WAC 51-50-480101   Section 101 -- General.  


101.4 Applicability. When requested by the permit applicant, this code shall apply to the repair, alteration, change of occupancy and relocation of buildings existing on the date of adoption of this code, regardless of occupancy, subject to the criteria of Sections 101.4.1 and 101.4.2. When compliance with this code has not been requested, compliance with the International Building, Fire and Mechanical Codes (as applicable) shall be demonstrated.


101.4.2 Buildings previously occupied. The legal occupancy of any building existing on the date of adoption of this code shall be permitted to continue without change, except as is specifically covered in this code, the International Fire Code, or the International Property Maintenance Code, or as deemed necessary by the code official to mitigate an unsafe building. For the purpose of this section, "unsafe building" is not to be construed as mere lack of compliance with the current code.


101.5 Compliance methods. The repair, alteration, change of occupancy, addition or relocation of all existing buildings shall comply with one of the methods listed in Sections101.5.1 through 101.5.3 as selected by the applicant. Application of a method shall be the sole basis for assessing the compliance of work performed under a single permit unless otherwise approved by the code official. Sections 101.5.1 through 101.5.3 shall not be applied in combination with each other.

EXCEPTION:

Subject to the approval of the code official, alterations complying with the laws in existence at the time the building or the affected portion of the building was built shall be considered in compliance with the provisions of this code unless the building is undergoing more than a limited structural alteration as defined in Section 807.5.3. New structural members added as part of the alteration shall comply with the International Building Code. Alterations of existing buildings in flood hazard areas shall comply with Section 601.3.

101.7 Appendices. The code official is authorized to require rehabilitation and retrofit of buildings, structures, or individual structural members in accordance with the appendices of this code if such appendices have been individually adopted. Where Appendix A, Guidelines for the Seismic Retrofit of Existing Buildings, is specifically referenced in the text of this code, it becomes part of this code without any specific adoption by the local jurisdiction.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.074, 19.27.020, and chapters 70.92, 19.27, and 34.05 RCW. 07-01-091, § 51-50-480101, filed 12/19/06, effective 7/1/07.]