§ 18. SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS TO THE BUILDING CODES

A.

SPECIFIC SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS TO THE BUILDING CODES ADOPTED

The International Building Code, International Residential Code and Supplementary International Codes, herein adopted, are hereby supplemented by additional regulations as follow.

(Ordinance No. 09-2004 of May 13, 2004)

B.

DESIGN PROFESSIONAL IN RESPONSIBLE CHARGE

The design professional in responsible charge shall be an architect or engineer legally registered under the laws of the State of Texas regulating the practice of architecture or engineering and shall affix his official seal to said drawings, specifications and accompanying data, for the following:

(1)

All Group A, E and I occupancies.

(2)

Buildings and structures three (3) stories or more high.

(3)

Buildings and structures five thousand (5,000) sq. ft. (465 m ) or more in area.

Exception: Farm buildings, not accessible to the public, and single-family residential buildings.

(Ordinance No. 09-2004 of May 13, 2004)

C.

FOUNDATION ELEVATION AND LOCATION

Where curb and gutter streets are present, all new construction and substantial improvements of structures shall have the lowest floor elevated not less than eighteen inches (18") above any street or curb adjoining the property, whichever is higher.

Where properties adjoin State Highways, new construction or substantial improvements of structures shall have the lowest floor elevated not less than eight inches (8") above State Highway 6, FM 646 or FM 1764.

When the above conditions do not exist, all new construction and substantial improvements of structures shall have the lowest floor elevated not less than twelve inches (12") above the nearest public street or road adjoining the property.

(1)

Footings shall be set no less than twelve inches (12") below natural grade nor less than twelve inches (12") below the surface of fill compacted to ninety percent (90%) Modified Proctor.

(2)

Foundations shall extend from the footings to a minimum elevation as stated above, but not less than required by the provisions for flood hazard reduction of this chapter. Foundations shall be constructed of poured-in-place concrete, pre-cast concrete monolithic footing-foundation units or masonry units bedded in mortar with grout filled voids as applicable, reinforced as stated elsewhere in this section.

(3)

Exposed primary anchorage components installed anywhere in the foundation zone shall be galvanized steel, protected by a finish approved by the Building Official, or of weather resistant structural materials approve by the Building Official. All such anchorage devices shall have no cross sectional dimension less than three-eighths inch ( 3/8 ") including but not limited to bolts, clip angles, strap anchors and other anchorage devices. This provision shall not restrict the use of code approved shear connectors installed for high wind resistance when fully encapsulated in the walls and foundation or when installed outside of the foundation zone. No building shall be anchored with earth anchors. (Exception: Portable Accessory structures and Manufactured Housing may use earth anchors in compliance with the International Codes and the provisions of Subsection D., WINDSTORM RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION herein).

(4)

Foundation anchorage shall extend from footings continuously to sill or floor supporting beams and be composed of steel or approved metal anchorage components of no less than five-eighths inch ( 5/8 ") nominal diameter or of minimum cross section as required elsewhere herein.

(5)

Exterior perimeter of all foundation zones shall be enclosed by a stem wall or rigid skirting material between footing and the wall above. Ventilation through the enclosing system shall not exceed one-fourth (¼) of the enclosing surface area excluding columns, pilasters, shear walls and similar structural elements. Openings shall be protected in accordance with the city building codes. Exception: Where the vertical distance between the grade elevation (surround and under the structure) and the top of the elevation zone is seven feet (7') or more, skirting may be deleted. Exposed perimeter of slab-on-grade foundations need not be skirted.

(6)

Foundation zone, for purposes of this regulation, is a volume defined by a plane coincident with the bottom surface of the lowest floor joist or floor supporting beam, a plane coincident with the bottom surface of the lowest footing and the vertical projection of the outermost perimeter walls of the building. In concrete slab-on-grade construction the foundation zone lies between the uppermost surface of the floor slab and the plane of the bottom surface of the footings and bounded by the vertical projection of the building slab.

(7)

Free-standing non-habitable structures less than four hundred (400) square feet in area may not be required to comply with requirements of this subsection when anchored against uplifting and overturning and in full compliance with Subsection 19(C) "Windstorm Resistant Construction", following.

(Ordinance No. 09-2004 of May 13, 2004; Ordinance No. 04-2011 of February 24, 2011, Sec. 2; Ordinance No. 14-2012 of May 10, 2012, Sec. 3; Ordinance No. 01-2015 of January 8, 2015, Sec. 1)

D.

WINDSTORM RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION

All new structures or modifications to structures which require a building permit shall conform to wind resistant construction standards as promulgated by the State Board of Insurance under the Windstorm Inspection Program. A Certificate of Compliance (Form WPI-8) issued by the Texas Department of Insurance shall be filed by the contractor responsible for the construction or by the owner of such structure within sixty (60) days from completion of such construction. Site built Accessory buildings with a market value of less than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) are exempt from the requirements to file a Certificate of Compliance. Portable accessory structures of any size and market value are exempt from requirements to file a Certificate of Compliance if tied-downs and anchoring of the accessory structure are approved by the Building Official. Occupancy permits issued during the sixty-day period shall be temporary. Failure to provide the required Windstorm Certificate shall result in cancellation of the Occupancy Certificate.

(1)

Portable Accessory Structures shall be defined as structures engineered and pre-fabricated offsite. Examples include metal or pressure treated wooden storage sheds, workshops, garages and barns.

(2)

Tie-downs and anchoring systems will be reviewed using recommended information from the Manufactured Housing Research Alliance Guide to Foundation and Support Systems for Manufactured Homes. HUD Code, Section 3280.306 Windstorm protection may also be reviewed when approving Portable Accessory Structure Windstorm Certificate exemptions.

(Ordinance No. 09-2004 of May 13, 2004; Ordinance No. 04-2009 of April 9, 2009, Sec. 1; Ordinance No. 04-2011 of February 24, 2011, Sec. 1; Ordinance No. 04-2015 of March 26, 2015, Sec. 1)

E.

SITE WORK AND STRUCTURE LOCATION

All new structures on a lot must meet the setback or minimum yard requirements as set forth in the Santa Fe Zoning Ordinance with the following additional provisions:

(1)

Detached structures must be at least twenty feet (20') from any other structure on a lot unless otherwise provided herein;

(2)

Detached structures associated with the residential use of the property, such as garages, well houses, storage sheds, etc., must be at least five feet (5') from any other structure on the lot;

(3)

Structures are considered detached unless joined by a common wall;

(4)

A water well house no larger than fifty (50) square feet may be placed closer to the property line than the setback requirement stipulated herein, only to the extent necessary to meet the established requirements for the installation of water wells and septic systems in Galveston County.

(Ordinance No. 09-2004 of May 13, 2004)

F.

CONFLICTS

Where the provisions of other Sections of these Building Regulations shall conflict with this section, the Development Officer shall resolve the conflict.

(Ordinance No. 09-2004 of May 13, 2004)

G.

FEES

Fees shall be as determined by resolution of the Santa Fe City Council.

(Ordinance No. 09-2004 of May 13, 2004)

H.

PENALTIES

Any person, firm, or corporation who fails to comply with, or violates, any part of this section shall be subject to the penalties pursuant to Section 1 GENERAL (G) PENALTY, herein.

(Ordinance No. 09-2004 of May 13, 2004)

STORM WATER