Zoning Board of Adjustment - Regular Meeting

Okay. Good evening, everybody. We will call the Wednesday, 11/19/2025 planning and zoning commission meeting to order. Cecea, would you please call the roll?

Chair Clauson? Here. Vice chair Bohm?

Here.

Alternative vice chair Dominguez? Here. Commissioner Emerson?

Here.

Commissioner Holloway?

Here.

Commissioner Huckabee? Here. Commissioner Mamick? Commissioner Humphrey? Commissioner Wenth.

Here. Thank you. Commissioner attendees, would you please join us for our pledges? I pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Honor the Texas flag, I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas one state under God, one individual.

Yeah. Thank you very much. Pursuant to Texas government code section five five one dash zero zero seven, which allows the public to speak for a total of three minutes on any agenda item listed below excluding executive sessions. Cecilia, do we have anybody signed up? No. Okay. Seeing none, we will go to item e one. Consider the approval for the minutes of 11/05/2025 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. Commissioners, if you all had time to read the amendments and revisions to the meeting. And does anybody have anything they need to discuss or pull from the minutes? If there is nothing, I will entertain a motion.

Motion to approve. I have a

first. Do I have a second?

Second.

I've got a second. Who was that? Always got it. All right. All in favor, say aye.

Aye.

All opposed? Motion carries. We're going to move to item f one. Pardon me. Consider public testimony regarding a recommendation concerning the proposed amendment to the code of ordinances city of Round Rock, Texas 2018 part three, zoning and development code chapter eight article 10 to consider the adoption of the 2024 additions with amendments of the International Mechanical Code, International Fuel Gas Code, International Plumbing Code, International Building Code, International Existing Building Code, International Residential Code, International Energy Conservation Code, International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, and International Green Construction Code.

I will open the item for oh, I'm sorry. Is there a presentation? Oh, excuse me. Go ahead.

Good evening, chairman, commissioners. So, basically, what we're doing here is just, proposing, adopting the new, the newest versions of the codes. Just basically just adopting the new languages, the code has, released. And on the in addition to this, by the way, I'm sorry. My name is Jorge Scott.

I'm the system building official with the city. I apologize for that. The the one of the in addition to the addition of the audio codes, We have, two, proposals also. One is, to the residential, code, section R 302.22, which is on the common walls, and Section R 30226, structural independence, on the walls. And, basically, what we're doing here is just putting the first test section in the ordinance to clean up the language on what is required for, separating, townhome units.

And the second one, we're just repelling to, make it, consistent between the what's in the code and the way that construction, townhomes have been constructed in Round Rock for many years. Just basically just making it consistent with a new language. Then the second item that we are, that we're, proposing to amend this to the international building code, section nine fifteen. This is the carbon monoxide detection. We proposed to, replacing this one in its entirety with a revised version that is more clear, written, clearly written and matches the international fire code.

This updated language, will incorporate the changes that are anticipated in the 2027 international fire code. And, they were recommended by a fire protection engineer who was also, part of the code development team. With this, staff recommends approval of the, 2024 Building code, adoption as amended. Any questions? I'll be here.

Bradley and I didn't get a chance to do our meeting. Is that our only presentation for the evening?

Yes. It is.

Thank you very much. And, again, my apologies. I didn't mean to cut you off here. So this is a public hearing. We will open, the public hearing for item f one. Well, if we have citizens signed up, does there anybody speak for or against to see? Do we have anybody available? No. None available to speak. Okay. Well, we will close the public hearing, and we will move to discussions. I will start with Commissioner Bohm.

Thank you. No questions.

Mr. Wendt?

My only question is all of these codes are currently on the books. Is that correct? So what we're adopting, we're not adopting any new codes. This is just the revisions to existing codes that have already been in place for the city.

Yeah. We're we're currently under the 2015, code versions of the code, all of them. And we'll be just replacing the latest version,

which is

2024.

Okay.

So it's been ten years since they've been revised or updated. Correct? If we're if we're under the 2015?

Right. Okay.

Yeah. It's just been revised, 1821. We just skip those, codes.

Okay. Thank you.

Mister Holloway.

Yeah. I got several. Were first cost considerations made particularly in jumping from the 2015 IACC to the 2024?

We're not aware of any financial charges on it or cost

associated with like design charges.

We're we're not aware of any of those design charges that that doesn't specify that either.

We'll go through some. Was it considered to amend the minimum square footage required before you have to separate your electrical loads and meter them and store the data for three years?

We are not amending any electrical codes right now?

It's not the electrical code. It's in the ICC. It's to meet the energy code, if the building's larger than 10,000 square feet, you have to meter the electrical load to separate mechanical load, process load, plug load, interior lighting, and exterior lighting, and water heaters. And then you have to take all that data and store it for three years. Most owners aren't ever going to do anything with that data. San Antonio raised that limit to 25,000 square feet. Did Round Rock consider raising that limit to raising that square footage number to limit the cost impact? Just for example, on a middle school, this would add about 7 figures to the total cost of construction.

We we did not consider any of that.

Did we did Round Rock consider any amendments to lessen the impact of the renewable energy requirements on buildings now?

We we are not considering any of that. We're just adopting

the codes. It's in the 2024 IAC that it's required. Did you consider lessening the impact on how that may not be required for owners that don't want to put solar on their buildings?

We we're not considering any of that at this moment.

Okay. And then on the mechanical code, the 2024 did a better job of defining the A2L refrigerant monitoring systems. Other AHJs are just trusting the engineers. They did the calculations. Round Rock decided if they're going to require those calculations to get a building permit or we're just going to trust the engineering community? Because basically with the a a two l refrigerant, it's flammable and if you've got a certain amount of pipe distance in your building, you're required to monitor for it so that you can notify the fire department if it starts to leak. Like Austin, for example, doesn't require me to put those calculations on a drawing. Is Round Rock considering it just to verify that the calculations were in fact done?

We typically depend on the engineer analysis.

Okay. And then it looked like there would be an effective date of January 1 on this. A lot of these code changes are drastic in the design nature as well as budgetary. Is there enough time for the design community to react between now and January 1?

We're anticipating enforcing this March 1. Okay. After after March 1.

That's all happening. Yeah.

And typically when we adopt new codes like this, we have an informal grace period where if somebody's already been under design with something they're gonna be submitting soon. We're not gonna make them go back and redesign in accordance with the new ones. Thank you.

Alder vice chair Dominguez.

You know, I I will admit that I'm not as well first in this area as commissioner Holloway. And so what what it what it what your questions brought up, commissioner Holloway, were just that, you know, we're we're I read it as, okay. Well, this is approved by the state legislature. Right? Like, so this is, like, the sort of the minimum standards.

Understood. Correct me if I'm wrong. But what might be helpful, is to have some sort of a summary that explains, like, what we're changing from too, because you kinda went through some of that, Commissioner Holloway. But for those those of us that aren't in the the business that know it as intimate as you may know, it it just may be easier to understand that the impact on a per code basis, because the summary doesn't give that to me. I read it and initially thought, yeah, the states approved this, so this seems like something that we don't have an ability to sort of decline or deny, but it's becoming clear to me that that may not be the case.

So I don't know if if there's a way to sort of summarize, like, what are what what are we doing? Are we the cost impact concerns me, I guess. You know, we just talked about that, like, the the data requirements and things like that. So, and it also feels like it's if we've gotta do it now to start enforcing in March, is it rushed? Can we have a little time to kinda, like, back up a little bit and look at this on a per code basis? Why now? Is it is and and so it's maybe a question. Like, is it something that we have the time to sort of back up a little bit and look at this a little bit more granular?

So on on that, we, we've been looking at it since the 2021 code, and we just being in this older code that doesn't have, for example, energy battery related with lithium, all those new products, new materials, and now they're coming up. So we just felt that it was time for us to update those code requirements. And moving forward, we were just thinking that it's time for us to step back from the 2015, which doesn't include any of those items.

What are the other in general, what are the other communities around us doing? Are they all sort of matching the same recommendation that you've made here today? Other cities? Yeah, like specifically near us, Winston County.

Sure. Yeah, most, cities around us are in the twenty twenty one eighteen or twenty twenty one, either one. And in reality, the way that we interpret our 2024 code is that we noticed that there were a lot of changes through the between the 18 cycle cycle and the 20 '1. That's why we didn't adopt the 21. And the 24 basically incorporated all those changes. So this is more of a, in our opinion, is more of a clean version

I understand.

Of those codes. So that's why we

It was better for us to wait. And you it sounds I'm just we didn't do the 2021. This is a better version of that update.

That according to our interpretation. Yes, sir.

Thank you. That's all I have. Still some questions. I'm sure we may have some stuff that comes up before, later, but that's what I have for now. Thank you.

Good questions. Commissioner Huckebe.

Yeah. My only question was kind of like why this is now instead of incrementally like, we're going from 2015 to 2024 or 2025. Like, why we're hitting this now instead instead of in between kinda heading towards what you were talking about. Why wasn't it brought up before, and why are we skipping multiple steps, I guess? It was just It just wasn't brought up before essentially or

The not adopting it on the '18 or the '21? Right. Yeah. We just, wanted to wait on on the all the revisions. We saw way too many changes, and we didn't feel that it was right for the city for, to adopt the '21 at that time. '24 taking all those changes seems like a better fit for what we do in Round Rock.

Okay. That was my only question. Thank you.

Commissioner Emerson.

Yes. Good afternoon. I think you answered a couple of my questions already, but I'm looking at the staff review note, and it says municipalities may adopt. So it's not mandatory that we adopt this right? Correct.

The, it's not mandatory by legislature. However, with the way that projects are going, bringing in new technology, new products, all those items are in the '24 or more related to the '24. And that's what we feel that it's it was the right time to go.

Because my understanding is that it's mainly to be more congruent with other counties as well. Correct. And, so, I was wondering if this takes effect on January 26 or twenty sixth, how would this it'd be effective then, but how would this impact residential? If I was to make some changes to my home, this would impact me as well, right? If you're doing Some major

Right, remodels or Remodels. Yes, any type of construction that you do after this is, been, adopted and and, enforced. At that time, yes. Any any new remodels that you do to a specific area room per se

Okay.

Will impact that that, space.

Okay. I noticed there was a fee of $2,000 mentioned in the background information. If I'm not mistaken, they changed that up

to $2,000. Does that ring a bell to you at all?

Not sure. I think that might have been something

Okay. Well, that's okay.

Just don't be the general fees, maybe.

Right. We're not proposing any changes to fees or to penalties. I think that's existing language that's in there that speaks to there are violations of these codes. The city has the ability to, you know Enforce it. Bring chart. Yes.

Mhmm. Okay. Thank you so much. That's all I have, sir.

Good questions. So I think the one that keeps coming up and this was one of the ones I have was kind of the driver, but, I'm not going to act like I know what I'm talking about. But correct me I'm wrong, the city has a choice to where they want to adopt these new changes with the exception if the legislature comes out and makes it mandatory that forces us to have to adopt this the 2025 Yes.

So we we have an option other than the electrical code. That always has to be the most current edition. But, yeah, it's it's the city's discretion as to what edition of these codes that we adopt.

Yes. And No, go ahead.

And one thing that just got a pass on the legislature is the solar panels, the backup energy, which that one incorporates all these new requirement rules and regulations, which do not exist in the 2020 and the 2015. So in order for us to enforce what the legislature is requiring, we need to get a we we have to adopt a new a new version.

Right. That's what I wanna make sure I understand is whether it it and pass codes, this particular legislature has decided to I don't know what the right word, adopt and force jurisdictions to become up to date? Is that basically

Only for the electrical. Only the electrical. Because we were operating on an older edition. It's been being reviewed for couple years to update. Usually we we adopt all of these codes pretty much just as written since, you know, experts write these codes, we usually just adopt as written. There were some changes just to match fire this year. But, essentially, we're doing what we previously did in 2015, just the 2024 edition.

Gotcha. And just to make sure I'm clear, the grandfather dates March 1 is basically so basically 01/01/2026, the code goes into effect. But if somebody is in plan review before March 1, they're still ground fired into the old code? Or what is

okay. The Yeah. We're not gonna make somebody go back and redesign after they've submitted or even if they're coming in, you know, a week or two or however it might be after the date of the adoption.

We're not

gonna That's

what I wanna make sure to clarify. So March 1, if I'm if I'm gonna go in and say, I'm gonna here's a new plan. I'm gonna put this in front of you guys to start reviewing. If it's in or on the March 1, I'm still able to build the old code.

Yes. And we also, pushed this messaging in our pre submittal meetings that we have with applicants so that they have that information early on that we're anticipating adopting the twenty twenty fours and whenever we have that date available, leading up to it. And then on our website as well as the resources for all the contractors and engineers and architects to visit.

Very good. Yeah. I just my questions really weren't questions. I just wanna make sure and clear up. I hope that's cleared up for anything. Sure. Go ahead.

Two more things. So, my assumption, but assumptions are bad to have when we do these things. Did our fire department review this and then this is in support of these changes as well? That's correct. They are in support

of it. Yes.

Okay. I think that's important. And then the second thing is, knowing that after today, it'll go to counsel, correct? Like counsel will then kind of ratify all this. I understand they probably they may or may not have seen the draft of this, but is it in in general terms, did the counsel sort of support the concept that this would be updated? Yes. Okay. That's why that's all that's the only other question I had. Thank you.

And I'll add that the updated fire code is gonna be going to city council at the same date tentatively scheduled for next month. We'd have Dennis Kinstle here with the fire marshal's office in case any questions came up related to that, But the updated or the newly adopted fire codes don't have to come through this body because they're in the standard code of ordinances and not in the zoning and development code, so it's not under the commission's purview. But both of these all of these codes are gonna be considered at the same time by city council next month.

Thank you very much.

Very good. Everybody good? One more.

Go ahead. Does Round Rock have a plan to go to, like, a three or six year code change cycle instead of waiting

three code revisions? No. Not right now as far as I know, and at least in my time here, we kind of evaluate those every every three years as they come out to see if it's actually worth going through the process to adopt them based on changing technologies, building materials, etcetera, if if we feel the need to actually adopt those, which I guess is why, you know, we've we've skipped two code cycles and coming back around with this one. We didn't feel the need with 18 or 21, but now it is time to catch up. Okay. Thank you.

So, again, just to make sure I understand, we have the option to adopt whatever code we decide to do with the exception of the electrical code.

That's correct.

And if we want to stay on the 15 or the '14 or whatever the code, which outside of electrical based on what we feel like is best for our community and our building setup, we have that choice to do that. Is that correct? Yes. And this is what we feel like is best? Yes. Very good. Okay. Any more discussions? Okay. Seeing none, I will take a motion to approve item F1.

Will make a motion to approve item F1. Second.

I'll second it.

I got a second. All in favor, aye. Aye. All opposed? Motion carries. Chair. Oh, I'm sorry.

Who made the second?

Mr. Dominguez.

Because I saw that Commissioner Emerson

They can go arm wrestle for No arm wrestle. I wanna see that. I wanna see that. See that. I Okay. Commissioner Dominguez? Decision. Yes. Okay. Yes. Very good. Motion approved. We will move to item g one to consider an update regarding council actions related to planning and zoning items.

At city council's meeting two weeks ago, they adopted the amendment to PUD 81. It was the major amendment related to David Hernandez Ministries, a property on AW Grimes. It was previously a rehab facility. It was now a a a place of worship along with recording studios, and that was adopted by city council. That's all.

Very good. Okay. We will adjourn. Thank you, guys.

You probably don't give it much thought, but fresh water crosses your mind several times a day. From the moment you first turn on the faucet to that time when the water bill arrives. Considering that a family of four uses an average of this much, wait, this much