The International Code Council Board of Directors has revised the Code Development Process after several years of input from membership and industry. This new plan is available for review on our website. Highlights of the plan include:
- Maintaining the 3-year publication cycle
- Maintaining the ICC Governmental Consensus Process
- Dividing the codes into two groupings, with each grouping having Code Development and Final Action Hearings occurring in the spring and fall of the same year during the first two years of the publication cycle
- An unveiling of all the new codes at the Annual Conference in the third year
Holding Code Development Hearings at the same central location every April/May
Holding all Final Action Hearings at the Annual Conference at locations which will continue to rotate through the four quadrants of the U.S. in late October/early November.
This plan follows a series of steps beginning with membership input to the Task Force on Hearings, chaired by Director John LaTorra. The primary Task Force goals to reduce hearing length and increase participation acted as guiding principles throughout the process. After the Task Force submitted its report to the Board in 2008, the Board made additional revisions in support of the twin goals to reduce the hearing length and increasing participation.
The features of the plan address the most frequently voiced concerns raised during the review process including:
- Reduce the length of the hearings, in total days and in daily sessions
- Increase participation
- Maintain the importance of in-person attendance
- Increase the importance of a successful assembly action at the Code Development Hearings
- Maintain or increase educational offerings
- Schedule Code Development and Final Action Hearings at about the same time every year.
Board President Adolf Zubia will provide additional information forums including a Town Hall meeting at the Codes Forum in New Orleans, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, at the Sheraton New Orleans Rhythms 3 Room.