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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04032025 BSC Minutes City of West University p Place Public Works Department Building & Standards Commission Located in the Council Chambers, 3800 University Blvd, West University Place, Texas 77005 Meeting Minutes April 3,2025 MEMBERS PRESENT: Jonathon Hance, Bruce Beneke (left at 6:33 pm), Matthew Brejot,James Craig, Eddie Matthews, Gerry Spedale,Andy Fiedler, and Krishna Shah MEMBERS ABSENT: Matthew Brejot and Spyros Maragos STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Dave Beach, Administrative Coordinator Josie Hayes, Safebuilt Zoning Official Jordan Cruz, Fire Protection Specialist Joe Murray, Safebuilt Building Official Tracy Rodriguez and Legal Counsel Philip Boedeker GUEST: Sam Harwell [Call to Order] Jonathon Hance called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 1. Notices, Rules, Etc. Jonathon Hance welcomed BSC members and staff to the meeting. All members and staff introduced themselves. Josie Hayes stated notices were posted per state and local laws. Josie Hayes stated Krishna Shah was the alternate voting member. 2. Public Comments. Sam Harwell, 3809 Marquette provided public comment. He mentioned speaking with someone from the fire department in West University who reported a low number (four in 20 years) of garage fires attributed to electric vehicles or charging stations. Based on this, he initially recommended waiting for updates to the International Residential Code(IRC). However, Sam Harwell acknowledged that these incidents were not zero and suggested that if rules were to be implemented, they should align with the International Building Code's (IBC) stricter rules, including 2-hour fire- rated walls and ceilings, and specifically add a provision for a 90-minute rated door as 2-hour fire doors are not standard in codes. He also pointed out a potential loophole where the new construction rules could be bypassed by installing charging stations after obtaining a certificate of occupancy through the remodel process, which would not require the 2-hour assembly. Therefore, he 3826 Amherst St. WWW.westutx.gov West University Place, TX 77005 713-662-5830 Cit. City of West University p Place Public Works Department recommended not conditioning the 2-hour assembly requirement solely on the installation of a charging station during new construction. Sam also provided public comment regarding stop work orders, stating he found that out of the 28 stop work orders, only in one instance was a violation issued for the same property more than three months apart from suggesting the current rules are generally effective. He also highlighted the significant financial cost of a stop work order is and raised concerns about the discretionary nature of issuing stop work orders and suggested that if a fine is implemented, the rules for issuing stop work orders should be rewritten to require specific statements of the violation. 3. Discussion Items from Staff. • Fire Code: Jordan Cruz provided background on the proposed EV charging station code language and the intent behind it. Joe Murray explained the rationale for the two-hour fire- resistant assembly requirement, focusing on life safety and fire department response. There was discussion about the need to add statutory code language to address electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and battery storage walls. BSC recommended looking at the 2021 code provisions for battery storage walls and comparing them to the proposed language. There was some concern that people may try to bypass the new construction requirements by building a house first and then adding the charging station later. The discussion touched upon the purpose of the 2-hour fire rated assembly, clarifying that it was intended to provide additional time for occupants to escape and for the fire department to contain the fire given the hotter temperatures of EV battery fires. There was discussion that battery walls had been discussed previously. There was uncertainty whether the current language adequately covered storage systems. It was noted that the 2021 IRC already includes language for storage walls which is why it might have been dropped from this specific discussion focusing on EV charging stations. ACTION: BSC asked staff to add provisions for the door rating, storage walls and provide 2- 3 other code provisions from other cities and bring it back to the next meeting for further discussion. • Enforcement of General Contractor Responsibilities: BSC discussed a proposed addition to the existing ordinance, Section 18-6,that would introduce a fee to be paid any time a stop work order is placed on a job site. City staff explained that the intent behind the proposed fee was to provide "teeth" to the enforcement process when general contractors fail to ensure compliance on their work sites. While the city tries to work with developers through warnings and other means to avoid stop work orders, this fee was envisioned as an additional measure to address situations of non-compliance. Currently, there are no fees associated with a stop work order. The existing code allows for stop work orders, but the only consequence is the cessation of work until the issue is resolved. The city manager highlighted that the impetus for this discussion stemmed from frequent complaints from residents,particularly regarding noise violations. The current code holds the individual committing the violation responsible. 3826 Amherst St. www.westutx.gov West University Place, TX 77005 713-662-5830 West University Place Public Works Department However,the city's goal is compliance, and repeated violations often occur with different sub- contractors on the same project where the general contractor is the only constant. The proposed fee aims to hold the general contractor accountable for the actions of their subcontractors after repeated violations lead to a stop work order. There was significant concern that the proposed fee would ultimately be passed on to the homeowner by the general contractor. There was discussion about the consequences of a contractor who violates a stop work order and the process and uniformity of enforcement. The board explored other ways to penalize non- compliant general contractors, such as considering their history of violations. Staff pointed out there is currently a code that has provisions allowing the BSC to suspend a contractor's registration if they are responsible for three or more building violations within a 12-month period. ACTION:BSC decided to have the new building official,starting in May,work on developing a formal process and recommendations for how to address this issue and bring it back to the board for discussion. 4. Meeting Minutes. Eddie Matthews made a motion to approve March 6, 2025, minutes. James Craig seconded. AYES: Jonathon Hance, James Craig, Eddie Matthews, Gerry Spedale (became alternate voting member once Bruce Beneke left) and Krishna Shah. NOES: None. ABSTAIN:None. Motion approved. Jonathon Hance made a motion to adjourn. Krishna Shaf seconded. AYES: Jonathon Hance, James Craig, Eddie Matthews, Gerry Spedale and Krishna Shah. NOES: None. ABSTAIN: None. Motion approved. Meeting adjourned at 6:56 p.m. PASSED THIS 1 S4- DAY OF M 0,41 , 2025. Jonath ance, Chairman ATT ST: Josie M. Hayes, Administrative Coordinator 3826 Amherst St. www.westutx.gov West University Place, TX 77005 713-662-5830