Olathe council airs concerns about cost of building code update

A potential building code update for Olathe prompted worries from City Council members that residents and business owners would be the ones stuck with rising costs as a result.

Tuesday night’s meeting was the council’s first chance to review possible amendments to the approximately 4,000 pages of material that could affect everything from residential lighting to regulations for fire-proofing both residential and commercial buildings.

The codes cover a wide swath, including building, residential, existing buildings, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, electrical, energy conservation, swimming pool, property maintenance and fire codes.

Possible changes include requiring new residences to illuminate house numbers and requiring sprinklers for many storage facilities. Other amendments dealt with requiring storm shelters or basements in new residences and sprinklers in buildings with three or more units. “This is the biggest tax increase we’re going to do on the city council,” Councilman Larry Campbell said, suggesting that the costs of these code changes will eventually be passed along to residents.