City of Lawrence

Neighborhood Resources Department

MEMORANDUM

TO:	Mike Wildgen, City Manager
THRU:	Victor Torres, Neighborhood Resources Director Barry Walthall, Codes Enforcement Manager
FROM:	Mark Mills, Plumbing Inspector
Date:	May 24, 2005

On April 5, 2005, Chris Champagne, Huxtable and Associates delivered a letter to the Board requesting an appeal hearing to allow the use of PVC pipe in buildings of three stories or more specifically 730 New Hampshire.

The basis for the request for appeal is that the height restriction was in the 1997 UPC (Uniform Plumbing Code) and copied into the ordinance but the paragraph restricting the height had been deleted in the 2000 UPC and the City ordinance did not reflect the change in the UPC.

The Board met on Wednesday, April 6, 2005 to allow Mr. Champagne to present Huxtable’s case to the Board.  At this meeting the Board considered the request and determined that PVC pipe met the intent of the code for this project and to allow the use.  This decision was unanimous, 3-0-1. 

The Board also voted unanimously (3-0-1) to recommend to the City Commission that the amendment (Section 5-608) restricting the use of PVC pipe for drainage systems to buildings three stories or less  be deleted entirely.

5‑608               DRAINAGE SYSTEMS.

Section 701.1.2 (Materials) shall be amended to read as follows:

Section 701.1.2, ABS and Cellular core PVC plastic pipe is not allowed in slab or underground. ABS and PVC DWV piping installations shall be limited to structures not exceeding three floors above grade. For the purpose of this subsection, the first floor of a building shall be that floor that has fifty (50) percent or more of the exterior wall surface area level with or above finished grade. One additional level that is the first level and is not designed for human habitation and used only for vehicle parking, storage, or similar use shall be permitted. (Ord. 6421)

Neighborhood Resources staff concurs with these decisions.