Amendments

Explanation of Options A and B:
Please note that as there is a wide range in firefighting philosophies/capabilities of cities across the region, OPTION “A” and OPTION “B” are provided in the Fire and Building Code amendments. Jurisdictions should choose one or the other based on their firefighting philosophies/capabilities when adopting code amendments.

Significant Changes between 2015 and 2018 Regional Amendments

In November of 2018, NCTCOG held a Regional Code Amendments workshop which covered the significant changes between the 2015 and 2018 regional amendments of the international codes.

Download Presentations         View Video of Regional Code Amendments Workshop

NCTCOG's Regional Codes Coordinating Committee (RCCC) and its four advisory boards conducted multiple meetings to review the latest editions of the model codes to develop regional amendments. Their review and recommendations are endorsed by NCTCOG's Executive Board.  Currently NCTCOG encourages jurisdictions in North Central Texas to adopt the following model construction codes along with their respective regional amendments as expeditiously as their local code adoption process will allow.

March 31, 2016: Clarification and Corrections to the 2015 International Codes Regional Recommended Amendments

NCTCOG's Regional Codes Coordinating Committee (RCCC) and its four advisory boards conducted multiple meetings to review the latest editions of the model codes to develop regional amendments. Their review and recommendations are endorsed by NCTCOG's Executive Board.  Currently NCTCOG encourages jurisdictions in North Central Texas to adopt the following model construction codes along with their respective regional amendments as expeditiously as their local code adoption process will allow.

NCTCOG's Regional Codes Coordinating Committee (RCCC) and its four advisory boards conducted multiple meetings to review the latest editions of the model codes to develop regional amendments. Their review and recommendations were endorsed by NCTCOG's Executive Board. 

* Senate Bill 5 (SB5), 77th Texas Legislature, requires the Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL) at the Texas Engineering Experiment Station of the Texas A&M University System to assist in determining the impact of local amendments to the energy code. Members of the ESL were involved in the code review process to ensure that the recommended regional amendments to the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code and the energy efficiency chapter of the 2009 International Residential Code were not found to result in less stringent energy efficiency requirements than the statewide energy code.

NCTCOG's Regional Codes Coordinating Committee (RCCC) and its four advisory boards conducts multiple meetings to review the latest editions of the model codes to develop regional amendments. Their review and recommendations were endorsed by NCTCOG's Executive Board.  Currently NCTCOG encourages jurisdictions in North Central Texas to adopt the following model construction codes along with their respective regional amendments with a consistent effective date of January 31, 2008.

* Senate Bill 5 (SB5), 77th Texas Legislature, states that amendments to the statewide energy code may not result in less stringent energy efficiency requirements in nonattainment areas and in affected counties. Further, SB5 requires the Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL) at the Texas Engineering Experiment Station of the Texas A&M University System to assist in determining the impact of local amendments to the energy code. Members of the ESL were involved in the code review process to ensure that the recommended regional amendments to the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code and the energy efficiency chapter of the 2006 International Residential Code were not found to result in less stringent energy efficiency requirements than the statewide energy code.

NCTCOG's Regional Codes Coordinating Committee (RCCC) and its four advisory boards conducted multiple meetings to review the editions of the model codes and to develop regional amendments. Their review and recommendations were completed and endorsed by NCTCOG's Executive Board.  In 2003, NCTCOG encouraged jurisdictions in North Central Texas to adopt the following model construction codes along with their respective regional amendments.

* Senate Bill 5 (SB5), 77th Texas Legislature, states that amendments to the statewide energy code may not result in less stringent energy efficiency requirements in nonattainment areas and in affected counties. Further, SB5 requires the Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL) at the Texas Engineering Experiment Station of the Texas A&M University System to assist in determining the impact of local amendments to the energy code. Members of the ESL were involved in the code review process to ensure that the recommended regional amendments to the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code and the energy efficiency chapter of the 2006 International Residential Code were not found to result in less stringent energy efficiency requirements than the statewide energy code.

In mid 2000, NCTCOG's Regional Codes Coordinating Committee directed its Code Advisory Boards to review the International Code Council's (ICC) 2000 model construction codes. The ICC family of International Codes represents the cooperation of three nationally significant code professional associations: International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO), Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc. (SBCCI), and Building Officials and Code Administrators International, Inc. (BOCA). 

The Advisory Boards held open meetings to consider the codes and come to consensus on regional amendments. Over 100 code professionals representing 47 local jurisdictions and professional associations contributed at least 4000 person hours in 44 meetings and work sessions during 2000/2001.

In February 2001, the North Central Texas Council of Governments, upon the recommendation of the Regional Codes Coordinating Committee and its Advisory Boards, encouraged jurisdictions in North Central Texas to adopt the following model construction codes along with their respective regional amendments:

* Received conditional approval from the Energy Systems Laboratory. Please click here for more information.

Please note that consensus could not be reached regarding when automatic fire sprinklers are required because there is such a wide range in fire fighting philosophies/capabilities of cities across the region. Option A and Option B are provided in the Fire and Building Code amendments. Jurisdictions should choose one or the other based on their fire fighting philosophies/capabilities. NCTCOG recommends adopting these codes with no local amendments other than the regional amendments. The ultimate goal is regional uniformity in the model construction codes for the North Central Texas region. The committee members feel strongly that municipalities, contractors, architects, builders, and manufacturers will benefit from the positive economic results coming from achievement of that goal.

Endorsements:

Home Builders Association

North Central Texas Council of Governments Executive Board

The following recommendations are the culmination of over 2400 person hours contributed by 152 code professionals representing 58 jurisdictions in 44 meetings spanning 11 months.

In January of 1997, NCTCOG's Regional Codes Coordinating Committee, composed of building professionals from the public and private sector, directed its code review committees to review the latest editions of the model construction codes. The review committees held open meetings to consider the Codes and come to consensus on regional amendments. Many representatives from cities and the private sector participated in these meetings. Numerous local amendments obtained from a regional survey were discussed. Many of them were eventually incorporated into the attached recommendations based on their benefit to business, industry, and property owners and their promotion of public safety.

Therefore, in an effort to simplify the construction process, advance the safety of building systems, promote common code interpretation, facilitate the mobility of contractors, and reduce construction costs, the North Central Texas Council of Governments, upon the recommendation of the Regional Codes Coordinating Committee and its code review committees, encourages your jurisdiction to adopt the following model construction codes with "regional amendments."

1997 Regional Amendments

• 1997 Uniform Building Code – Regional Amendments
  • Apartment Breezeway Stairs
• 1997 Uniform Fire Code – Regional Amendments
• 1997 International Plumbing Code – Regional Amendments
  • Policy Recommendations for CSST Gas Piping Systems
• 1997 International Mechanical Code – Regional Amendments
• 1999 National Electrical Code – Regional Amendments

Attached are resolutions, passed by NCTCOG's Executive Board, encouraging area jurisdictions to adopt these codes along with the attached regionally formulated amendments. For the benefit of builders and contractors, jurisdictions were also encouraged to set a regionally consistent code effective date of March 1, 1998. The 1999 NEC is recommended for adoption January 1, 2000.

Please note that consensus could not be reached on when automatic fire sprinklers are required because there is such a wide range in fire fighting philosophies/capabilities of cities across the region. It was decided that the best course of action was to provide an Option A and Option B in the Fire and Building Code amendments. Cities should choose one or the other.

Please note that NCTCOG recommends adopting these codes with no local amendments other than the regional amendments. The ultimate goal is regional uniformity in the model construction codes for the North Central Texas region. The members of the committees feel strongly that municipalities, contractors, architects, builders, and manufacturers will benefit from the positive economic results coming from achievement of that goal. As a follow-up measure, NCTCOG's Regional Codes Coordinating Committee intends to submit these amendments as proposed changes during the next code change cycle of the respective codes.