Meeting Minutes

STATE BOARD OF BUILDING REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS

S:\BBR\BBRS\AGENDA\2012 Agenda\10_October\BBRS Minutes October 9, 2012

A meeting of the Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS) was held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, October 9, 2012 at the Ashburton Café, One Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108

PRESENT

Alexander MacLeod (SM), Vice-Chair - Registered Architect

Rob Anderson (RA) -Chief of Inspections- Buildings

Richard Crowley (RC) -Building Trades

Kevin Gallagher (KG) -Head of a Local Fire Department

Jerry Ludwig (JL) -Registered Professional Engineer (Mechanical)

Gary Moccia (GM), - Registered Professional Engineer (Structural)

Thomas Perry (TP) -Building Official from a City

Timothee Rodrique (TR) – Designees for Stephen Coan, State Fire Marshal, DFS

Stanley Shuman (SS) -General Contractor of Commercial/Industrial Buildings

Harry Smith (HS) -One- and Two-Family Homebuilders

ABSENT

Brian Gale (BG), Chair– Building Official from a Town

Todd Grossman (TG), Tom Riley (TMR), Don Finocchio (DF), and Mike Guigli (MSG) from DPS were present as well as others as indicated on the attendance sheet, which is on file at DPS. These minutes contain some record of discussion but essentially just motions*, seconds, votes, and actions. Documents that were either viewed or discussed at this meeting are shown in, or below, this table of minutes.

*(Motion, Second, All, if unanimous BBRS vote)

Old Business (OB) / Time
SM served as chairperson and called the meeting to order. / 1:07
OB #1 BBRS approved ‘BBRS Minutes September 11, 2012 (approved October 9 2012).doc’ (GM, HS, All) / 1:11
OB #2. Actions from previous BBRS Meetings
a.  There was no new status on FPFP work on the Model 15 Goal
b. Staff presented background on the code language that regulates the construction control process. TMR provided commentary on the official interpretation that addresses some common questions which arise concerning the process. The BBRS viewed and discussed four forms, and was presented a proposed training plan for building officials and an initial 6 month ‘test’ phase.
The BBRS approved ‘2012_06_Official_Interpretation_Construction_Control_107.3.4.1_and_107.6.4_Approved.doc’
and four forms for use state wide:
i. ‘Construction_Control_Document_Initial_10_09_2012_final draft.doc’
ii. ‘Construction_Control_Document_Final_10_09_2012_final draft.doc’
iii. ‘Construction_Control_Document_Phased_10_09_2012_final draft.doc’
iv. ‘Required_Inspections_Document_10_09_2012_final draft.doc’
and a building official training plan which includes training to State Inspectors on October 16, followed by training at BOWM, MBCIA, and SEMBOA in November,
and a 6 month test phase whereby public comment is received and considered in revisions of the forms or official interpretation approved today. (RA, HS, All) 2:00
c. and d. No update on PV array work was available and letters to nine (9) municipalities on uncertified building officials are in process of being sent.
OB #3 Discussion and votes on code change proposals on 780 CMR:
a. After discussion the BBRS did not approve two proposals for the EO 485 promulgation process:
i. ‘2012_14_Chapter_51_Sprinklers_7500_sq_ft_only_Coan.doc’ and
ii. ‘2012_16_Chapter_51_Sprinklers_Area_&_Dates_Coan.doc’
(TR, KG, Not approved) TR and KG↑ and RC, JL, GM, TP, SS, SM, and HS↓ and RA abstain (2:10)
After more discussion the BBRS tabled the two proposals listed above until such time that the four main issues: (1) water purveyor, (2) shut off in seasonal homes, (3) cost, and (4) labor, outlined in the 2009 sprinkler white paper1 are addressed. (RC, HS, Approved) RC, JL, GM, TP, SS, SM, and HS↑ and TR and KG↓ and RA abstain (2:19)
b. BBRS approved removal from the EO 485 promulgation process three code change proposals on open/closed systems of hazardous material in light of public comment from Novartis and others:
i. ‘2011_11_06_3.07.2_High Hazard Use Definitions_Rodrique.doc’
ii. ‘2011_11_08_4.14.5.1 Flammable Vapor Alarm_Rodrique.doc’
iii. ‘2011_11_07_34.0_EB_1.01.5_H Use Compliance for Existing Bldg_Rodrique.doc’
and that ‘06’ and ‘08’ be sent to FPFP for a technical review and code change proposal revision, or deletion if appropriate and that ‘07’ be reconsidered pending the outcome of the FPFP recommendation on ‘06’ and ‘08’. (TR, GM, All) 2:31
c. DF informed the BBRS that there will be a November 13, 2012 EO485 public hearing for the temporary overnight shelter regulation / 2:00 to 2:31
New Business (NB) or Other
NB #1: BBRS approved 61 new CSLs issued in September 2012 (HS, GM, All) / 2:32
NB #2: BBRS approved reinstatement of CSL beyond the expiration period with medical justification for: Phillip Oliveira CSL# 61423 and Antonio Loura CSL#040651 pending receipt of documentation. (HS, GM, All) / 2:33
NB #3: The BBRS approved Lu Ouyang qualified to sit for the unrestricted CSL exam (HS, GM, All) / 2:33
NB #4: BBRS approved the recommendations and the actions contained in ‘bocc_September_5_2012_meeting_minutes.doc’ (HS, SS, All) / 2:34
NB #7
New business:
a. After discussion of an official interpretation concerning entrance doors to apartment houses and compliance options concerning section l008.1.9.11 the BBRS approved ‘2012_05_Official_Interpretation_Entrance_Door_Apartment_Houses_Approved.doc’(HS, GM, All) 2:42
b. After discussion and input from Brian Kuhn from SGH, of an official interpretation on exterior wall assemblies and the testing standard NFPA 285, , the BBRS directed staff to send to FPFP ‘2012_07_Official_Interpretation_Fire_Rating_Exterior_Composite_Walls_10_09_12(draft).doc’ for further study and a recommendation. (HS, JL, All) 2:49
c. Staff informed the BBRS that a new proposed sheet metal code has been issued.
d.  RA presented a written decision on a building official complaint that was received and reviewed by the building official certification committee (BOCC). The BBRS approved ‘Edwin_May_Complaint_-_Shapiro_Bell Final 1.doc’ with the stipulation that language similar to ‘the BBRS has no authority on zoning’ be added to the decision (RC, JL, Approved with an abstain by HS) 3:02
e.  Staff provided an overview of a proposed membership realignment of the BBRS advisory committees which was the result of a several month effort to address public feedback concerning meeting quorums and stakeholder concerns, among others. After discussion several edits were made and the BBRS approved the membership of GAC, FPFP and C34AC contained in ‘BBRS Advisory Committees_Final_draft.doc’ (RC, GM, Approved with abstain by KG and TR) 3:14. GM noted that BBRS chairperson BG, who was absent today, should also appoint committee members at the November 13, 2012 BBRS meeting.
Other: At the behest of TR, Staff took an action to address the 780 CMR regulations for congregate living facilities and the enforcement issues that are arising from the regulations. (3:27)
BBRS approved a motion to adjourn (HS, RC, All) / 3:28

Time is E.S.T.

Note 1: ‘FIFTH DRAFT REPORT OF THE OTFRSC-12-10-09.doc’