The 2021 International Building Code, written by the International Code Council, Chapters 1 through 12, 14 through 28, and 30 through 35, is adopted and incorporated by reference, including the following appendices:
A. 
Appendix B – Board of Appeals, amended as follows:
1. 
B101.3 – Membership of Board, is amended as follows:
All references to five board members are amended to reference three board members.
2. 
Where Section B101.3 indicates [INSERT NUMBER OF YEARS] the number three is inserted specifying that standard terms for board members is three years.
3. 
B101.5.3 – Postponed Hearing, is amended to read:
When three members are not present to hear an appeal, either the appellant or the appellant’s representative shall have the right to request a postponement of the hearing.
4. 
A new Section B101.5.4 – Filing Fee, is added to read:
The cost of filing an appeal case to be considered by the Appeals Board is $100.00 and must accompany the filing of the appeal. If the appeal is granted the application fee shall be refunded.
B. 
Appendix C – Group U Agricultural Buildings.
(S.G.C. 19.01.010; Ord. 97-1446 § 4, 1997; Ord. 02-1676 § 4, 2002; Ord. 04-64 § 4, 2004; Ord. 08-02 § 4, 2008; Ord. 12-43A § 4, 2013; Ord. 18-15 § 4, 2018; Ord. 22-20 § 4, 2022)
The assembly shall have the power to grant by motion a variance or waiver from the requirements of the codes adopted in this chapter, provided such variance or waiver is not in conflict with Alaska state adopted codes. The assembly shall take into consideration the recommendations of the building official and the fire chief in making the decision to grant such a variance or waiver.
(S.G.C. 19.01.015; Ord. 00-1580 § 4A, 2000; Ord. 02-1676 § 4, 2002; Ord. 04-64 § 4, 2004; Ord. 08-02 § 4, 2008; Ord. 22-20 § 4, 2022)
A. 
IBC Section 101.4 – Referenced Codes, is deleted.
B. 
IBC Section 103.2 – Appointment, is amended to read: “The Building Official shall be appointed by the Municipal Administrator.”
C. 
IBC Section 104.1 – Duties and Powers of Building Official – General, is amended as follows:
1. 
The following phrase is added to the end of sentence two: “... and to rule on applicability in the event of conflicting provisions with other codes.”
2. 
Sentence three is amended to read: “Such interpretations, rulings, policies and procedures shall be in compliance with the intent and purpose of this and related code.”
D. 
IBC Sections 105.1.1 – Annual Permit, and 105.1.2 – Annual Permit Records, are deleted.
E. 
IBC Section 105.2 – Work Exempt from Permit, is modified as follows:
1. 
Item 2 is amended to read: “Fences not over 8 feet high.”
2. 
Item 10 is amended to have an additional sentence which reads: “Private membrane structures used as ‘U’ occupancies which are not in excess of 240 square feet and have no electrical service. Such structures must be anchored in an approved manner.”
F. 
IBC Section 107.5 – Retention of Construction Documents, is deleted.
G. 
IBC Section 102.6 – Existing Structures, is amended by deleting the words, “International Property Maintenance Code.”
H. 
IBC Section 110.3.3 – Lowest Floor Elevation, is amended to read:
For structures located in flood hazard areas as identified in Chapter 20.05—Floodplain Management; prior to issuing the Certificate of Occupancy required in Section 111, the elevation certification required in Section 1612.4 or the IRC, as applicable, shall be submitted to the Building Official.
(S.G.C. 19.01.016; Ord. 02-1676 § 4, 2002; Ord. 04-64 § 4, 2004; Ord. 08-02 § 4, 2008; Ord. 12-43A § 4, 2013; amended during 3/2015 supplement; Ord. 18-15 § 4, 2018; Ord. 22-20 § 4, 2022)
IBC Section 201.3 – Terms Defined in Other Codes, is amended by deleting the references to “International Fuel Gas Code” and “International Plumbing Code” and replacing with “Uniform Plumbing Code.”
(S.G.C. 19.01.018; Ord. 04-64 § 4, 2004; Ord. 18-15 § 4, 2018; Ord. 22-20 § 4, 2022)
A. 
IBC Section 109.2 – Schedule of Permit Fees, is amended by adding a second sentence and table to read:
The following schedule is established:
Permit fees for A, B, E, F, H, I, M, R-l, R-2, R-4 and S occupancies shall be calculated using Table 1-A of the 1997 Uniform Building Code, and plan review fees shall be calculated as 65% of the permit fee. Permit fees for R-3 and U occupancies shall be calculated using the following table; plan review fees shall be calculated as 33% of the permit fee.
B. 
The following fee table is inserted immediately subsequent to IBC Section 109.2:
BUILDING PERMIT FEE SCHEDULE FOR R-3 AND U OCCUPANCIES
Total Valuation
Fee
$1.00 to $2,000.00
$46.35
$2,000.01 to $25,000.00
$46.35 for the first $2,000.00 plus $9.27 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $25,000.00
$25,000.01 to $50,000.00
$259.56 for the first $25,000.00 plus $6.70 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $50,000.00
$50,000.01 to $100,000.00
$426.94 for the first $50,000.00 plus $4.64 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $100,000.00
$100,000.01 to $500,000.00
$658.69 for the first $100,000.00 plus $3.61 for each additional $1,000.000 or fraction thereof, to and including $500,000.00
$500,000.01 to $1,000,000.00
$2,100.69 for the first $500,000.00 plus $3.10 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $1,000,000.00
$1,000,000.01 and up
$3,645.69 for the first $1,000,000.00 plus $2.10 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof
Other Inspections and Fees:
1. Inspections outside of normal business hours (Minimum charge – two hours): $55.00 per hour*
2. Reinspection fees as determined by the building official: 55.00 per hour*
3. Inspections for which no fee is specifically indicated (Minimum charge – one-half hour): 55.00 per hour*
4. Additional plan review required by changes, additions or revisions to approved plans (Minimum charge – one-half hour): 55.00 per hour*
5. For use of outside consultants for plan checking, inspections, or professional assistance: Actual costs**
*Or the total cost to the jurisdiction, whichever is the greatest. This cost shall include supervision, overhead, equipment, hourly wages and fringe benefits of the employees involved.
**Actual costs include administrative, overhead, and handling charges.
(S.G.C. 19.01.020; Ord. 97-1446 § 4, 1997; Ord. 99-1524 § 4, 1999; Ord. 02-1676 § 4, 2002; Ord. 04-64 § 4, 2004; amended during 3/2015 supplement; Ord. 15-14 § 4, 2015; Ord. 22-20 § 4, 2022)
IBC Section 109.4 – Work Commencing Before Permit Issuance, is amended to read:
Any person who commences any work on a building, structure, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system before obtaining the necessary permits may be subject to a fee established by the Building Official that shall be in addition to the required permit fees. The additional fee shall be equal to the amount of the permit fee required by this code, whether or not a permit is subsequently issued. A person who commences grading without a required permit shall be subject to, in addition to the regular grading permit fee, an additional permit fee of $100.00 for the first occurrence, $250.00 for a second occurrence, and $500.00 for subsequent occurrences in any three-year period.
(S.G.C. 19.01.021; Ord. 02-1676 § 4, 2002; Ord. 04-64 § 4, 2004; Ord. 08-02 § 4, 2008; Ord. 12-43A § 4, 2013; Ord. 22-20 § 4, 2022)
A. 
IBC Table 509 – Incidental Use Areas is amended as follows:
1. 
Cell one in the table is amended to read: “All furnace or boiler rooms.”
2. 
Cell two in the table is amended to read: “1 hour.”
(S.G.C. 19.01.040; Ord. 97-1446 § 4, 1997; Ord. 02-1676 § 4, 2002; Ord. 04-64 § 4, 2004; Ord. 08-02 § 4, 2008; Ord. 12-43A § 4, 2013; Ord. 18-15 § 4, 2018; Ord. 22-20 § 4, 2022)
IBC Section 111 – Certificates of Occupancy, is modified by adding a new Section 111.2.1 – Street Address, which reads:
Before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued, approved numbers or addresses shall be provided in such a position as to be plainly visible and legible from the street or road fronting the property.
(S.G.C. 19.01.065; Ord. 02-1676 § 4, 2002; Ord. 04-64 § 4, 2004; Ord. 08-02 § 4, 2008; Ord. 18-15 § 4, 2018; Ord. 22-20 § 4, 2022)
IBC Section 903.2, Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems – Where Required, is modified by deleting the exception and adding the following paragraph(s) which read:
A. 
All new buildings, and additions, having a new or existing fire area designated by the building official as occupancy classification A, B, Group E (excluding day-cares with an occupant load less than 50), Group F, H, I, M, R-l, and R-2’s which are 5-plex or larger or which have an occupant load greater than 10, R-4, or S occupancies and all new buildings over thirty-five (35) feet in height, shall be equipped throughout with an approved automatic fire suppression system.
B. 
Automatic fire suppression systems required by this section, but which are not required by other provisions of the State or City and Borough building codes, do not require remote electric supervision or monitoring provided the system has fewer than 100 sprinkler heads.
(S.G.C. 19.01.070; Ord. 97-1446 § 4, 1997; Ord. 02-1676 § 4, 2002; Ord. 02-1704 § 4, 2003; Ord. 04-64 § 4, 2004; Ord. 08-02 § 4, 2008; Ord. 12-43A § 4, 2013; Ord. 22-20 § 4, 2022)
If IBC Section 903.2 as amended by SGC § 19.10.070 results in a required automatic fire extinguishing system which would not otherwise have been required under the unamended building code, a waiver may be applied for. An application for such waiver shall be made in a form and manner as prescribed by the building department. The applicant must pay a $50.00 fee for waiver applications to cover advertisement of the meeting. Application for waiver shall be considered by a committee consisting of the fire chief or designee, the building official or designee, and the chair of the police and fire commission or designee. The committee shall grant or deny the application for waiver. The committee’s decision shall be reviewed, and affirmed or rejected, by the municipal administrator. If the administrator fails to affirm the committee’s decision, the application for waiver shall go to the assembly for consideration. Decisions of the committee and administrator are appealable to the assembly under SGC § 19.10.015.
(S.G.C. 19.01.071; Ord. 02-1676 § 4, 2002; Ord. 04-64 § 4, 2004; Ord. 18-15 § 4, 2018; Ord. 22-20 § 4, 2022)
IBC Section 1003 – General Means of Egress, is amended to include a new section which reads:
1003.8—Hazards from sliding snow from roofs. Means of egress discharge paths shall be protected from sliding snow from roofs by the use of snow stops or in an approved manner.
(S.G.C. 19.01.088; Ord. 08-02 § 4, 2008; Ord. 12-43A § 4, 2013; Ord. 22-20 § 4, 2022)
In new subdivisions, a certificate of occupancy shall not be issued for a dwelling or a building with water and sanitary plumbing facilities, unless that dwelling or building is connected to a city and borough accepted and Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation approved water and sanitary sewer system. In new subdivisions, a certificate of occupancy shall not be issued for a dwelling or a building unless all streets within the municipal right-of-way that serve the dwelling or building have been accepted by the city and borough.
(S.G.C. 19.01.092; Ord. 02-1676 § 4, 2002; Ord. 04-64 § 4, 2004; Ord. 22-20 § 4, 2022)
IBC Section 1101.1 – Scope, is amended by adding the following three sentences:
This chapter is adopted as a design reference for accessibility and is not reviewed by the Sitka Building Department for compliance. Compliance with the requirements of this chapter and other provisions within this code for accessibility of physically disabled persons is the exclusive responsibility of the owner of the structure. An advisory plan review may be obtained regarding the design for accessibility of a structure from the Alaska State ADA Coordinator’s Office located at 550 W. 7th Avenue, Suite 1960, Anchorage, AK 99501, phone number (907) 375-7716.
(S.G.C. 19.01.095; Ord. 02-1676 § 4, 2002; Ord. 04-64 § 4, 2004; Ord. 18-15 § 4, 2018; Ord. 22-20 § 4, 2022)
IBC Chapter 17 – Special Inspections, is modified by adding a new item Section 1712 – Earth Support and Danger Trees, to read as follows:
The Building Official may cause to be inspected, any clearing, excavation or fill or construction project regulated by this code to identify risks to subject or adjacent property caused by damage to trees, their support systems, or disruption of the “forest canopy.”
The Building Official may revoke or withhold development permits until dangers identified by special inspection have been satisfactorily mitigated.
It is the intent of the Assembly that matters of concern under this subsection be handled as expeditiously as possible and that the Building Official handle them in-house whenever possible to avoid delay from frivolous complaints or concerns.
(S.G.C. 19.01.100; Ord. 97-1446 § 4, 1997; Ord. 02-1676 § 4, 2002; Ord. 04-64 § 4, 2004; Ord. 12-43A § 4, 2013; Ord. 18-15 § 4, 2018; Ord. 22-20 § 4, 2022)
A. 
IBC Section 3102.1 – Membrane Structures, is modified by adding the following sentence:
Membrane structures installed as of the date of the enactment of this ordinance are “grandfathered” and need meet no additional requirements or standards as a result of adoption of this code. If such a membrane structure undergoes a change in occupancy designation, it must meet requirements as for a new installation.
B. 
An additional Section 3102.1.2 is added which reads:
All non-heated, open on the interior, non-hazardous occupancies are exempt from Section 19.10.070, provided they are used for storage of non-hazardous materials only.
(S.G.C. 19.01.125; Ord. 02-1676 § 4, 2002; Ord. 04-64 § 4, 2004; Ord. 22-20 § 4, 2022)