With the 2006 Texas Revisions as set forth by the Texas Department of Insurance and Texas Windstorm Insurance Association together with all future editions, revisions and supplements thereto. Hereinafter said code shall be referred to as the Windstorm Code. The Windstorm Code is hereby adopted as a part of the building code for the city. The same rules and regulations as printed in any copy of the Windstorm Code shall be admitted into evidence with the same force and effects as the rules and regulations included in other portions of this chapter without order or further proof.
(A) Conflicts. The interpretations of the Windstorm Code by the City Building Official shall be final and conclusive, except that in the event any provisions of said code conflicts with the provision in the 2012 International Building Code and 2012 Residential Code, adopted in § 150.01, the more stringent provision shall prevail.
(B) Windstorm standards.
(1) General. For the purpose of establishing minimum standards for the construction of windstorm resistant buildings, all the new construction within the corporate city limits and the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction shall comply with the windstorm speed standards set forth by the Texas Department of Insurance for the city.
(2) Compliance. All new construction, repairs, and additions commencing after adoption of this section shall comply with the Windstorm Code. No exceptions are permitted except those specifically set forth by the Texas Department of Insurance.
(3) Roof repair exception. Roof repairs of less than 100 square feet of the total roof under repair shall not be required under the provisions of this section.
(C) Building permit requirements.
(1) Windstorm plan information required. The owner or contractor seeking a building permit shall submit plans and sections showing the methods of wind bracing and construction details to resist wind speeds specified in the Windstorm Code and as referenced in the 2012 International Building Code and 2012 International Residential Code.
(2) Certificate of compliance required. A certificate of compliance, form WPI-8, issued by the Texas Department of Insurance or form WPI-8C, issued by the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association is evidence of compliance with this chapter, and is required before issuance of a certificate of occupancy. At the Building Official’s discretion, the TDI form WPI-2 may be accepted when signed and sealed by a TDI-approved engineer.
(D) Inspections required. Only inspectors employed or approved by the Texas Department of Insurance or Texas Registered Professional Engineers may be used to inspect for compliance with this chapter. Unless the Building Official and Building Inspectors employed by the city as inspectors are approved by the Texas Department of Insurance, the Building Official and Building Inspectors employed by the city will not certify compliance with this section, but may notify the Texas Department of Insurance if any suspected violations are observed during the normal course of other inspections.
(E) Fees.In addition to any building permit fees required by this section, an additional fee may be implemented as per windstorm certified inspector's fees.
(Ord. 673-B, passed 12-12-2017)