(1)
Plans and specifications review-approvals.
a. Submissions to the building code
commissioner of architectural technical documents, engineering documents, and
plans and specifications are the responsibility of the owner of the building or
facility, although the actual submission may be completed by an authorized
agent of the owner or the responsible design professional.
b. "Responsible design professional" means a
registered architect or licensed professional engineer who signs the documents
submitted.
c. Plans, specifications
and other supporting information shall be sufficiently clear and complete to
show in detail that the proposed work will comply with the requirements of the
applicable provisions of the state building code.
d. In sections 107.1 and 107.2.5 of the
International Building Code, 2015 edition, the word "permit" shall be replaced
by the words "plan review."
e.
Submittals to the commissioner shall be certified or stamped and signed as
required by Iowa Code chapters 542B and 544A unless the applicant has certified
on the submittal to the applicability of a specific exception under Iowa Code
section 544A.18 and the submittal does
not constitute the practice of professional engineering as defined by Iowa Code
section 542B.2.
f. Plans and specifications for projects
subject to plan review by the commissioner shall be submitted in a format
specified on the plan review submittal form.
g. Architectural technical submissions,
engineering documents, and plans and specifications for construction,
renovation, or remodeling of all state-owned buildings or facilities, including
additions to existing buildings, shall be submitted to the commissioner for
review and comment. Subsequently, a written response by the design professional
indicating corrective measures taken to address the commissioner's plan review
comments shall be submitted to and approved by the commissioner prior to the
issuance of construction documents for bidding. Bidding may commence on a
project after the preliminary meeting provided for in subrule 300.4(3) if all
items on the preliminary meeting checklist have been resolved to the
satisfaction of the commissioner.
h. Architectural technical submissions,
engineering documents, and plans and specifications for the initial
construction of any building or facility that will not, when completed, be
wholly owned by the state or an agency of the state shall be submitted to the
commissioner for review and comment, if the construction is financed in whole
or in part with funds appropriated by the state and there is no local building
code in effect in the local jurisdiction in which the construction is planned
or, if there is such a local building code in effect, it is not enforced
through a system which includes both plan reviews and inspections.
Subsequently, a written response by the design professional indicating
corrective measures taken to address the commissioner's plan review comments
shall be submitted to and approved by the commissioner prior to the issuance of
construction documents for bidding. Bidding may commence on a project after the
preliminary meeting provided for in subrule 300.4(3) if all items on the
preliminary meeting checklist have been resolved to the satisfaction of the
commissioner.
i. Architectural
technical submissions, engineering documents, and plans and specifications for
construction, renovation, or remodeling of all buildings or facilities,
including additions to existing buildings, to which the state building code
applies, other than those subject to paragraph "g" or
"h," shall be submitted to the commissioner for review and
comment, unless applicability of the state building code is based upon a local
ordinance enacted pursuant to Iowa Code section
103A.12. Subsequently, a written
response by the design professional indicating corrective measures taken to
address the commissioner's plan review comments shall be submitted to and
approved by the commissioner prior to the issuance of construction documents
for bidding. Bidding may commence on a project after the preliminary meeting
provided for in subrule 300.4(3) if all items on the preliminary meeting
checklist have been resolved to the satisfaction of the commissioner.
j. If the state building code applies to a
construction project based upon a local ordinance adopting the state building
code, the submission shall be made to the local jurisdiction, provided that the
local jurisdiction has established a building department, unless the local
jurisdiction requires submission to the commissioner. Review and approval of
such documents by the commissioner shall be at the discretion of the
commissioner based upon available resources.
k. No project for which a life cycle cost
analysis is required to be completed pursuant to Iowa Code section
470.2 shall be approved for
construction prior to receipt by the commissioner of the life cycle cost
analysis, final approval of the life cycle cost analysis by the commissioner
and the economic development authority pursuant to Iowa Code section
470.7, and the completion of all
applicable requirements established in Iowa Code section
470.7.
l. No project for which an energy review is
required pursuant to subrule 303.1(3) shall be approved for construction prior
to the receipt by the commissioner of the energy review.
Note: Compliance with the requirements of paragraphs
"k" and "l" at the earliest practical time is
strongly recommended. In no case shall the submission occur later than
specified in the applicable statutory provisions and provisions of the state
building code.
m. Any
submission to the commissioner of architectural technical submissions,
engineering documents, or plans and specifications for construction, except for
plans to renovate or remodel residential buildings of one or two units, shall
include a statement that the construction will comply with all applicable
energy conservation requirements.
(2)
Copies and fees. See
661-Chapters 16 and 322 for fees pertaining to factory-built structures.
a. Codes and standards adopted by reference
in the state building code which are published by other organizations,
including, but not limited to, the American National Standards Institute, the
International Code Council, the International Association of Plumbing and
Mechanical Officials, and the National Fire Protection Association, may be
purchased from the publishing organization. A copy of each code or standard
adopted by reference in the state building code has been deposited in the Iowa
state law library.
b. The fees for
plan reviews completed by the building code bureau shall be calculated as
follows:
|
Estimated Construction Costs
|
Calculation of Plan Review
Fee
|
|
Up to and including $1 million
|
$.58 per thousand dollars or fraction thereof
(minimum fee $200)
|
|
More than $1 million
|
$580 for the first $1 million plus $.32 for each
additional thousand dollars or fraction thereof
|
|
The plan review fees for fire suppression systems and
fire alarm systems are separate fees and shall be calculated as
follows:
|
|
Fire Protection System Costs
|
Plan Review Fee
|
|
Fire suppression systems whose construction cost for
materials and installation is calculated to be up to and including
$5,000
|
$100
|
|
Fire suppression systems whose construction cost for
materials and installation is calculated to be more than $5,000 and up to and
including $20,000
|
$200
|
|
Fire suppression systems whose construction cost for
materials and installation is estimated to be more than $20,000
|
$400
|
|
Fire alarm systems whose construction cost for
materials and installation is calculated to be up to and including
$5,000
|
$100
|
|
Fire alarm systems whose construction cost for
materials and installation is calculated to be more than $5,000 and up to and
including $20,000
|
$200
|
|
Fire alarm systems whose construction cost for
materials and installation is estimated to be more than $20,000
|
$400
|
Payment of the assigned fee shall accompany each plan when
submitted for review. Payment shall be made by money order, check or draft made
payable to the Treasurer, State of Iowa.
Note: Plan review fees for assisted living projects are
contained in Iowa Code section
231C.18(2)
"c." Elder group home plan review fees are contained in Iowa
Code section 231B.17. Adult day services plan
review fees are contained in Iowa Code section
231D.4.
c. A person who has submitted a plan for
review for which a fee has been assessed pursuant to paragraph
"b" is eligible to receive a refund of the fee if the plan has
not been approved or rejected within 60 calendar days of its receipt by the
building code bureau. A person who believes that a refund is due shall notify
the building code commissioner who shall provide a form to the person who
submitted the plan for review to request a refund. If the request for refund is
approved, the building code commissioner shall cause a check for the amount of
the refund to be issued to the individual or organization that originally paid
the fee. If the original submission of the plan is incomplete, the fee shall be
refunded only if the plan has not been approved or rejected within 60 days of a
full and complete submission of the plan. "Approved or rejected within 60 days"
means that a letter approving or rejecting the plan has been presented or
mailed to the submitter within 60 days of the date of receipt by the building
code bureau, within the meaning of "time" as defined in Iowa Code section
4.1.
(3)
Preliminary meeting. The
responsible design professional for a project shall schedule a preliminary
meeting with the building code bureau to discuss code compliance issues early
in the design development phase. The responsible design professional shall
contact the bureau to schedule the preliminary meeting. There is no separate
fee for a preliminary meeting. If the responsible design professional plans to
request approval to bid the project as part of the preliminary meeting, the
responsible design professional shall request a copy of the document
"Preliminary Meeting Checklist" at the time the meeting is scheduled and shall
be prepared to address all applicable issues identified on the checklist at the
preliminary meeting. Approval to bid the project shall not be given unless all
applicable issues identified on the checklist have been addressed to the
satisfaction of the commissioner.
(4)
Requests for staged
approvals.
a. Requests for approval
to begin foundation work shall be submitted to the building code bureau in
writing and may be transmitted by mail, E-mail or fax or in person. Foundation
approval may be granted by the bureau in writing, following a preliminary
meeting, if the construction plans and specifications are found to be in
compliance with the requisite code provisions.
b. Requests for approval to continue
construction beyond the foundation, up to and including the shell of the
building, shall be submitted to the bureau in writing and may be transmitted by
mail, E-mail or fax or in person. These requests will be evaluated on a
case-by-case basis, and approval or denial of the requests will be transmitted
to the submitter in a written form.
(5)
Fast-track projects.
While fast-track projects are not encouraged, fast-track projects may be
considered by the commissioner on a case-by-case basis. If a fast-track project
is initially approved, a written plan of submittal, review and approval will be
developed for each project. All projects approved for fast-track review must be
submitted in an electronic format that is acceptable to the commissioner.
Note: Fast-track projects are not encouraged and will be
approved only on the basis of good cause shown.
