The Billings Fire Department, Building Department, general construction and building contractors, and fire protection specialists recommend the approval of repealing the fire code adoption via city ordinance and replacing the process via an administrative order. The administrative order will be signed into effect within 30 days should the city council decide to repeal the ordinance.

The City of Billings currently uses the 2021 Edition of the International Building Code, Residential Code, Mechanical Code, Fuel Gas Code, Swimming Pool and Spa Code, Plumbing Code, Energy Conservation Code, and Existing Building Code. These codes were adopted through an administrative order. We are currently using the 2012 Edition of the International Fire Code, which was adopted through city ordinance. These separate adoption processes create different code requirements, enforcement challenges, and jurisdictional confusion when different code editions are in place. Repealing the adoption of the International Fire Code through city ordinance and replacing the adoption process via an administrative order would alleviate these issues. 

City Council may:

• Approve; or,
• Not Approve

There is no significant impact of repealing and replacing the adoption process of the fire code.