Item 4G Ord 12501
2021 International Plumbing Code
ORDINANCE NO. 1250
AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING CODE, 2021
EDITION, REGULATING THE ERECTION, INSTALLATION, ALTERATION,
REPAIRS, RELOCATION, REPLACEMENT, ADDITION TO, USE OR MAINTENANCE
OF PLUMBING SYSTEM IN THE CITY OF SOUTHLAKE; PROVIDING FOR THE
ADOPTION OF LOCAL AMENDMENTS THERETO; PROVIDING FOR RECORDING
OF SUCH CODE AS A PUBLIC RECORD; PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE
SHALL BE CUMULATIVE OF ALL ORDINANCES; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION IN
PAMPHLET FORM; PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION IN THE OFFICIAL
NEWSPAPER; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, The City of Southlake, Texas is a home rule city acting under its
charter adopted by the electorate pursuant to Article XI, Section 5 of the Texas
Constitution and Chapter 9 of the Local Government Code; and
WHEREAS, City Council of the City of Southlake deems it necessary to adopt
this ordinance governing requirements for the installation and maintenance of plumbing
systems including requirements for materials, in order to protect the health, safety and
welfare of the citizens of the City of Southlake.
WHEREAS, beginning in the spring of 2021, NCTCOG’s Regional Codes
Coordinating Committee (RCCC) and its five advisory boards conducted open review
meetings over a 1-year period to review the 2021 editions of the International Codes
and to develop regional amendments. Their review and recommendations were
completed and endorsed by NCTCOG’s Executive Board in July 2021. Now NCTCOG
encourages jurisdictions in North Central Texas to adopt the 2021 International
Plumbing Code along with its respective regional amendments.
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS:
Section 1
Adoption
That the International Plumbing Code, 2021 Edition, published by the
International Code Council, is hereby adopted as the Plumbing Code of the City of
Southlake, except for plumbing systems otherwise regulated under the International
Residential Code for One- and Two- Family Dwellings as adopted. A True and correct
copy of this document is referenced in Exhibit "A."
Section 2
Amendments
That the 2021 International Plumbing Code, as adopted herein, is hereby
amended as provided in Exhibit “B” incorporated herein and attached hereto for all
purposes of this ordinance. The City of Southlake may from time to time determine that
additional local modifications to the 2021 International Plumbing Code are necessary
and appropriate to meet the unique construction needs of the City of Southlake. To
effectuate these modifications, the City council shall enact individual ordinances
amending this ordinance fully setting forth the change to be made in the code. The
amendments shall be consolidated as Exhibit "B" to this ordinance.
Section 3
Recording
The material contained in Exhibits "A" and “B” to this ordinance shall not be
included in the formal municipal codification of ordinances but shall be maintained as a
public record in the office of the City Secretary and/or the office of Building Inspections and
will be available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours.
Section 4
Cumulative Clause
This ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of ordinances of the City of
Southlake, Texas, except where the provisions of this ordinance are in direct conflict
with the provisions of such ordinances, in which event the conflicting provisions of such
ordinances are hereby repealed.
Section 5
Severability
It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the phrases,
clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this ordinance are severable, and if any
phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared
unconstitutional by the valid judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction,
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such unconstitutionality shall not affect any of the remaining phrases, clauses,
sentences, paragraphs and sections of this ordinance, since the same would have been
enacted by the City council without the incorporation in this ordinance of any such
unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section. It is not the intention of
this ordinance to conflict in any way with the Plumbing License Law of Texas.
Section 6
Penalty
Any person, firm or corporation who violates, disobeys, omits, neglects or refuses
to comply with or who resists the enforcement of any of the provisions of this ordinance
shall be fined not more than Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) for all violations
involving zoning, fire safety or public health and sanitation, including dumping or refuse,
and shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500) for all other violations of
this ordinance. Each day that a violation is permitted to exist shall constitute a separate
offense.
Section 7
Saving Clause
All rights and remedies of the City of Southlake are expressly saved as to any
and all violations of the provisions of any ordinances affecting the installation and
maintenance of plumbing systems which have accrued at the time of the effective date
of this ordinance; and, as to such accrued violations and all pending litigation, both civil
and criminal, whether pending in court or not, under such ordinances, same shall not be
affected by this ordinance buy may be prosecuted until final disposition by the courts.
Section 8
Publication
The City Secretary of the City of Southlake is hereby authorized to publish this
ordinance in book or pamphlet form for general distribution among the public, and the
operative provisions of this ordinance as so published shall be admissible in evidence in
all courts without further proof than the production thereof.
The City Secretary of the City of Southlake is hereby directed to publish in the
official newspaper of the City of Southlake, the caption, penalty clause, publication
clause and effective date of this ordinance one time within ten days after passage of this
ordinance, as required by Section 3.13 of the Charter of the City of Southlake.
Section 10
Effective Date
This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and publication
as required by law but not before May 1, 2022.
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APPROVED ON FIRST READING THIS 5 DAY OF APRIL, 2022.
MAYOR
ATTEST:
CITY SECRETARY
APPROVED ON SECOND READING THIS 19 DAY OF APRIL, 2022.
MAYOR
ATTEST:
CITY SECRETARY
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:
_____________________________________
CITY ATTORNEY
PUBLISHED:
EFFECTIVE:
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EXHIBIT A
2021 International Plumbing Code Complete Edition
Located in the Building Inspections Office
1400 Main St., Suite 250
City of Southlake, Texas
76092
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EXHIBIT B.
Amendments to the 2021 International Plumbing Code
The following sections, paragraphs, and sentences of the 2021 International Plumbing Code are hereby
amended as follows: Standard type is text from the IPC. Underlined type is text inserted. Lined through
type is deleted text from the IPC. A double asterisk (**) at the beginning of a section identifies an
amendment carried over from the 2018 edition of the code and a triple asterisk (***) identifies a new or
revised amendment with the 2021 code.
**Table of Contents, Chapter 7, Section 713; change to read as follows:
713 Engineered Computerized Drainage Design . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 7-12
(Reason: Editorial change to make compatible with amendment to Section 714.1.)
***Section 102.8; amend and add to read as follows:
[A]102.8 Referenced codes and standards. The codes and standards referenced in this code shall be
those that are listed in Chapter 15 and such codes, when specifically adopted, and standards shall be
considered as part of the requirements of this code … {Remainder Text unchanged}
[A]102.8.3 Local amendments. Whenever amendments have been adopted to the referenced codes and
standards, each reference to said code and standard shall be considered to reference the adopted
amendments. Any reference to NFPA 70 or the National Electrical Code (NEC) shall mean the Electrical
Code as adopted.
(Reason: Legal wording to recognize locally adopted codes and amendments adopted with referenced
codes.)
**Section 305; change to read as follows:
305.1 Protection against contact. Metallic piping, except for cast iron, ductile iron and galvanized steel,
shall not be placed in direct contact with steel framing members, concrete or cinder walls and floors or
other masonry. Metallic piping shall not be placed in direct contact with corrosive soil. Where sheathing is
used to prevent direct contact, the sheathing shall have a thickness of not less than 0.008 inch (8 mil)
(0.203 mm) and the sheathing shall be made of approved material plastic. Where sheathing protects
piping that penetrates concrete or masonry walls or floors, the sheathing shall be installed in a manner
that allows movement of the piping within the sheathing.
(Reason: Allows for other materials to be accepted. Corresponds with IRC P2303.3)
**Section 305.4.1; change to read as follows:
305.4.1 Sewer depth. Building sewers that connect to private sewage disposal systems shall be a
minimum of [number] inches (mm) below finished grade at the point of septic tank connection. Building
sewers shall be a minimum of 12 inches (304 mm) below grade.
(Reason: Provides sewer depth that is common in this region. Deleted reference to private sewage
disposal because a private sewage disposal code is not typically adopted in this region. Corresponds with
IRC P263.5.1)
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**Section 306; add to read as follows:
306.2.4 Plastic sewer and DWV piping installation. Plastic sewer and DWV piping installed
underground shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
Trench width shall be controlled to not exceed the outside the pipe diameter plus 16 inches or in
a trench which has a controlled width equal to the nominal diameter of the diameter of the piping
multiplied by 1.25 plus 12 inches. The piping shall be bedded in 4 inches of granular fill and
then backfilled compacting the side fill in 6-inch layers on each side of the piping. The
compaction shall be to minimum of 85 percent standard proctor density and extend to a
minimum of 6 inches above the top of the pipe.
(Reason: To follow manufacturer backfill requirements and to be clear to Inspectors out in the
field)
**Section 410.2; change to read as follows:
410.2 Small occupancies. Drinking fountains shall not be required for an occupant load of 15 25 or
fewer and for dining and/or drinking establishments.
(Reason: To match regional amendments in IBC Table 2902.1 footnote g.)
**Section 413.4; change to read as follows:
413.4 Required location for floor drains Public laundries and central washing facilities. Floor
drains shall be installed in the following areas.
1. In public coin-operated laundries and in the central washing facilities of multiple family dwellings,
the rooms containing automatic clothes washers shall be provided with floor drains located to
readily drain the entire floor area. Such drains shall have a minimum outlet of not less than 3
inches (76 mm) in diameter.
2. Commercial kitchens. In lieu of floor drains in commercial kitchens, the code official may accept
floor sinks.
3. Public restrooms.
(Reason: To make more compatible with local health code practices.)
**Section 502.3; change to read as follows:
502.3 Water heaters installed in attics. Attics containing a water heater shall be provided . . . {bulk of
paragraph unchanged} . . . A walkway to an appliance shall be rated as a floor as approved by the
building official. As a minimum, for access to the attic space, provide one of the following:
1. A permanent stair.
2. A pull down stair with a minimum 300 lb (136 kg) capacity.
3. An access door from an upper floor level.
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4. Access Panel may be used in lieu of items 1, 2, and 3 with prior approval of the code official
due to building conditions.
(Reason: To provide a safe means of accessibility to appliances in attics and to allow for different types
of construction limitations. Consistent with regional amendment to IMC 306.3 and IFGC 306.3)
**Section 502; add Section 502.6 to read as follows:
502.6 Water heaters above ground or floor. When the attic, roof, mezzanine or platform in which a
water heater is installed is more than eight (8) feet (2438 mm) above the ground or floor level, it shall be
made accessible by a stairway or permanent ladder fastened to the building.
Exception: A max 10 gallon water heater (or larger with approval) is capable of being accessed
through a lay-in ceiling and a water heater is installed is not more than ten (10) feet (3048 mm)
above the ground or floor level and may be reached with a portable ladder.
(Reason: To provide safe access to water heaters. Consistent with regional amendments to IFGC 306.7
and IMC 306.6. Note reference to amendment above.)
**Section 608.17.5; change to read as follows:
608.17.5 Connections to lawn irrigation systems. The potable water supply to lawn irrigation systems
shall be protected against backflow by an atmospheric-type vacuum breaker, a pressure-type vacuum
breaker, a double-check assembly or a reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly.
{remainder unchanged}
(Reason: To recognize regional practices. Corresponds with IRC P2902.5.3)
**Section 703.6; Delete
(Reason: not a standard practice in this region)
**Section 704.5; add to read as follows:
704.5 Single stack fittings. Single stack fittings with internal baffle, PVC schedule 40 or cast iron single
stack shall be designed by a registered engineer and comply to a national recognized standard.
(Reason: to allow owners, installers, inspectors, and design professionals to ready identify product
markers to determine they meet all required standards.)
**Section 713, 713.1; amend to read as follows:
SECTION 713
ENGINEERED COMPUTERIZED DRAINAGE DESIGN
713.1 Design of drainage system. The sizing, design and layout of the drainage system shall be
permitted to be designed by a registered engineer using approved computer design methods.
(Reason: Code was too restrictive.)
***Section 903.1.1; change to read as follows:
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903.1 Roof extension 903.1.1 Roof extension unprotected. Open vent pipes that extend through a
roof shall terminate not less than six (6) inches (152 mm) above the roof. Where a roof is to be used for
assembly or as a promenade, observation deck, sunbathing deck or similar purposes, open vent pipes
shall terminate not less than 7 feet (2134 mm) above the roof.
(Reason: To provide regional guideline on standard installation method for this area and address
reference number correction.)
**Section 1003; Interceptors and Separators; delete 1003.1 through 1003.10 and add:
The installation, maintenance, and recordkeeping of grease interceptors and separators shall be
in accordance with the City of Southlake Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) Manual and Policy.
(Reason: meets the Public Works policy)
**Section 1109; Delete this section. Combined Sanitary and storm public sewer
**Section 1202.1; delete Exception 1 and 2.
(Reason: State law already specifies that vacuum systems must comply with NFPA 99.)
END