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TO: Mayor John Laesch
FROM: Joshua Ream, Director of Development Services
John P. Curley. Chief Development Services Officer
DATE: 11/25/2025
SUBJECT:
An Ordinance Amending Chapter 12 of the Aurora Code of Ordinances titled Buildings and Building Regulations to Adopt the 2024 I-Series of Codes and Recommended Amendments.
PURPOSE:
To obtain City Council approval for the adoption of the 2024 I-Series of Codes with associated amendments as agreed to by staff and associated committees. Proposed adoption would incorporate new safety standards for construction and also help address new technologies in this sector to better serve the community.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Aurora presently operates under the 2015 I-Series of codes. While these standards were up to date and germane at the time of adoption, they do not properly reflect the current building environment in terms of material understanding and technology. Without new standards our outdated adoption will affect our Verisk-ISO Building Code Effectiveness Grading Score (BCEGS), a best in state score of 2, a failure to adopt would harm and negatively affect insurance underwriting for new structures if the City does not move to a newer code series. Additionally, the state of Illinois is now compelling municipalities with 2015 I-Series or earlier adoptions to adopt a newer code. Along with the aging out component, newer codes allow staff to be more flexible in dealing with construction items and our development sector to be more competitive in attracting new business. Over the past two years staff has been sorting through subsequent code series published by the International Code Council (ICC) to come to a recommendation. These adoptions have been thoroughly reviewed and amendments approved by the Building Code Board of Appeals and the Fire Code of Appeals and Electrical Commission throughout the 2024 and 2025 calendar year. These commissions and appeals boards are comprised of construction-related industry...
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