Choose from this list of articles, or scroll down:
1. Some highlights of October 1 plan submittal code revisions;
2. Events Calendar;
3. Attention: Municipal Officials, Dwelling Code Contractors
4. Code council supports proceeding with IBC consideration, fire codes study suspended;
5. Building plan review position established in Hayward;
6. Hearings on revision of Comm 33, Tramways, Lifts, and Tows;
7. Map of Commercial Building Inspectors Districts;
8. Safety and Buildings Division Commercial Building Inspectors;
9. Two erosion control education sessions - Six hours of continuing education credit offered;
10. Picks to click;
11. Certified Municipalities;
12. Who to Contact in the Safety and Buildings Division
1. Some highlights of October 1 plan submittal code
For more information, contact any of the building plan reviewers, http://www.commerce.state.wi.us/SB/SB-CommercialBuildingsPlanRevsList10324.html Plan review submittal procedures were among the code revisions which became effective October 1. The changes were more extensively discussed in the May and June 2000 WBCR's. Some of the notable revisions are :
*The process for issuing building material approvals is changed to address approval of products that comply with the intent but not the text of the code, and to authorize experimental approvals of unproven products for the purpose of determining compliance with the code. The process change also includes repealing a requirement to obtain Safety and Buildings Division approval for light-transmitting plastics and direct-vent sealed-combustion chamber appliances, and repeals an optional procedure for independent testing laboratories to obtain S&B recognition. This process change is for all the Commercial Building Code, the Multifamily Dwelling Code, and the one- and two-family dwelling code. [Comm 20 Subchapter VI, 50.19, and 66.25]
*A process was codified in all three of the S&B's major building codes for use of a standard specification that is equivalent to or more stringent than a standard which is incorporated by reference in the code. [Comm 20.24 (3) and 51.25 (3)].
*Language was created that requires compliance with the code in effect at the time of construction in the event a commercial building is converted from being exempt from the code to being not exempt. [Comm 50.03(5)]
*S&B plan examination is no longer required for small greenhouses and mini-storage buildings, which are specified as containing less than 25,000 cubic feet total volume. [Comm 50.12(1)(i)1]
*SB plan examination is no longer required for antenna structures. [Comm 50.12(1)(i)2]
*Plan reviews for commercial buildings will no longer include lighting plans. Fees for lighting review were eliminated through changes to Comm 2, Fees, effective September 1, 2000. Inspectors at a site may ask to see the lighting plans to clarify some question. The plans will need to be provided, whether or not they are stored on site.
*An option is created that allows substituting SB plan approval with design and construction supervision by a registered design professional for (A) buildings which contain from 25,000 to 50,000 cubic feet of volume and which are storage garages, greenhouses, mini-storage buildings, or within the scope of Comm 54, such as factories and office buildings; and (B) buildings which contain less than 25,000 cubic feet and which are within the scopes of Comm 55 to 61 and 66, such as theaters, assembly halls, schools, hotels, motels, multifamily dwellings, health care facilities, places of detention, airplane hangers, child day care facilities, and community-based residential facilities. Where this option is elected, a written notice and filing fee must be sent to the S&B. [Comm 50.12(1t) and 66.14(1t)]
*Language is created for commercial buildings and multifamily dwellings that allows a certified municipality to review plans for any building addition containing no more than 2,500 square feet of total floor area and no more than one floor level, provided the largest roof span does not exceed 18 feet and the exterior wall height does not exceed 12 feet. [Comm 50.21(5)(c)3b and 66.24(5)(c)3b]
*Language is created for self-service gasoline stations that use a key- or card-operated fuel dispensing device, which allows toilet rooms to be unavailable during periods when the station is unattended by an employe. [Comm 54.12(2)(f)2b]
*HVAC replacements with similar equipment no longer need a submittal letter to S&B for HVAC approval. (For commercial boiler replacements, contact Ellen Anderson of the S&B Boiler Program for an installation registration form, 608-2266-7548.)
Code chapters which changed through the revision package were Comm 3, 20, 50-64, 66, 70, 75, 77, 90. Codes administered by the Safety and Buildings Division are available for purchase through state Document Sales, 608-266-3358, or 800-362-7253, for credit card purchases.
2. Events Calendar
Contact the listed Code Consultant for information on the meetings agenda, locations, etc. If you have questions concerning technicalities of the codes which are the subjects of the meetings, contact consultants and reviewers listed on pages 14 and 15 of this WBCR. October 11, 2000, Wednesday, Multifamily Dwelling Code Council, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Wisconsin Builders Association, 4868 High Crossing Blvd, Madison, Sam Rockweiler, srockweiler@commerce.state.wi.us, 608-266-0797. October 24, 2000, Tuesday, Public Safety Advisory Council, 9:30 a.m., Thompson Commerce Center, Rm. 3B, 201 W Washington Ave., Madison, Ron Acker, racker@commerce.state.wi.us, 608-267-7907. October 26, 2000, Fire Safety Council, Logistics to be announced, Duane Hubeler, dhubeler@commerce.state.wi.us, 608-266-1390. November 1, 2000, Wednesday, Uniform Dwelling Code Council, 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Wisconsin Builders Association, 4868 High Crossing Blvd, Madison, Duane Hubeler, dhubeler@commerce.state.wi.us, 608-266-1390. November 9, 2000, Thursday, Commercial Building Code Council, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., UW-Madison Agricultural Research Station, 8502 Mineral Point Road, Verona, , srockweiler@commerce.state.wi.us, 608-266-0797. November 15, 2000, Wednesday, Plumbing Advisory Code Council, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Location To Be Announced, Jean MacCubbin, jmaccubbin@commerce.state.wi.us, 608-266-0955.
3. Attention: Municipal Officials, Dwelling Code Contractors
In order to be eligible to obtain a building permit for a one- or two-family dwelling, a person must be the owner or must have the Dwelling Contractor Financial Responsibility Certification from the Safety and Buildings Division. A municipality may not issue a building permit while a contractor applies for the certification. The contractor must have the certification in advance of applying for the permit. Municipalities should not give old blank credential application forms to contractors. The credential forms are custom-produced for each applicant. For more information, applicants may contact the S&B Credential Unit, madisoncred@commerce.state.wi.us, 608-261-8500.
4. Code council supports proceeding with IBC consideration, fire codes study suspended
The advisory Commercial Building Code Council voted 9-1 in September to support proceeding without delay with hearings on adoption of an International Buildings Code (IBC) package, including associated revisions to Comm 14, the Wisconsin Fire Safety Code. The council also backed the Safety and Buildings Division decision to suspend plans to do a technical comparison between the International Fire Code (IFC) and the National Fire Protection Association standards 1 and 101. S&B was asked by the council to continue review of adoption of the IFC as part of the IBC hearing package; at their November meeting the council members will consider which avenue they prefer in terms of a fire code for Wisconsin. S&B's reasons for not doing the comparison
The in-depth technical fire code comparison had been planned before the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announced it intends to reconsider its codes in conjunction with several other national groups, to create a suite of model codes to rival the IBC and other of the International Code Council suite of codes. Doing a comparison involving the current NFPA standards is not useful if the standards will soon change in substance, format, and relationship to other codes. The comparison of the IFC and the NFPA standards also had been intended to satisfy requests from fire chiefs for point-by-point technical study of competing model fire codes. However, since then, the Wisconsin State Fire Chiefs Association has supported adopting the projected NFPA competing suite of codes and supported delaying IBC adoption hearings. A point-by-point technical fire code comparison for the association is moot for now in that the association has already decided to support the new NFPA suite of codes. Because of the planned changes to the NFPA codes and the chiefs association decision to support the NFPA codes, and recognizing conflicts and overlaps of NFPA 1 and 101 with the IBC, the S&B administration decided to not do the fire code comparison in conjunction with adoption of the IBC. S&B had surveyed state fire chiefs in terms of their interest in having copies of the International Fire Code and NFPA 1 and 101. Now that the comparison is not happening, thoughts of providing those codes for chiefs also have been put aside.
5. Building plan review position established in Hayward
A 50-percent building plan review position has been re-established in the Hayward Safety and Buildings Division office. Recruitment was to begin in late September. The position was created in response to requests of plan review submitters in the northwest part of the state. Resources will be allocated from a newly vacant non-plan review position in Madison. S&B announced in last month's WBCR that it was moving a full-time building plan review position from Hayward to La Crosse in order to support the heavier workload in La Crosse. The division had studied workloads in the two offices and decided the full-time position was more needed in La Crosse. Plan review submitters asked that S&B reconsider the situation and the 50-percent position has been established.
6. Hearings on revision of Comm 33, Tramways, Lifts, and Tows
The Safety and Buildings Division will hold public hearings on proposed revisions to Comm 33 relating to tramways, lifts and tows. An analysis of the rules changes is at the right. The hearings will be held:
- Wednesday, October 18, 2000 at 10 a.m. in Room 120 of the Waukesha State Office Building, 141 N.W. Barstow Street, Waukesha.
- Thursday, October 19, 2000, at 11 a.m. in Room 105 of the Eau Claire State Office Building, 718 W. Clairemont Avenue, Eau Claire.
- Friday, October 20, 2000 at 10 a.m. in Room 3C of the Thompson Commerce Center, 201 W. Washington Avenue, Madison. Interested persons are invited to appear at the hearings and present comments on the proposed rules. Persons making oral presentations are requested to submit their comments in writing. Persons submitting comments will not receive individual responses. The hearing record on this proposed rulemaking will remain open until November 3, 2000, to permit submittal of written comments from persons who are unable to attend a hearing or who wish to supplement testimony offered at a hearing. Written comments should be submitted to Ronald Acker, Program Development Bureau, P.O. Box 2689, Madison, WI 53701-2689. These hearings are held in accessible facilities. If you have special needs or circumstances that may make communication or accessibility difficult at the hearing, please call 608-266-8741 or TTY at 608-264-8777 at least 10 days prior to the hearing date. Accommodations such as interpreters, English translators, or materials in audio tape format will, to the fullest extent possible, be made available upon request by a person with a disability. Analysis of Proposed Rules
Comm 33 contains minimum safety standards for the design, construction, installation, operation, and inspection of tramways, lifts and tows. The proposed rules consist of a complete revision of Comm 33 in order to bring the chapter up to date with current technology and nationally recognized standards. The current Comm 33 consists of the incorporation by reference of the 1992 edition of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Safety Requirements for Passenger Tramways, ANSI B77.1, with several modifications to that standard. The proposed rules incorporate the 1999 edition of the ANSI B77.1 standard, Safety Requirements for Passenger Ropeways. In addition to the change in terminology to passenger ropeways, the proposed rules include several technical revisions in the current code. Most of the Wisconsin modifications to the ANSI standard in the current code, such as the requirements for additional signs, are being removed. The current code requirements for inspections are being revised by requiring compliance with the acceptance inspections and load tests requirements in the ANSI standard. The inspection requirements are also being revised to allow periodic inspections to be performed by third-party independent inspectors. The proposed rules also include new requirements for a permit to operate. The proposed rules have been developed with the assistance of the Tramways, Lifts and Tows Code Advisory Council. The members of that citizen advisory council are:
Name Representing
Jim Engel Wisconsin Ski Industries Assoc.
Jim Hubing National Ski Patrol System
Don McKay Wisconsin Ski Industries Assoc.
Ted Motschman Wisconsin Ski Industries Assoc.
Dennis Schulz Ski Industry at large
Chris Stoddard Insurance Industry
Rob Walz Wisconsin Ski Industries Assoc.
7. Map of Commercial Building Inspectors Districts
http://www.commerce.state.wi.us/SB/SB-CommercialBuildingsInspectorsDistrictsMap.html
8. Safety and Buildings Division Commercial Building Inspectors
(Commercial Buildings Program on the Internet: http://www.commerce.state.wi.us/SB/SB-CommercialBuildingsProgram.html) Sample email Address: Len Alexander = lalexander@commerce.state.wi.us District # (See map at #8.) Name Mailing Address Telephone FAX # Office Day 14. Len Alexander PO Box 2538 Madison 53701 608-524-3374 608-267-0592 Fri 6. John R. Anderson PO Box 2538 Madison 53701 715-823-2014 715-524-3633 Mon 9. David Bibeau PO Box 2538 Madison 53701 715-627-7329 608-267-0592 Tues 10. Teresa Black 10541N Ranch Rd Hayward 54843 715-634-8114 715-634-5150 Fri 12. Nick Charles 13 E Spruce St, Chippewa Falls 54729 715-726-2541 715-232-6601 Tues 11. John Dahl 13 E Spruce St, Chippewa Falls 54729 715-232-6600 715-232-6601 Thurs 4. Jane Drager PO Box 64, Combined Locks 54113 920-788-4616 920-492-5604 Fri 16. Steve Gothard PO Box 2538 Madison 53701 608-839-9835 608-267-0592 Mon 8. Emil Jensen 2331 San Luis Pl, Suite 150, Green Bay 54304 920-822-2915 920-822-2913 Wed 15. Chris Luster PO Box 2538 Madison 53701 608-326-6779 608-267-0592 Thurs 17. Char Martin PO Box 2538 Madison 53701 608-884-4168 608-267-0592 Mon 2. Veronica Miller 401 Pilot Ct, Suite C, Waukesha 53188 262-521-5067 262-548-8614 Fri 7. John Nygard 2331 San Luis Pl, Suite 150, Green Bay 54304 920-434-7192 920-492-5604 Mon 5. Peter Ochs 349 N Peters Ave, Fond du Lac 54935 920-929-3167 920-907-5625 Fri 13. Sam Solberg 2715 Post Rd, Stevens Point 54481 715-345-5226 715-345-5269 NA 1. Larry Weede 401 Pilot Ct, Suite C, Waukesha 53188 262-248-4922 262-548-8614 NA 3. Betty Wiese 401 Pilot Ct, Suite C, Waukesha 53188 414-228-6956 262-548-8614 Tues Supervisor: Mark Stevenson, 920-492-5611, mstevenson@commerce.state.wi.us Call 608-266-2780 to schedule inspections for complaints, day care facilities, community-based residential facilities, child care institutions, and special inspection requests.
9. Two erosion control education sessions - Six hours of continuing education credit offered Erosion Control Association
The Great Lakes Chapter of the International Erosion Control Association will present seminars covering various topics in Brookfield Wisconsin on November 7 and Lansing Michigan on November 9. Each session will offer six credit hours of continuing education for commercial building inspectors. The topics of the sessions: Understanding flow and erosion, In-stream sediment control, Economic impact of erosion control, erosion control tools. The programs are intended for designers, contractors, and regulators, according to literature. The fee is $70 for association members and $80 for non-members. For more information, call Price and Company, 616-530-8230. Large-Site Construction
Erosion control planners, contractors and inspectors are the target of two November one-day workshops organized by the UW-Extension. "Large-Site Construction" is the general topic of the sessions, to be held November 2 and 3 in Hudson and November 14-15 in Madison. The first day of the two will offer six hours of continuing education credit to Commercial Building Inspectors. Planned for the first day are a question and answer period, discussion of legal and regulatory issues, visits to two field sites, and consideration of quality erosion control plans. The second day topics will be how hydrology and soil affect practices, onsite management, and a design workshop. There is a $50 fee for each days, which will include lunch and materials. The workshops are advertised as providing enough instruction to take pending inspector and planner examinations. For more information, Gary Bubenzer, UW Extension, 608-262-1229. To register, contact the UW College of Letters and Sciences Outreach Program, 608-263-1672.
10. Picks to click
- NEC, National Electrical Code website = www.necdirect.org
- Safety and Buildings Division Fire Safety Program = www.commerce.state.wi.us/SB/SB-FireSafetyProgram
- Safety and Buildings Division Commercial Buildings Program = www.commerce.state.wi.us/SB/SB-CommercialBuildingsProgram
- Safety and Buildings Division One- and Two-Family Dwelling Program =
www.commerce.state.wi.us/SB/SB-OneandTwoFamily Program
Safety and Buildings Division Multifamily Dwellings Program = www.commerce.state.wi.us/SB/SB-MultifamilyDwellings.html 11. Certified Municipalities
12. Who to Contact in the Safety and Buildings Division