elevation of the manhole cover of the next upstream manhole in the public sewer shall not be prohibited from discharging through a backwater valve. CBO Birchfield stated an amendment could be recommended to require the valve to be located outside the building. Vent Terminations to Outdoors. Where a roof is to be used for assembly or as a promenade, observation deck, sunbathing deck or similar purposes, open vent pipes shall terminate not less than 7 feet above the roof. Additionally, any increase in the size of the vent shall be made not less than one foot inside the building's thermal envelope. In public access areas, they terminations need to be more than 7 feet. End of 2015 Significant Changes Staff and Board Discussion CBO Birchfield suggested requiring building permits for electric water heaters. Comments concerning drains and drain pans included, but were not limited to: many electric water heaters would require custom-made drain pans; should we consider a local amendment to require floor drains in any room where there may be condensate; floor drains can freeze in homes that do not have ful-time occupants; if you dump condensate into the sewer drain of an unoccupied home it could freeze; there are many variables as to how much condensate occurs; a condensate pump would allow it to build up and occasionally discharge all at once; a trap primer cannot be used if the property owner turns off the water to the house. The general consensus on eliminating condensate was to table the item. Inspector Traufield will take this item to the next Colorado Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Operators meeting to learn what other similar jurisdictions are doing. CBO Birchfield stated this is not an easy fix. One solution would be to prohibit equipment in crawl spaces, which would bring concerns about the loss of square footage in existing homes for mechanical rooms. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Estes Park Board of Appeals 6 July 2, 2015 Board Room, Estes Park Town Hall CBO Birchfield stated he and Fire Marshall Marc Robinson discussed sprinkler systems in residential dwellings. Part of the issue is the development code allows any residential dwelling in the single­ family residential zone district can rent the home long-term (more than 30 days) or short-term (30 ays or less). This brings up the question as to whether or not the building would be considered a business or a hotel, where the building codes are concerned. CBO Birchfield states his position is if the building was built as a single-family dwelling under the IRC, he does not want to get into land use issues. His bigger concern is wildfire. A major wildfire in the Estes Valley could be much more devastating than a flood. During the Woodland Heights fire, over twenty homes were destroyed in a few hours. If a house is in a wiidfire area and it trips another trigger (lack of adequate access for fire trucks, lack of adequate water supply for the fire departmentor, or if it is over a certain size) the property owner is putting the entire community at risk if the house catches fire and creates a wildfire. We regulate snow, wind, geohazards, etc., but wildfire is exponentiaily more dangerous than all of those. He asked the Board to consider those concerns when recommending exemption of sprinkler systems in one- or two-family homes. Currently, dwellings for more than two families and mixed-use buildings must be sprinkled. Comments included but were not limited to: the cost for sprinklers is between $8 and $10 per square foot; Vail has buildings that are sprinkled on the outside for wildfire protection; Boulder County requires sprinkler systems inside as well as outside wildfire mitigation (vegetation mitigation, gravel landscaping three feet around homes, under decks, etc.), if there would have been sprinklers in the High Drive area, some of those homes may have been saved; it would be beneficial for new homes; most of the easy lots are built out; wildfire has the most potential for devastation; building materials have an impact on fire safety; some jurisdictions require a factory-applied fire resistive material on exterior siding; the issue is a house fire causing a wildfire; sprinkler systems are designed to contain the fire by taking heat away and keeping the fire from spreading; a current issue is once a certificate of occupancy is issued, the property owner is not required to maintain the mitigation measures; every second counts in a fire; community opinion about wildfire may be change, and property owners may be more willing to consider sprinkling their homes; CBO Birchfield will research the costs of systems; sprinklers buy time for firefighters to get on site to fight the fire; sprinklers keep the combustible vapors from igniting; it is very important to maintain the systems once they are installed. CBO Birchfield stated the Board would receive the IPMC book to review for the August meeting. It is a small code, with only 26 pages. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:04 p.m. JohrfSpooner, Chair Karen Tho I, Recording Secretary