Since February 2013, several Gilbert citizens have been exercising their Civic Authority to convince the Gilbert Town Council that adopting 115 additional regulations (2009 ICC code updates) plus another 840 additional regulations (2012 ICC code updates) serves no compelling purpose. They have invested thousands of hours of their own time providing research to the Town Council and Town Management.
These private citizens and tradesmen have done this, because they have been forced for years to install unnecessary products and have suffered from inconsistent and inaccurate building inspector dictates, simply because “it’s code.” Because these codes have been handed down by so-called experts (the ICC), Town Management has recommended them, and Councils have passed them. These private citizens want to stop the mindless lockstep approval of “the new ICC” codes. These private citizens are willing to question the experts. They want to do the right thing, not be forced to do the wrong thing.
If the Gilbert Town Council votes on Thursday evening to add these 955 new 2009/2012 regulation updates, they will have adopted the single largest increase in government regulation on small businesses and individuals in the history of Gilbert.
They will have done this without insisting that Town Management provide justification for each new regulation they recommend.
Among the many things that Town Management recommends to the Council is punishment to whomever refuses to follow “the code.” It will be a misdemeanor: $2500 fine and 6 months of imprisonment. Click here to see the Council Packet Relating to item #20 Code of Gilbert.
Much has been stated about adopting only life/safety codes.
What life/safety problems exist right now that these new codes will resolve? There are none. Gilbert has been following the 2006 codes. There have been no fires, injuries, or deaths that demand updated codes. In fact, there haven’t been any prior to the 2006 codes. No child has been injured from tampering with existing electrical outlets. No one has suffered injury or death from carbon monoxide poisoning. No fires have resulted from having commercial ovens in private residences.
Adopting the 2009 and 2012 codes will create unnecessary busy work.
The 955 code updates will drain staff resources, since building inspectors and others will have to be trained on each new code. Those resources would be better directed to more productive purposes. For example, some inspectors are repeatedly and inconsistently issuing turn-down notices, due to their lack of understanding existing codes. This creates unnecessary labor expenses, which must be passed on to the consumer.
Forcing the construction industry to adopt new codes kills the free market.
It doesn’t matter if private business owners or private tradesmen wrote them and got them approved by the ICC. As soon as government mandates them, government has decided winners and losers. With a single vote, the Town Council can wipe perfectly good products off the shelves, rendering them “illegal.” They can ruin someone’s business.
The free market works!
When you see that some builders install R-38 over R-30, on their own, you know that someone has chosen that improvement and are willing to pay for it. When an individual demands that his/her home include every bell and whistle, and they obtain competing quotes from builders, that’s the Free Market. When an individual cannot afford the latest and greatest, and obtains quotes from competing builders, that’s the affordable home being made available within the Free Market. Only the best builders survive in the Free Market.
Click here for the full Agenda, meeting time and place. This is a Public Hearing, Agenda #20. Please exercise your Civic Authority and speak out.