On September 25, 2025, the Land Use, Public Safety, and Community Development Committee of the City of Frederick held a workshop to discuss six proposed ordinances updating several building codes. Chief Building Code Official Dustin Newsbaum presented each ordinance, which primarily adopt newer editions of national and state codes, eliminate outdated provisions, and clarify permit requirements and local amendments. The committee unanimously voted to recommend all six ordinances to the full City Council for adoption.
1. Ordinance G-25-17 (Electrical Code – Chapter 26)
2. Ordinance G-25-18 (Property Maintenance Code – Chapter 12.5)
3. Ordinance G-25-19 (Local Amendments to Property Maintenance Code)
4. Ordinance G-25-20 (Building Code – Chapter 5)
5. Ordinance G-25-21 (Plumbing and Gas – Chapter 16)
6. Ordinance G-25-22 (Fire Protection – Chapter 9)
I think we'll go through these each one by one. Perfect. Good afternoon, Dustin Newsbaum, Chief Building Code official for the City of Frederick. So we're going to go over ordinance updates, changes to I believe five different ordinances ordinances. We will start with chapter twenty-six, the electrical code. And just for some background information, Chapter 26 of the Frederick City Code adopts by reference the National Electric Code. And makes local amendments to the primary purpose of the draft ordinance is to adopt a 2023 edition of the code. The ordinance also eliminates outdated or unnecessary provisions, including those relating to electrical inspectors, and adds provisions relating to permit requirements, which were transferred from chapter five, the building code. How would you all like me to proceed? I guess if there's anything that you feel needs highlighting, uh you can bring that up, but I don't not sure what. I I agree with with that. Um changes in in this section and in others that are essentially clerical updates, or you know, we we've moved this to a different section, so now it's not in this section anymore. Those are all fine. So we can understand what what those are. But just moving around bullets. Um we don't need to hear as much about it. Okay, understood. Uh so yeah, just give me a minute, we'll we'll go through here. The the first major update is like I said, that the ordinance originally stated that the electrical code was the 1987 edition. We have changed that to state the 2023 National Electric Code. Um, so that is the primary change to this ordinance. Um it just makes it clear for all contractors, residents when applying for a permit, when completing work, the 2023 National Electric Code is the standard. Understood. Although that is currently the standard in practice here in the city anyway. Correct. We're just notating it more clearly in this section. Correct, yes. Now, I I will say that Maryland had just adopted a 2023. Uh so that's what we're we're moving to. Um and you know, the I believe the website says the twenty twenty, I believe, right now. So we will be updating the website to show to reflect that to the public as well. Um just gonna try to go through here and scan over any major updates. So I think one, if you look at Crate number. 2620C, uh, which is persons eligible to make applications. Um we have modified that to if you look at number two, the owner and principal residence of a residential building um who signs a statement as required by the code official may apply for and receive an electrical permit limited to the installation of fixtures equipment devices, branch circuits, yada yada um the load side of the service disconnect. So that means they can do minor wiring inside, but they cannot do the disconnect the the meter install to their to their principal structure. Um we kind of we took out that if you if you have rental properties, we're not allowing that person to do work in the rental property. The the tenant you mean the the actual no the property owner. Okay. We we kind of it's more of a like a life safety, we're more concerned for that tenant, and that's why we are requiring a master electrician do that and not just any homeowner that has rental properties. Okay, but this change allows for a property owner to request a permit for minor work to be performed on a property that they occupy themselves. Yes, sir, correct. And that allows them to perform the work. Correct. Yes, sir. Thank you. Yep. Can you give me a just a real practical example of that? Is that like me as a homeowner apply to change out my dining room light fixture and I need a permit to do that, and then I'm allowed to do it myself? Now, if if you're just changing a light fixture out, you wouldn't need a permit, like if you're just replacing it with the same type and kind.