Subject:
Title
Consider amending and enacting Chapter 1 - General Building and Administrative Provisions Section 11-1-1(c) - Code Adopted, of the Harrisonburg City Code
Body
Presented By: Chris Brown, City Attorney
Recommendation and Review
The Uniform Statewide Building Code permits localities, within certain guidelines, to establish frost line depth requirements, which affects the depth of building foundation footers. The City’s frost line depth was established many years ago at 30 inches. The Harrisonburg Building Official is requesting the frost line depth be changes to 24 inches. This will align the City with what is required in Rockingham County. Given current weather trends and building technologies the Building Official believes a 24-inch frost line depth is safe and appropriate. The Building Official has also recommended the City’s Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria be amended to include information that previously was not included, such as weathering, termite damage, winter design temperature, air freezing index, and mean annual temperature. Other information included in the chart has previously been expressed in a dialogue form on the website as opposed to using the chart being proposed.