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We are pleased to let you know that the City’s Code of Ordinances may be viewed by clicking on this link:
| Code of Ordinances | El Dorado Springs, MO | Municode Library.
Residential and Commercial construction in El Dorado Springs is regulated by the State of Missouri. The City of El Dorado Springs, a political subdivision of the state, has adopted building codes consistent with the regulations of state law.
Building codes did not originate in the United States in the last century. Building codes have been around much longer, thousands of years in fact. The first written evidence of building codes is found in the code of Hammurabi. Hammurabi was King of the Babylonian Empire when the code was written in 2200 B.C. There were general references to proper construction techniques and penalties assessed if a building was constructed improperly. Hammurabi’s code said that if a builder builds a house and does not make its construction firm, and the house collapses causing the death of the owner, that the builder shall be put to death.
Modern building codes do not contain a death penalty for faulty workmanship. However, the underlying concern – public safety – is still the primary purpose behind today’s building codes. Building codes regulate structural, fire safety, electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems. Building codes are designed to protect structures from collapse, to slow down a fires progress so people have more time to get out, to minimize damage during storms, floods, fires and earthquakes. Construction that follows code restrictions can preserve life, prevent and minimize property damage and lower insurance costs.
The building codes are a complex set of guidelines that have been developed over many years of testing by architects, engineers and industry standards boards. There are approximately 70 different standards boards that have contributed to the development of the International Building Code 2006 that the City of El Dorado Springs has adopted. Some of the ones you might recognize include ASTM – American Society for Testing and Materials, ANSI – American National Standards Institute, NFPA – National Fire Protection Association and UL – Underwriters Laboratories. These and the other organizations test individual materials and combinations of materials for a wide variety of performance criteria. For example, lumber is tested using various loading factors to determine how wide a span, without support, a floor truss can extend without sagging in the middle. Another example might be fire resistance rating. Certain areas of buildings may be required to have a 2 hour or 3 hour fire wall separation. This is done to keep fire from spreading throughout a building too rapidly. A 3 hour fire wall resists fire longer than a 2 hour fire wall, thereby slowing the spread of fire. This allows people more time to escape and may allow the fire to be suppressed before extensive damage is done.
These standards boards and the testing they perform are complex and difficult to understand. They do however have some practical results that we can recognize. One example that most any homeowner must deal with is how many layers of shingles can be put on before being required to remove the old ones. The building code allows two layers of shingles but not a third. This is done because of weight considerations. When a roof support system is designed it must take into account several factors. These factors include the weight of the roof itself or dead load, any weight in storage areas or living areas of the attic or live load, snow load and wind load. These guidelines apply to houses that are well maintained and structurally intact. Houses that are in poor repair with structural problems may not even support two layers of shingles. Commercial buildings that have flat roofs and walls extending above the roof trap snow and are even more complicated.
El Dorado Springs maintains a building code officer on a part-time basis to inspect construction projects. Architectural plans are reviewed by a licensed architect on a contract basis. Building permits are available at City Hall once approved by the building code officer. In a typical year, the City will issue approximately 230-250 building permits.
In closing, building codes serve a vital function – preserving life. Some people view them as nuisance and a hindrance to them at the time of building. But, ask yourself if you feel better knowing the buildings you shop in and the schools your children attend have the proper fire walls, sufficient exits, emergency exit lighting and all the other safeguards required by the building code. Remember the building codes only set forth the minimum requirements. Builders can build in excess of the minimum requirements if they choose.
For more information, contact Building Code Officer – Aaron Smith, at 417-876-5376.