Minutes of the regular Meeting August 15, 2024
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MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF APPEALS OF THE CITY OF CHANDLER, ARIZONA, held on
Thursday, August 01, 2024, at 7:00 a.m., in the Development Services Building – South
Atrium Conference Room, 215 E. Buffalo Street, Chandler, Arizona.
Members Present
Jeff Cullumber, Chair
David Love Vice Chair
Heather Mattisson, Board Member
(Virtual)
Michael Quinn, Board Member
Michael McElhany, Board Member
Members Absent
Staff Present
Shicheng Tao, Building Official
LeeRay Hanly, Building Plan Review
Administrator
Bob Graffius, Building Inspection
Administrator
Corey Bush, Senior Building Plans Examiner
Catherine Flores, Senior Management
Analyst
Staff Absent
Aaron Huckstep, Fire Marshal
1. CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL
Board Chair Jeff Cullumber, called the meeting to order at 7:02 am. Roll call was taken by
Sr. Management Analyst Catherine Flores. Quorum was established.
2. UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCES - None
(Members of the audience may address any item not on the agenda. State Statute
prohibits the Board of Appeals from discussing an item not on the agenda, but the
Board of Appeals does listen to your concerns and has staff to follow up on any
questions you raise.)
CONSENT AGENDA
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
a. Minutes of May 23, 2024
Motion made by Board Member Michael McElhany to approve the Board of Appeals
Meeting Minutes for May 23, 2024, Motion seconded by Board Member Michael
Quinn. Approved (5-0).
4. BOARD OF APPEALS BUSINESS MEETING
Corey Bush, Senior Building Plans Examiner, and LeeRay Hanly, Building Plan Review
Administrator, presented the Proposed Amendments and Significant Changes to the
Board of Appeals.
•
Significant Changes to the 2024 IMC/IPC/IFGC
o Proposed Adoption Dates 07/01/2025
o City Council Hearing Dates, 11/04/2024, 11/07/24 & 12/12/2024
o Board of Appeals Review 09/12/24.
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•
2024 International Plumbing Code Changes
o Administrative Proposals (New) Chapter 1 – Scope and Administration.
o Proposed amendment to delete the Chapter 1 Scope and
Administration in its entirety.
o Proposed Amendments is to comply with the provisions along with the
amendments as described in the Chapter 1 Scope and Administration
of the 2024 International Building Code.
•
Subsection 410.4 Substitution. Proposed Amendments to the IPC code Body.
o Strike the second sentence, instead of the entire paragraph in the
subsection, which was corrected by the Board of Appeals, and replace
it with the following: In all occupancies where drinking fountains are
required, water dispensers connected to the potable water system
shall be permitted to be substituted for the first required fountain and
any water dispenser shall be permitted to the substituted for not more
than 50 percent of the required number of drinking fountains. The
correction will be made in the IPC PowerPoints accordingly.
•
Subsection 1003.3.7 Gravity grease interceptors and gravity grease
interceptors with fats, oils, and greases disposal systems.
o Strike the first sentence in this subsection and replace it with a grease
interceptor design chart, which was suggested by the Board of
Appeals. The City staff will be working on it and replacing it with a
grease interceptor design chart accordingly.
•
Section 306.2.4 Tracer Wire
o Section 306, Trenching, Excavation and Backfill
o Tracer wire for plastic ser piping, an insulated copper tracer wire or
other approved conductor shall be installed adjacent to and over the
full length of the piping.
o Access shall be provided to the tracer wire, or the tracer wire shall
terminate at the cleanout between the building drain and building
sewer.
o The tracer wire size shall be not less than 14 American Wire Gauge and
the insulation type shall be listed for direct burial.
•
Sectio 312.4 Vacuum Test
o Section 213 Tests and Inspections
o In addition to drainage and vent water and air test, the vacuum test
has been added.
o The portion of the drainage and vent system under test shall be
evacuated from air by a vacuum-type pump to achieve a uniform
gauge pressure of negative 5 pounds per square inch for 15 minutes.
•
Section 407.2 Bathtub Overflows
o Section 407- Bathtubs
o Bathtubs shall be equipped with a waste outlet that is not less than 1 ½
inches in diameter. The waste outlet shall be equipped with a
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watertight stopper. Where an overflow is installed, the overflow shall
be not less than 1 ½ inches in diameter.
o This language is to coordinate with the IRC and the manufacturers
product standards.
•
Section 419.6 Soap Dispensers
o Section 419 Lavatories
o Section 419.6 is a new section.
o Soap dispensers shall be provided for public lavatories.
•
Section 504.7 Required Pan (Water Heaters)
o Section 504 – Safety Devices (Water Heaters)
o A plastic pan installed beneath a gas-fired water heater shall be
constructed of material having a flame spread index of 25 or less and a
smoked developed index of 450 or less.
o Previous code cycle did not allow use of a plastic pan beneath a gas
fired water heater.
o Water heaters installed in pans shall comply with section 314.2.3.2.
This section requires that any such appliance be elevated above the
flood rim level of the pan below so that the appliance is not directly
exposed to wet conditions.
•
2024 International Mechanical Code Changes
•
City Amendments (Mechanical) Administrative proposals
o (New) Chapter 1 Scope and Administration
o Proposed amendment is to delete Chapter 1 Scope and Administration
in its entirety.
o Proposed amendment is to comply with the provisions along with the
amendments as described in the Chapter 1 Scope and Administration
of the 2024 Internal Building Code.
o There are no proposed amendments to the IMC code body.
•
Section 306.5 Equipment or Appliances on Roofs or Elevated Structures
o Section 306 Access and Service Space
o Permanent ladders installed to provide the required access shall
comply with the following design criteria.
o The side railing shall extend above the parapet or roof edge or landing
platform not less than 42 inches. Changes from 30 inches.
o Ladders shall have rung spacing not less than 10 inches and not to
exceed 14 inches on center. 10” minimum dimension.
o Ladders shall have a toe spacing not less than 7 inches and not more
than 12 inches deep. Change from not less than 6 inches.
o There shall be not less than 16 inches between rails. Change from not
less than 18 inches.
o (NEW) Top landing required. The ladder shall be provided with a clear
and unobstructed landing on the exit side of the roof hatch, having a
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minimum space of 30 inches deep and being the same width as the
hatch.
•
Chapter 5 Exhaust Systems
o Section 501, General
o Section 501.6 Common ducts
o The discharge from exhaust fans serving separate dwellings or
sleeping units shall not be connected to a common duct or shaft,
except where the common duct or shaft is maintained at a negative
pressure.
o Exhaust ducts that are under positive pressure cannot be joined
because the airflow from one fan will leak out through the fan that is
not running. Backdraft dampers in common exhaust fans have a
significant leakage rate. This would cause odors, smoke, pathogens,
chemical irritants, etc. to be carried from one unit to another.
•
Section 1002.4 Water Heater Pan Required
o Section 1002 Water Heaters
o New Section: Where a storge-type water heater or a hot water storage
tank is installed in a location where water leakage from the tank will
cause damage, the tank shall be installed in a pan constructed of one
of the following:
Galvanized steel or aluminum of not less than 0.0236 inch in
thickness.
Plastic of not less than 0.036 inch with flame spread of not
more than 25 and smoke-developed index of not mor than 450.
Other approved materials.
•
2024 International Fuel Gas Code Changes
o City Amendments (Fuel Gas)
o New Chapter 1 Scope and Administration
o Proposed amendment to delete Chapter 1 Sope and Administration in
its entirety.
o The proposed amendment is to comply with the provisions along with
the amendments as described in Chapter 1 Scope and Administration
of the 2024 International Building Code.
o There are no proposed amendments to the IFGC code body.
•
Significant Changes to the 2023 NEC
o Proposed Adoption Date 07/1/2025
o City Council Hearing Dates 11/04/2024, 11/07/2024, & 12/12/2024
o Board of Appeals Review 09/12/2024.
•
There are over 400 changes from 2020 to the 2023 NEC. The vast majority are
related to format and are not new code provisions. Most changes are either
moving some existing language into additional code sections or “clarification”
in language that don’t really change how the code is applied.
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•
The NFPA has moved definitions from each code section to a new article 100.
This appears related to how the ICC has been modifying their codes for
overall simplicity in the future.
•
This change alone is the most significant as it has allowed the deletion of
many “exceptions” and eliminated some issues by trying to define the same
thing multiple times throughout the code book.
•
Unfortunately, it did not stop all the code committees from adding language
to specific sections that were already addressed, but it’s a good start.
•
There is a new provision in the code to address 10 A circuits, but the
minimum wire gauge for wiring buildings has not changed, only the
overcurrent protection.
•
There are also clarifications added to wire size for connector cables from
equipment to outlets for the 10 A circuits, but that information was previously
covered by the listing for equipment.
•
The NEC has also made changes to provide sections for installations up to
1000 volts with separate sections for over 1000 volts.
•
This was previously not addressed in the NEC as there is no real difference in
how you apply the code sections. Perhaps the NFPA is considering making
more significant changes in the future.
•
Overall, the code language changes are redundant even with some minor
changes to parts of the code body that are related to very specific applications
that do not affect how the NEC would be used.
•
There are some changes that we don’t agree with (like adding to the code that
flywheel energy storage is not allowed in residential applications) but because
our goal in Chandler is to only make revisions that would specifically affect
our City detrimentally, we are not proposing any code modifications other
than a couple that affect residential applications.
•
The proposed changes are to remove the requirement for GFCI protection for
HVAC units and for “not readily accessible” outlets in residential garages.
•
Excess heat is a very real problem in our area and the occurrence of
dangerous ground faults to HVAC equipment is minor. Similarly, by allowing
the overhead outlet that controls garage doors to be removed from the GFCI
requirement we can eliminate the occurrence of a garage door failing to open
when another outlet on the GFCI circuit is tripped.
•
We do propose NOT making a change to the NEC for surge protection on
dwelling units. With the proliferation of IOT appliances protecting them is
becoming more important (we have been protecting SFR for 3 years now).
•
City Amendments – Proposed Amendments to the 2023 National Electrical
Code (NFPA 70)
o Article 110 General Requirements for Electrical Installations
•
Subsection 110.3 Examination, Identification, Installation, Use and Listing
(Produce Certification) of Equipment
o Listing. Product testing, evaluation, and listing (product certification)
shall be performed by recognized qualified electrical testing
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laboratories and shall be in accordance with applicable product
standards recognized as achieving equivalent and effective safety for
equipment installed to comply with code.
o Proposed Amendment is to add language in the body of the code to
simplify the amendment to read as follows:
o Listing. Product testing, evaluation, and listing (product certification)
shall be performed by recognized qualified electrical testing
laboratories, or other agencies approved by the City of Chandler
building official and shall be in accordance with applicable product
standards recognized as achieving equivalent and effective safety for
equipment installed to comply with this Code.
o Article 210 Branch Circuits Not Over 1000 Volts ac, 1500 Volts ds,
Nominal
•
Subsection 210.8 Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter Protection for Personnel
o Dwelling Units. All 125 volt through 250-volt receptables installed in the
following locations and supplied by single phase branch circuits rated
150 volts or less to ground shall have ground fault circuit interrupter
protection for personnel.
Garage and accessory buildings that have a floor located at or
below grade level not intended for habitable rooms and limited
storage areas, work areas, and areas of similar use.
o Add the following language at the end of 210.8(A)(2)
Exception: Receptables that are not readily accessible.
o NEW Subsection 210.8 Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter Protection for
Personnel
o Outdoor Outlets. For dwellings, all outdoor outlets, other than those
covered in 210.8(A), Exception No.1, including outlets installed in the
following locations, and supplied by single phase branch circuits rates
150 volts or less to ground, 50 amperes or less, shall be provided with
GFCI protection.
o Exception No. 2: GFCI protection shall not be required for listed HVAC
equipment. This exception shall expire September 1, 2026.
o Proposed amendments are to strike out the 2nd sentence from the
Exception No. 2 to read as follows:
o Exception No. 2: GFCI protection shall not be required for listed HVAC
equipment.
o Article 230 Services
o (New) Subsection 230.67 Surge Protection.
o The city has no proposed amendments to this subsection. When the
new code is adopted then it will go into the City Code as written.
o Article 406 Receptacles, Cord Connectors, Attachment Plugs (Caps)
o (NEW) Subsection 406.12 Tamper Resistant Receptables.
o The proposed amendment is to delete item 10 for areas of agricultural
buildings.
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ACTION AGENDA
a. None
5. BRIEFING ITEMS
Corey Bush, Senior Building Plans Examiner and LeeRay Hanly, Building Plan Review
Administrator spoke on the Code Amendment and Significant Changes Presentation. It
was discussed that the board members will be briefed by staff pertaining to the building
code editions in the upcoming meetings.
6. MEMBER COMMENTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS
7. CALENDAR
a. Next meeting is scheduled Thursday, August 15, 2024, @ 7:00 am.
8. ADJOURN
Vice Chair David Love motioned for the meeting to adjourn. Motion seconded by Board
Member Michael McElhany.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:55 am.
______________________________
_______________________________
Jeff Cullumber, Chairman
Shicheng Tao, Secretary