HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2070

BYRepresentatives Todd and Hargrove

Applying the state building code to buildings or structures moved into a county or city.

House Committe on Housing

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (9)

      Signed by Representatives Nutley, Chair; Leonard, Vice Chair; Winsley, Ranking Republican Member; Anderson, Ballard, Inslee, Padden, Rector and Todd.

House Staff:Kenny Pittman (786-7392)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HOUSING FEBRUARY 28, 1989

BACKGROUND:

The State Building Code is a comprehensive set of technical documents used to provide minimum standards for the construction, alteration, moving, demolition, repair and use of any building or structure in the state.  Under the administrative chapters of the uniform codes that comprise the State Building Code, buildings or structures that are moved are required to comply with the requirements of the latest editions of the uniform codes.

The State Building Code Council has left adoption of the administrative chapters of the uniform codes at the option of counties and cities.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  Residential buildings or structures moved into or within a county or city are not required to meet all of the requirements of the latest editions of the uniform codes that comprise the State Building Code.  Exemption from the latest code requirements applies to moved structures or buildings that were legally built to the construction standards of their day and the original occupancy classification of the building or structure does not change as a result of the move.

Any alteration, repair, additions, or foundation work to moved residential buildings or structures must comply to the latest editions of the uniform codes that comprise the State Building Code.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL: Additional language limiting the exemption to moved residential structures or buildings is added.

Requires alterations, repairs, additions, or foundation work to moved residential structures or buildings to comply to the latest editions of the uniform codes that comprise the State Building Code.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Jeff Monroe, Monroe House Movers; Rob Robbins, Robbins and Company.

House Committee - Testified Against:      Blair Patrick, Washington Association of Building Officials.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The real problem is that once a building is moved some local building officials are requiring that the building must be brought up to the new code standards.  We have tried to work with both the International Conference of Building Officials and the State Building Code Council to get an exemption for moved buildings. Because of the uniformity problem, many homes are being demolished because the owner cannot afford to upgrade the moved building to the new code standards.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      This bill is not needed because the language in the State Building Code (Uniform Building Code portion) gives local building officials the authority to waive the requirements for moved structures.  The State Building Code Council has developed a position statement on moved buildings that allows local building officials to use their discretion in this area.  This is not an issue in 99 percent of the local governments.