The building code of the city is hereby revised and amended to conform to the 2021 editions of the International Code Council's International Building Code, International Energy Conservation Code, International Residential Code, International Existing Building Code, International Fuel Gas Code, International Energy Conservation Code, International Existing Buildings Code, International Mechanical Code, International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, International Plumbing Code and International Property Maintenance Code, as well as the 2020 edition of the National Fire Protection Association's National Electrical Code. The above codes, subject to all revisions and amendments set forth in this article, are hereby adopted as the building code of the city, effective as of the effective date of the ordinance adopting same. One copy of each said code, with revisions and amendments marked, is incorporated herein by reference and has been filed in the office of the city manager for permanent record and inspection by the public.
(1) 
Any reference in the above codes to the "board of appeals" shall be amended to read "board of adjustment."
(2) 
All buildings and structures must comply with applicable distance and setback requirements prescribed by the city.
(3) 
Any reference to the "jurisdiction" in the above codes shall mean the City of Terrell Hills.
(4) 
All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed with the exception of conflicts with article 9.02, Zoning, of the city Code of Ordinances, in which case the provisions of article 9.02, Zoning, shall take precedence.
(5) 
If any provision of this article or the application thereof to any circumstance shall be held invalid or otherwise unenforceable, the remainder of this article and the application thereof to other circumstances shall nevertheless be valid, as the city council has declared that this article would have been enacted without such invalid or unenforceable provision.
(6) 
All appendices to the above codes are hereby deleted.
(7) 
In the event of a conflict, the provisions of this article shall take precedence over a conflicting provision of any of the above codes.
(8) 
Any fees assessed under any of the above codes shall be determined in accordance with the city's building permit fee schedule set forth in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code, as applicable.
(Ordinance 1490, sec. 3-1(I), adopted 1/8/2021)
(a) 
IBC amendments.
The following sections of the International Building Code are hereby revised:[1]
[1]
Editor's note–The technical code amendments are included as an attachment to this chapter.
(b) 
Effective date of IBC amendments for sections 105.5 and 105.6.
Ordinance 1545 shall be effective immediately following publication as required by law, provided however, for any unexpired valid building or demolition permits affected by Ordinance 1545 and issued prior to the effective date of Ordinance 1545, said building permit or demolition permit will be deemed to expire on September 30, 2025, after which extensions may be obtained pursuant to Ordinance 1545.
(Ordinance 1490, sec. 3-1(II), (III), (V), (VI), adopted 1/8/2021; Ordinance 1545 adopted 12/9/2024)
The following regulations shall govern the construction of walls and fences within the city:
(1) 
All walls and fences shall be erected and maintained only within the property lines of the person or firm owning or maintaining the same.
(2) 
No wall or fence shall be erected or maintained so as to obstruct the view of persons operating vehicles on the public streets adjacent thereto.
(3) 
No wall or fence may exceed eight feet (8') in height above the natural terrain grade level, measured on the property owner's side of the wall/fence.
(4) 
No wall or fence shall be erected or maintained within a dedicated easement without the written consent of the controlling authority, i.e., City of Terrell Hills, CPS Energy or San Antonio Water System.
(5) 
No wall or fence enclosing a subdivision of more than one lot shall be erected.
(Ordinance 1490, sec. 3-2, adopted 1/8/2021; Ordinance adopting 2023 Code)
Construction, including erection, excavation, demolition, alteration, or repair work for which a current and valid city permit is required, is prohibited on any private property other than between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on weekdays; furthermore, such work is also prohibited on all city observed holidays, except in the case of urgent necessity in the interest of public safety and convenience, and then only by permission granted by the city manager or the building inspector of the city.
(Ordinance 1490, sec. 3-3, adopted 1/8/2021)
(a) 
Prohibitions.
The following practices are prohibited and shall constitute a public nuisance, unless an exception applies as described below:
(1) 
Stockpiling of construction materials for the erection, construction, alteration, repair, removal, moving or enlargement of a structure within view of a public street or public way or within 15 feet of any property boundary.
(2) 
Placing of disposal containers such as dumpsters or stockpiling of demolition materials within view of a public street or within 15 feet of any property boundary.
(3) 
Placing and/or maintaining a portable, temporary restroom facility within view of a public street or within 15 feet of any property boundary.
(4) 
Failure to provide silt screening along the border of property and/or a temporary construction entrance consisting of aggregate washed stone 4 to 8 inches in diameter with a minimum thickness of 8 inches (other suitable materials may be substituted by approval of the city building official) during new construction. The city building official will determine which of the above methods (or both) is appropriate.
(5) 
Construction and construction-related activities conducted in violation of section 4.02.004 (Construction hours) of this article.
(b) 
Exceptions.
(1) 
Public projects for the construction, repair or reconstruction of streets, sewers, water lines, gas lines or other public conveniences shall be exempt from the provisions of this section.
(2) 
New construction where no structure exists to shield a defined nuisance from public view or remodeling projects where a structure does exist shall be exempted provided that within 180 days of the commencement of construction all nuisances as herein defined shall be shielded from public view or removed from the premises.
(3) 
Any construction job where materials are delivered and used or removed from public view within 72 hours of initial delivery.
(4) 
Any project where the city manager finds that an unusual hardship exists shall be exempted provided that the city manager issues a written exception for the project with a specific time limit not to exceed 90 days.
(c) 
Abatement procedures.
(1) 
Upon finding any violation of this section, the building official or any police officer of the city shall give written notice of said nuisance to the property owner or agent thereof that they have a prohibited nuisance as defined herein and that the owner or their agent must abate said nuisance within 72 hours of this notification. In cases where the building official or police officer feels that an immediate danger to life or property is involved, he shall order the immediate abatement of said violation and issue the appropriate citation(s).
(2) 
Notice required by this section may be made in person or by sending a certified, return receipt letter to the owner of record as found on the last approved tax roll for the city.
(Ordinance 1490, sec. 3-4, adopted 1/8/2021)
Any person or corporation that shall violate any of the provisions of this article or fail to comply therewith or with any of the requirements thereof, or who shall build or alter any building in violation of any detailed statement or plan submitted and approved thereunder, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be liable to a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00), and each day such violation shall be permitted to exist shall constitute a separate offense. The owner or owners of any building or premises or part thereof, where anything in violation of this article shall be placed, or shall exist, and any architect, building contractor, agent, person or corporation employed in connection therewith, and who may have assisted in the commission of any such violation, shall be guilty of a separate offense and upon conviction shall be fined as herein provided. Furthermore, in cases where contractors demonstrate a history of noncompliance with this code and/or fail to comply with the lawful orders of the building official, the building official may revoke all permits held by said contractor and may refuse to issue any subsequent permits to said contractor. The penalty described in this section shall be cumulative of and in addition to any other legal remedies available to the city, as applicable.
(Ordinance 1490, sec. 3-5, adopted 1/8/2021)
The city's building permit fee schedule shall be as set forth in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code.
(Ordinance 1490, sec. 3-6, adopted 1/8/2021; Ordinance adopting 2023 Code)