THE HOME BUILDER
Page Two
September 2022
Members compete in HOMEPAC Shootout presented by BGE
Codes, Permits and Outreach While the benefits of Dallas BA
David Lehde Director of Government Affairs
Galyean Insur- ance Team: Brandon Harry, Craig Muirhead, Ronny Carrol and Joe Chenault
there are other City of Dallas specific amendments. Many of them build on a commonsense approach. Other parts of the code will come soon. Dallas also recently approved definition changes for what constitutes a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen in Chapter 51 A. Dallas BA reviewed the language before it went to council and offered our input to staff. Dallas BA’s primary concern was whether the amendments could impact builders by providing extra challenges in meeting the energy code. After meeting with city staff, we feel comfortable that the definitions will not cause a problem. In fact, as the city of Dallas seeks ways to tackle housing affordability, the new defini - tions provide some clarity and should offer some relief from site plans being “over-parked” by inflationary parking requirements. This could benefit a proj - ect stormwater plan as well. Dallas BA remains engaged with City of Dallas staff on addressing permit timelines. After meeting with the new Chief Building Official and his team earlier this year, followed by a meeting with the City Manager last month, a team for Dallas BA members and staff met with the leadership from the city’s Development Services Department (DEV) on Aug. 2 to hear an update on the city’s plan and offer input. DEV offered data on their work to improve permit timelines, as well as the work to improve the process and operations for their residential review team. DEV’s presentation included their testing of a new process that will allow preliminary approvals for single-family development submittals for homes with identical plans. DEV staff is also proposing a new residential permitting walkthrough process. The Rapid Single-family VIP Program (RSVP) concept is similar to what is seen on the commercial building side, where an expedited review process is available based on an hourly fee. But most important is the contin- ued work to address permit backlogs in Dallas. DEV has been putting a team together to focus on those backlogs. Dallas BA members raised the impor- tance of communication from that team to a builder who may be facing a delay. At the national level, Dallas BA joined TAB and NAHB to engage members of congress in policy outreach to address the need for balance leading up to the recent vote on the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The reconciliation bill contains language that could impact the use of
advocacy on codes and regulations continue to have an impact for Associa- tion members, builders across the region should remain aware of building code updates in the municipalities where they provide homes. The 2021 cycle of the International Code Council’s (ICC) family of codes, including the residential, building and fire codes, is already appearing in mu - nicipal code updates across the Dallas BA service area. Dallas BA played a major role in the successful advocacy for needed regional amendments during the cycle’s review process at the North Texas Council of Governments, where the Association is a voting member of the Regional Codes Coordinating Com- mittee (RCCC). Dallas BA worked with other private and public sector stakeholders to provide amendments that help the codes focus on health and safety, while working to avoid needless requirements and cost increases. For example, Dallas BA success- fully obtained a regional amendment recommendation to the IFC that adjusts the allowed height of a building in which NFPA 13R multifamily sprinkler systems can still be used in four-story multifamily buildings where the highest story is 35 feet or less above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access. This protects against a needless cost increase that would result from requiring a full NFPA 13 system. The amendment corrects an unintended con- sequence that occurred in the drafting of the 2021 cycle codes and is supported by stakeholders on both sides. Dallas BA also worked for an amendment to address a pool’s proxim- ity to a home foundation to provide for a safer installation, to safeguard against after sale warranty and insurance issues. As multiple cities adopt code up- dates, builders should keep in mind that there are still other amendments drafted by each municipality tailored to how they view the code. And the timetable can vary. While Denton and Plano have already updated their codes, making use of the COG re- gional recommendations, other cities are just now sending out drafts for review. Celina will likely take their updates before their city council in September. Frisco is also in the process. In the City of Dallas, the drafting process for the city’s use of the 2021 In- ternational Fire Code is also underway. Dallas BA has been in review of the draft and, again, while Dallas is incor- porating COG’s regional amendments,
local amendments, but state legislation secured in recent sessions in Austin by the Association should offer protection. Dallas BA also recently held meet- ings with Congressman Jake Ellzey and Pat Fallon, as well Keith Self, the former Collin County Judge who is the leading candidate for 3rd Congressional District of Texas. Dallas BA meets with members of our service area’s congressional del- egation multiple times a year to voice the industry’s concerns. Rounding out August was the HOMEPAC Shootout, presented by BGE, Inc. The Association’s clay shoot, benefitting advocacy, provided a fun opportunity for members to enjoy the outdoors. Hosted at the famed Elm Fork Shooting Sports facility in Dallas, the event saw more than 60 shooters take to the field. Teams representing Galyean In- surance, Michael Joyce Properties and Bush/Rudnicki/Shelton bested a field of very competitive teams. A special thank you to our HOMEPAC Shootout Partners: Title Partner — BGE, Inc. Lunch Partner — Systemhause Cart Partner — Fox Energy Spe- cialists Beverage Partner — Winston Cus- tom Homes Station Partners — Neighborhood Management, Inc., Tonti Properties, Hotchkiss Insurance, Burgess Construc- tion Consultants Prize Partners — Wynne/Jackson, Altura Homes Finally, the next Government Rela- tions Committee meeting will be held at the Dallas BA on Thursday, Sept. 8. The meeting is open to all Dallas BA members. Should you have questions, please contact the Director of Govern- ment Affairs at David.Lehde@Dallas- Builders.com. The City of Dallas Develop - ment Services department will offer training on Sept. 10 for stakeholders to experience ProjectDox 9.2, the city’s permitting plat- form that went live Aug, 8. There are some significant differences in operation that builders should beware of. Details .
Michael Joyce Properties Team: Ryan Joyce, David Lawhorn, Justin Butterfield, Jeff Persful
Bush Rudnicki Shelton Team: Dustin Baker, Austin Motheral, Daniel Pugh, Hunter Brooks
The highest scoring shooter was Craig Muirhead of Galyean Insurance.
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The Home Builder is published monthly by the Dallas Builders Association at 5816 W. Plano Pkwy., Plano, Texas 75093. Telephone 972-931-4840. BARCIE VILCHES , Editor
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