April 2, 2004—Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon has taken action that will allow the city to review several building safety and fire prevention codes. The mayor suspended a resolution that previously limited the city’s ability to consider the International Building Code, the most widely adopted and enforced building code in the nation.
The International Building Code, developed by the International Code Council, is used in 44 states at the local or state level. Twenty eight Arizona jurisdictions, including nearby Avondale, Gilbert, Mesa, Peoria, Queen Creek, Scottsdale, Surprise and Tolleson currently use the International Building Code. Maricopa County, of which Phoenix is the county seat, also has the International Building Code in effect. “In the interest of public safety, it is important for Council to adopt the best code that will provide the highest standards to ensure the safety and protection of our City and its citizens,” wrote Mayor Gordon in a Jan. 23 memo to City Council members.
In his memo, the mayor asked for a technical review of the available codes, which would permit a consideration of the International Building Code, and requested a full presentation be made to the City Council with recommendations.
The suspension of resolution 19015 comes after a two year effort to allow the review of the International Building Code for adoption in Phoenix. Area architects, engineers, home builders, building owners and managers, building and fire officials, and others in the construction industry have actively supported the International Building Code and worked for its inclusion in the city’s review process.
—From BOMA.org
