Bill Text: FL S1648 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Florida Building Code

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2019-05-03 - Died in Community Affairs [S1648 Detail]

Download: Florida-2019-S1648-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2019                                    SB 1648
       
       
        
       By Senator Albritton
       
       
       
       
       
       26-01257-19                                           20191648__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Florida Building Code; amending
    3         s. 553.73, F.S.; requiring the Florida Building Code
    4         to require that the entire envelope of certain
    5         buildings being constructed or rebuilt be impact
    6         resistant and constructed with high wind-resistant and
    7         noncombustible construction materials; requiring that
    8         all parts or systems of a building or structure
    9         envelope meet impact test criteria or be protected
   10         with an external protection device that meets such
   11         criteria; providing exceptions; specifying certain
   12         items that shall be deemed to comply with impact tests
   13         for wind-borne debris; providing an effective date.
   14          
   15  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   16  
   17         Section 1. Subsection (21) is added to section 553.73,
   18  Florida Statutes, to read:
   19         553.73 Florida Building Code.—
   20         (21)(a) The Florida Building Code shall require that the
   21  entire envelope of a building be impact resistant and require
   22  the use of high wind-resistant and noncombustible construction
   23  materials for the construction of:
   24         1. Multistory residential group R1 or multistory
   25  residential group R2 occupancies;
   26         2. New residential construction that is:
   27         a. Within 10 miles of the coastal mean high-water line and
   28  where the ultimate design wind speed is 130 miles per hour or
   29  greater; or
   30         b. In areas where the ultimate design wind speed is 140
   31  miles per hour or greater;
   32         3. New residential construction in the high-velocity
   33  hurricane zone, as defined in the code; and
   34         4. Buildings designated or used as hurricane shelters.
   35  
   36  A structure listed in subparagraph 1., subparagraph 2.,
   37  subparagraph 3., or subparagraph 4. which is being rebuilt after
   38  being deemed uninhabitable or destroyed by a hurricane, a
   39  tropical storm, or a fire must also meet the requirements of
   40  this paragraph.
   41         (b) The code shall require that all parts or systems of a
   42  building or structure envelope, including, but not limited to,
   43  exterior walls, roofs, outside doors, skylights, glazing, and
   44  glass blocks, meet impact test criteria or be protected with an
   45  external protection device that meets the impact test criteria.
   46  This paragraph does not apply to:
   47         1. Roof assemblies attached to a building which do not
   48  breach the exterior wall or building envelope and have no
   49  enclosed sides other than screening;
   50         2. Soffits, soffit vents, or ridge vents. The size and
   51  location of a soffit, soffit vent, or ridge vent must be
   52  detailed by the designer and may not compromise the integrity of
   53  the diaphragm boundary;
   54         3. Vents in a garage that is designed to hold no more than
   55  four cars. The size and location of such vents must be detailed
   56  by the designer and may not exceed the minimum required area by
   57  more than 25 percent;
   58         4. Exterior wall or roof openings for wall- or roof-mounted
   59  HVAC equipment;
   60         5. Openings for roof-mounted personnel access roof hatches;
   61         6. Storage sheds that are not designed for human habitation
   62  and that have a floor area of no more than 720 square feet;
   63         7. Louvers that comply with American Society of Civil
   64  Engineers Standard ASCE 7-16;
   65         8. Buildings and structures for marinas, cabanas, swimming
   66  pools, or greenhouses; or
   67         9. Exterior balconies or porches under existing roofs or
   68  decks which are enclosed with screen, removable vinyl, or
   69  acrylic panels and an opening in a wall separating a unit from
   70  such balcony or porch, unless otherwise required by the code.
   71         (c) The following shall be deemed to comply with impact
   72  tests for wind-borne debris:
   73         1. Exterior concrete masonry walls that are constructed in
   74  accordance with the code and that are, at minimum, 8 inches
   75  thick;
   76         2. Exterior frame walls or gable ends sheathed with, at
   77  minimum, 19/32-inch C-D exposure 1 plywood and clad wire lath
   78  and stucco that is installed in accordance with the code;
   79         3. Exterior frame walls and roofs constructed in accordance
   80  with the code, sheathed with, at minimum, 24-gauge rib-deck-type
   81  material, and clad with an approved wall finish;
   82         4. Exterior reinforced concrete elements that are
   83  constructed of solid normal weight concrete with no voids and
   84  which are, at minimum, 2 inches thick; or
   85         5. Roof systems constructed in accordance with the code,
   86  sheathed with, at minimum, 19/32-inch C-D exposure 1 plywood or
   87  nominal 1-inch wood decking, and surfaced with an approved roof
   88  system installed in accordance with the code.
   89         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.