Anchorage Assembly Work Session on Building Code Updates (AO2026-33) - March 6, 2026
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Anchorage Assembly Work Session on Building Code Updates (AO2026-33) - March 6, 2026
On Friday, March 6, 2026, at 1:04 p.m., the Anchorage Assembly held a work session to review and discuss AO2026-33, a comprehensive ordinance to update Title 23 of the Anchorage Municipal Code by adopting the 2024 editions of multiple international building codes and making local amendments. This undertaking occurs every six years. The session included presentations from Community Economic Development Director Bob Dole, Development Services Director Greg Soule, Engineering Services Manager Daniel King, and Fire Marshal Brian Dean, along with discussion by assembly members. The primary focus was on significant changes from the current 2018 code cycle, including administrative updates, new fire safety provisions for single-exit buildings, and other technical amendments.
Discussion Items
- Building Safety Service Area (BSSA) and Inspections: Daniel King described the BSSA, noting that outside its boundaries building permits and inspections are not mandatory (though the codes still apply). Member Bryant and others discussed the lack of mandatory inspections outside the BSSA and potential mechanisms to notify property buyers. King cited a study from the University of Colorado Boulder and University of Notre Dame finding that construction costs per square foot inside and outside the BSSA are effectively the same, but buildings inside have more complex designs due to the higher confidence from municipal review.
- ISO Insurance Rating: King reported that Anchorage’s ISO rating dropped from 3 to 5 primarily because the city did not adopt the 2021 codes. Adopting the 2024 codes is expected to restore the rating to 3, benefiting homeowners’ and commercial property insurance premiums.
- Administrative Code Changes: King presented two major changes: 1) Raising the permit exemption threshold for non-structural repairs from $5,000 to $10,000 (adjusted for inflation), with the rationale that larger projects are more likely to involve structural work. 2) Clarifying that mobile food units and shelter units in allowed camps must obtain a building permit (including electrical permits and zoning approval), while remaining exempt from building plan review and inspections (except as required by the section). Member Brawley proposed expanding the mobile food unit provision to cover all vending units (e.g., a hat store), not just food units.
- Fee Table Updates: King introduced a new cap on the number of inspections included in commercial permit fees, based on 2020–2024 data. This change allows residential permits to include more inspections upfront (23 inspections for projects up to $500,000, then two per additional $100,000), reducing the percentage of residential permits going over the included inspections by 15 percentage points. Retrofit permits will now include two inspections (up from one) to avoid surprise fees and help close more permits.
- Single Exit Buildings (International Building Code): King and Fire Marshal Dean presented a proposal to allow single-exit residential buildings up to six stories (current limit is three stories) on small lots, with up to four dwelling units per floor. Dean detailed enhanced fire safety measures: increased stairway width, more robust construction standards, sprinklers on balconies (removing an exemption), interconnected unit-addressable smoke detection, and higher water flow requirements. The proposal applies only where adequate water sources exist. King noted that Seattle, New York, and Hawaii have similar local amendments. The Fire Department fully supports the proposal, citing Anchorage’s excellent fire response capabilities (ISO fire rating of 1). The state fire marshal is still reviewing the proposal, which seeks a modification from state requirements; the state is considering requiring non-combustible construction (steel/concrete) for such buildings.
- Uniform Plumbing Code: King announced that the city will now allow horizontal wet venting and circuit venting for bathroom groups, previously prohibited. These techniques provide contractors more flexibility, especially in tight spaces like bathroom remodels.
- National Electrical Code: The local amendment for block heater outlets on parking spaces will be updated: for multi-family dwellings with nine or more units (up from eight), 50% of exterior outlets can be omitted, and the requirement is now tied to the number of parking spaces provided. The required wire gauge is increased to 10-gauge to facilitate future electric vehicle charging without mandating it.
- International Energy Conservation Code: The code will now include both the current minimum R-values (e.g., R21 in walls) and an enhanced column (e.g., R21 with R5 continuous insulation) to educate homeowners and builders about options for higher energy efficiency, though the minimum remains unchanged. King noted that Anchorage is in climate zone 7 but currently enforces climate zone 4 standards for insulation.
- International Existing Building Code: King described a change removing the 1970 cutoff year for requiring roof snow load verification when increasing insulation thickness during re-roofing. The change came after complaints of roof sagging in buildings built after 1970. All buildings with thin existing insulation will now need to confirm they can support the full design snow load (40 psf) before adding insulation.
- Elevator Code (ASME A17.1): King and Dean proposed requiring that control panels for machine-room-less elevators be accessible from outside the hoistway, not inside. This follows safety concerns for workers and firefighters. The International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 19 supports the change. Existing buildings will not be required to retrofit until major elevator renovations occur.
- International Residential Code: Two changes were presented: 1) Adopting an appendix that allows an exception to the fire separation wall between dwelling units if interconnected smoke alarms are installed across the units. This aims to simplify accessory dwelling unit conversions. 2) Allowing untreated exterior deck beams if they are painted/stained, protected with ice and water shield, and flash-topped. This replaces a previous requirement for preservative-treated lumber for all exposed wood.
Key Outcomes
- No formal votes were taken; the session was informational and a forum for assembly members to ask questions and raise potential amendments.
- Member Brawley expressed interest in amending the mobile food unit language to cover all vending units. King offered to work with her on a possible S-version of the ordinance incorporating that change along with others.
- Director Dole and staff will provide assembly members with a list of issues that were discussed in committees but not included in the proposal, to anticipate stakeholder amendments.
- The assembly will continue review; no meeting is scheduled for the following week, but committee work sessions may occur.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everybody. We'll go ahead and get started. Welcome. This is a work session of the Anchorage Assembly. Today is Friday, March 6th. It's 104 p.m. We're on the record till two. We're here to discuss AO2026-33 and ordinance repealing anchorage municipal code, chapter 1075, inspection fees repealing and reenacting anchorage municipal code chapters 2305 building regulations 2310 Anchorage Administrative Code 2315 International Building Code 2320, International Mechanical Code, 2325, Uniform Plumbing Code 2330, National Electrical Code 2345, International Fire Code 2360, International Energy Conservation Code 2365, International Existing Building Code 2375, Asmi A17.1 Safety Code for Elevator and Escalators, 23.76, ASMI A18.1 safety standard for platform lifts and stairway chairlifts 23.85 International Residential Code and 23.110 International Fuel Gas Code. We'll start with introductions to Ms. Baldon Day. Aaron Baldwin Day. Chair Kirker. And Daniel Bulland. Anna Brawley. Christopher Constant on the phone. We also have Member Silvers. Yara Silvers. Thank you, Mr. Martinez. President, thank you. Thank you, Mr. McCormick. Here, thank you. Thank you. Any other member on the phone? I don't hear anyone. We also joined by Bob Dole. Bob Dole, Director of Community Economic Development. Greg Soule, Director of Development Services. Daniel King, Engineering Services Manager for Development Services. All right. So the undertaking that we have before us, this proposal is a once every six year endeavor, which is to review and incorporate updates to the various building codes that are international into our code. And then the assembly's role is to hear from the departments and consider any alterations from the national standards. And this is what we have before us a pretty comprehensive 250 some page document. I hope it's posted on the website for work sessions. And this work session may be enough for us to get through the conversation, but it also could be just the beginning of the conversation that we need to have. I also understand that this item was heard yesterday at the CEDC committee meeting. And so this is not the first time it comes before the body. That's the predicate. Mr. Dole, you have the floor. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Bob Dole, Director of Community Economic Development. As you know, every six years we return here. It's kind of like the locust coming back to uh revisit this. We have the benefit as we sit here today with you of lessons learned from the earthquake and also the process of the national code development in uh getting to this point uh in the 2021 and now the 2024 codes uh since the last time this body visited the building codes for this entity. As we talk about 10,000 homes in 10 years, to us the key points it's 10,000 responsibly built and safe homes. We also proved after the earthquake that a home that does not hold together is not an affordable home. We painfully proved that for many families with foreclosures and uh excessive or very high uh special assessments by condominium owner associations.
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