Building Code Advisory Board

About the Board

The Building Code Advisory Board:

• Acts as a hearing board on appeals to decisions of the Chief Building Official
• Determines the suitability of alternate materials and methods of construction
• Provides for reasonable interpretations of the Building Codes

By City Ordinance, members of this board must be qualified by experience and trained to review matters pertaining to building construction. Members of this board represent the following categories:

• One licensed engineer
• One licensed architect
• One builder
• Two at-large members from fields related to the construction industry

The Building Code Advisory Board is very proud of how they help the community and provide support when concerns are brought to the building department for resolution in an appeals process. The five members of this board are professionals in fields of construction, architecture and design, or have trade experience. There is also one general community member who serves on the board. The breadth of experience of those who serve on the board allows them to gain a better understanding of the perspectives of homeowners, contractors, and community members. 

The work of the Building Code Advisory Board has included expediting the resolution of several appeals hearings, most recently one involving the demolition of a home that had been under construction for 12 years, and another involving a home that was under construction for six years. 

How does the appeal process work? 

As an example, the Chief Building Inspector makes a decision on a project and then neighbors or the homeowner or contractor bring it before the board. The Chief Building Official makes a final decision in conjunction with the Community Development Director. If the homeowner or contractor is not happy with the decision they can appeal to the Building Code Board according to the International Code Council rules. The Board will make a final decision by a vote with all board members and then the final decision is made by the city attorney. Typically, the city attorney will review legal paperwork with the Board prior to a meeting. The city attorney then completes the final paperwork based on the recommendation from the board.