Chapter 14.12
TECHNICAL CODES*

Sections:

14.12.010    Adoption by reference.

14.12.020    General requirements for all referenced codes.

14.12.030    Permits.

14.12.040    Referenced codes.

14.12.050    Fees.

14.12.060    Fee refunds.

14.12.070    Appeals.

14.12.080    Floodplain development.

14.12.090    Amendments to the referenced codes.

14.12.100    Violation—Penalty.

14.12.110    Severability.

14.12.120    Effective date.

*    Prior ordinance history: Ords. 1065, 1115, 1120, 1140, 1151, 1198, 1298, 1396, 1431 and 1485.

14.12.010 Adoption by reference.

There shall be in effect in the city of Omak the State Building Code which consists of the following codes which are hereby adopted by reference:

(a)    International Building Code. The most recently adopted edition of the International Building Code, including Appendix E and Appendix J, published by the International Code Council, is hereby adopted by reference as amended by Chapter 51-50 WAC; and

(b)    International Residential Code. The most recently adopted edition of the International Residential Code as published by the International Code Council is hereby adopted by reference with the following additions, deletions, and exceptions: provided, that Chapters 11 and 25 through 43 of this code are not adopted. Energy code is regulated by Chapters 51-11C and 51-11R WAC; plumbing code is regulated by Chapter 51-56 WAC; electrical code is regulated by Chapter 296-46B WAC. Appendix G, Swimming Pools, Spas and Hot Tubs, is included in adoption of the International Residential Code as amended by Chapter 51-51 WAC; and

(c)    International Mechanical Code. The most recently adopted edition of the International Mechanical Code published by the International Code Conference is hereby adopted by reference, as amended by Chapter 51-52 WAC, except that the standards for liquefied petroleum gas installations shall be NFPA 58 (Storage and Handling of Liquefied Petroleum Gases) and ANSI Z223.1/NFPA 54 (National Fuel Gas Code); and

(d)    International Fire Code. The most recently adopted edition of the International Fire Code, published by the International Code Council, is hereby adopted by reference including those standards of the National Fire Protection Association specifically referenced in the International Fire Code as amended by Chapter 51-54 WAC together with the following appendices which are specifically adopted:

(1)    Appendix B, Fire Flow for Buildings.

(2)    Appendix C, Fire Hydrant Location.

(3)    Appendix D, Fire Apparatus Access Roads.

(4)    Appendix E, Hazard Categories.

(5)    Appendix G, Cryogenic Fluids – Weight and Volume Equivalents.

Provided, that, notwithstanding any wording in this code, participants in religious ceremonies shall not be precluded from carrying handheld candles; and

(e)    Uniform Plumbing Code. The most recently adopted edition of the Uniform Plumbing Code, published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, as amended by Chapters 51-56 and 51-57 WAC, is hereby adopted by reference with the following additions, deletions and exceptions: provided, that Chapters 12 and 15 of this code are not adopted; provided further, that those requirements of the Uniform Plumbing Code relating to venting and combustion air of fuel fired appliances as found in Chapter 5 and those portions of the code addressing building sewers are not adopted; and

(f)    The rules adopted by the council establishing standards for making buildings and facilities accessible to and usable by the physically disabled or elderly persons as provided in RCW 70.92.100 through 70.92.160; and

(g)    Chapters 51-11C and 51-11R WAC, Washington State Energy Code. (Ord. 1901 § 1, 2021).

14.12.020 General requirements for all referenced codes.

(a)    Conflict Between Codes. Whenever there is a conflict between a referenced code in Section 14.12.010 and the general requirements contained in this section, the most restrictive code requirements shall apply.

(b)    Design Requirements.

Ground Snow Load*

Wind Speed (gust)

Seismic Design Category

Weathering

Frost Line Depth

Termites

Decay

Winter Design Temp.

Ice Shield Underlay

Flood Hazards

Air Freeze Index

Mean Annual Temp.

40 lbs./ft.

85 mph

C

Severe

24"

Slight to Moderate

None to Slight

10°

Yes

1982

1232

 

*        Minimum roof snow load to be 32 lbs./ft. in the city of Omak.

(c)    Professional Preparation of Plans. The city of Omak may require a Washington-licensed design professional, licensed under the provisions of Chapter 18.08 RCW, Chapter 308-12 WAC or Chapter 18.43 RCW to prepare or oversee the preparation of plans for any building or structure containing five or more residential dwelling units or doing design work including preparing construction contract documents and administering the contract for construction, erection, enlargement, alteration, or repairs of or to a building of any occupancy over four thousand square feet of construction.

(d)    Construction Plans. All submitted construction documents must be of sufficient detail to show the entire project with emphasis on the following:

(1)    Structural integrity;

(2)    Life safety;

(3)    Architectural barriers (ADA handicap compliance);

(4)    Compliance with all codes having jurisdiction;

(5)    Scope of work;

(6)    Special inspection requirements and protocols;

(7)    Deferred submittal schedule.

In general, the amount of detail required will vary, depending on the nature and complexity of the project. (Ord. 1883 § 1, 2019).

14.12.030 Permits.

(a)    Ownership. The owner of a city of Omak building permit shall be the property owner. The permit applicant is, by definition, an agent of the property owner if not the property owner.

(b)    Expiration of Permits. All permits shall expire by limitation and be declared void if: (1) work is not started within one hundred eighty days of obtaining a permit; or (2) work is abandoned for one hundred eighty days or more after beginning work; or (3) after two years from the date of permit issuance, regardless of whether the work is finished. If a permit is expired for time, a new permit may be obtained for the permit fee for the value of the remainder of the work to finish the original permit. (Ord. 1520 § 3, 2004).

14.12.040 Referenced codes.

All referenced codes are available for review at the city of Omak City Hall. (Ord. 1520 § 4, 2004).

14.12.050 Fees.

(a)    All city of Omak permit fees shall be established by a city of Omak resolution. The determination of value or valuation under any of the provision of this section shall be made by the building official. The value to be used in computing a permit or plan review fee shall be the total value of all construction work for which the permit is issued, as well as all finish work, painting, roofing, electrical, plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, elevators, fire extinguishing systems and any other permanent equipment. In order to maintain uniformity and reliability with respect to fee computations and determinations, the building official shall use a programmatic methodology based on current published averages for various types of construction and uses.

(b)    Investigation Fees—Work Without a Permit. Whenever any work for which a permit is required by this code has been commenced without first obtaining said permit, a special investigation shall be made before a permit may be issued for such work.

(c)    Fee. An investigation fee, in addition to the permit fee, shall be collected whether or not a permit is then or subsequently issued. The investigation fee shall be equal to the amount of the permit fee required by this code. This fee is an additional, punitive fee and shall not apply to any Omak grading or building permit fee that may subsequently be issued. Payment of the investigative fee does not vest the illegal work with any legitimacy, nor does it establish any right to an Omak permit for continued development of that project. If the work done remains illegal for ninety days after service of the stop work order, it shall be considered hazardous.

(d)    The payment of such investigation fee shall not exempt any person from compliance with all other provisions of this code nor from any penalty prescribed by law. (Ord. 1520 § 5 (part), 2004).

14.12.060 Fee refunds.

The building official may authorize the refunding of:

(a)    One hundred percent of any fee erroneously paid or collected;

(b)    Up to eighty percent of the permit fee paid when no work has been done under a permit issued in accordance with this code;

(c)    Up to eighty percent of the plan review fee paid when an application for a permit for which a plan review fee has been paid is withdrawn or canceled before any plan reviewing is done. The building official shall not authorize refunding of any fee paid except on written application filed by the original permit holder not later than one hundred eighty days after the date of fee payment. (Ord. 1520 § 5 (part), 2004).

14.12.070 Appeals.

(a)    Hearing Body. In order to hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the building official and/or fire marshal relative to the application and interpretation of this title, there shall be and is hereby created a board of appeals consisting of five members who are qualified by experience and training to pass on matters pertaining to building construction and who are not employees of the city. The building official shall be an ex officio member of and shall act as secretary to said board but shall have no vote on any matter before the board. The board of appeals shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council on an annual basis and shall hold office at the mayor’s pleasure. The board shall adopt rules of procedure for conducting its business, and shall render all decisions and findings in writing to the appellant with a duplicate copy to the building official.

(b)    Appeal Format and Process. Appeals shall be in the format and processed as specified in the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings and where applicable consistent with this chapter.

(c)    Board of Appeals Are Final. Decisions of the board of appeals are final and conclusive. (Ord. 1520 § 6, 2004).

14.12.080 Floodplain development.

All development within a designated floodplain located in the city of Omak jurisdiction shall comply with Chapter 14.28 and the construction specifications detailed in the most currently adopted IRC Chapter 3 Flood-Resistant Construction as amended. (Ord. 1883 § 2, 2019).

14.12.090 Amendments to the referenced codes.

(a)    International Building Code—(Reserved).

(b)    International Residential Code—(Reserved).

(c)    International Mechanical Code—(Reserved).

(d)    International Fire Code—(Reserved).

(e)    Uniform Plumbing Code—(Reserved).

(f)     International Fuel Gas Code—(Reserved).

(g)    Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings—(Reserved). (Ord. 1684 § 2, 2010).

14.12.100 Violation—Penalty.

In addition to any remedies provided by the above-referenced codes which are adopted by reference, failure to perform any act required, or the performance of any action prohibited by the building codes is designated to be a civil infraction and any person, firm or corporation found to have committed such an infraction by failing to perform any act required by the above codes, or the performance of any act prohibited therein, shall be assessed a monetary penalty which penalty may not exceed five hundred dollars for each offense. Each day during which a violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense and penalties may be assessed for each separate offense. (Ord. 1520 § 9, 2004).

14.12.110 Severability.

If any section, sentence, clause or phrase of this chapter shall be held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of any other section, sentence, clause or phrase of this chapter. (Ord. 1520 § 10, 2004).

14.12.120 Effective date.

This chapter shall become effective after passage by the council, approval by the mayor and publication as required by law. (Ord. 1520 § 11, 2004).