Mayor warns Mount Carmel must update building codes to recent state standards

The mayor told the Mount Carmel City Council the State of Illinois is requiring municipalities to update their building codes and that the city will need to prepare new local ordinances to adopt the newer code. The mayor recommended the council consider adopting the 2018 code cycle to give the city time before future updates; other speakers said 2015 could be used but recommended 2018 to avoid near-term revisions.

The mayor said some items in the state code allow municipal opt-outs and cited the Illinois Municipal League’s recommendation to consider those opt-outs because some code changes could substantially increase the cost of residential construction (the mayor specifically mentioned sprinkler-system requirements as an example affecting cost). He said the city likely has until July to be in compliance but preferred to address the changes earlier so staff and council can prepare ordinance language and options for local adoption.

Council members and staff agreed the work will require ordinance drafting and that the city will return with recommended changes for formal consideration. The mayor said he expected the review and ordinance work to begin in mid-January and run into February or March as staff prepares code-change proposals.