§ 23-29.1-3 - Content, adoption, and administration of the rehabilitation building code for existing buildings and structures.
SECTION 23-29.1-3
§ 23-29.1-3 Content, adoption, andadministration of the rehabilitation building code for existing buildings andstructures. – (a) Content. The rehabilitation building and fire code for existingbuildings and structures shall have a building code element and a fire safetycode element and shall make provisions for the repair, renovation, alteration,reconstruction, and change of use of and additions to existing buildings andstructures. The code shall set forth standards for different types of uses; andfor mixed-use buildings and structures, each portion of the building orstructure shall be separately classified as to use. The standards shallinclude, but not be limited to, standards for building; for load bearing andstructural elements; for plumbing, electrical, and mechanical systems; for fireresistant walls and for fire suppression, fire alarm, and fire detectionsystems; for accessibility, including accessibility for persons withdisabilities, means of egress, elevators, escalators, stairways, doors, ramps,fire alarms, floor surfaces, restrooms and corridors; for vents and ventilationsystems; and for historic buildings; provided however that such standards shallnot affect minimum standards for habitancy.
(b) Committee on drafting. There shall be a sixteen(16) member committee on drafting the rehabilitation building and fire code forexisting buildings and structures which shall have as its members the ten (10)voting members of the joint committee, the state fire marshal, the statebuilding code commissioner, a representative of grow smart RI appointed by thechairperson of grow smart RI, a representative of the Rhode Island buildersassociation appointed by the president of the Rhode Island buildersassociation, a representative of the governor's commission on disabilities,appointed by the chairperson of the governor's commission on disabilities, andan historical preservation architect appointed by the executive director of theRhode Island historical preservation and heritage commission. The executivesecretary of the joint committee shall serve as secretary of the committee ondrafting and be a nonvoting member of the committee. It shall be the duty ofthe joint committee to develop a rehabilitation building and fire code forexisting buildings and structures, which shall have an element pertaining tofire safety and an element pertaining to building standards, and to recommendsaid rehabilitation building and fire code for consideration by the jointcommittee. The committee on drafting shall terminate upon an affirmative voteof the joint committee to recommend the rehabilitation building and fire codefor existing buildings and structures for adoption by the building codestandards committee and the fire safety code board of appeal and review.
(c) Adoption. The building code element shall beeffective upon adoption by the building code standards committee pursuant to§ 23-27.3-100.1.3 and the fire safety code element shall be effective uponadoption by the fire safety code board of appeal and review pursuant to §23-28.3-3. Public hearings required by chapter 35 of title 42 for the adoption,amendment, or revision of the rehabilitation building and fire code forexisting buildings and structures and each of the elements thereof shall beconducted by the joint committee.
(d) Administration. Except as set forth in thischapter, the building code element shall be administered as a building code inaccordance with the provisions of chapter 27.3 of this title, the fire safetycode element shall be administered as a fire safety code by the division offire safety in accordance with the provisions of chapter 28.2 of this title.