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 State Building Code as adopted in Title 51 WAC shall be demonstrated.


101.4.1 Buildings not previously occupied. A building or portion of a building that has not been previously occupied or used for its intended purpose in accordance with the laws in existence at the time of its completion shall comply with the provisions of the State Building Code adopted in Title 51 WAC, for new construction or with any current permit for such occupancy.


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 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.


101.7 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. Appendix A, Guidelines for the Seismic Retrofit of Existing Buildings, is hereby adopted as part of this code without any specific adoption by the local jurisdiction.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.031 and 19.27.074. 10-03-097, § 51-50-480101, filed 1/20/10, effective 7/1/10. 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.]