Section 661.200.3. Building plan approval and plan review fees.

Plans for the proposed construction of certain new buildings or additions, alterations or changes to existing buildings require the approval of the fire marshal and shall be submitted to the building code bureau.

         200.3(1) Plans for initial construction or alterations, changes, additions, renovations or remodeling of the following shall be submitted to the building code bureau, unless the plans have been submitted to a local fire or building department for approval based upon compliance with the rules of the fire marshal or a local fire ordinance recognized in rule 661—201.5(100):

            a.               Any educational building or facility serving kindergarten through twelfth grade,

            b.               Any college or university building or facility,

            c.               Any child care facility intended to serve seven or more children at one time,

            d.               Any correctional facility, or

            e.               Any gaming facility.

         200.3(2) Plans for initial construction or alterations, changes, additions, renovations or remodeling of the following shall be submitted to the building code bureau for approval based upon compliance with rules of the fire marshal:

            a.               Any facility housing an adult day service,

            b.               Any assisted living facility,

            c.               Any residential care facility,

            d.               Any elder group home, or

            e.               Any facility owned by the state or an agency of the state.

         200.3(3) Plans for initial construction or alterations, changes, additions, renovations or remodeling of any building or facility subject to the provisions of 661—Chapter 205 shall be submitted to the building code bureau.

         200.3(4) Building plan submittals.

            a.                Working plans and specifications. When approval of building construction projects is required by this chapter or when requested by the submitter for other building construction projects covered by this chapter, one complete set of the final working plans and specifications shall be submitted to the building code bureau. The submittal shall comply with Iowa Code chapters 542B and 544A and with 661—subrule 300.4(1). Each submittal shall be examined, and the submitter shall be notified of the findings. If the working plans and specifications comply with this chapter, an approval letter shall be sent to the submitter.

            b.                Shop drawings. Shop drawings, equipment specifications and supporting documentation for fire alarm and sprinkler systems shall be submitted for review and approval and signed by a responsible managing employee licensed in accordance with Iowa Code chapter 100C. If the system is being installed as part of a project which has been designed by an engineer or architect, the submittal shall be approved by the responsible architect or engineer prior to submittal to the fire marshal. Each submittal shall be examined, and the submitter shall be notified of the findings. Only one copy of shop drawings, equipment specifications and supporting documentation is required. Staff of the building code bureau shall send a letter of approval to the submitter in lieu of returning approved shop drawings.

            c.                Changes. No changes shall be made to the approved final working plans and specifications or shop drawings unless the changes are submitted to and approved by the building code bureau.

         200.3(5) If the blueprints and specifications are not acceptable, the building code bureau shall notify the submitter of the deficiencies and request that the submitter either forward changes or request a review of the blueprints and specifications with the building code bureau.

         200.3(6) If, after such review, the submitter disputes the findings of the plan reviewer, the submitter may request that the disputed questions be reviewed by the building code commissioner and the chief of the fire prevention bureau.

         200.3(7) If the submitter disputes the findings of the building code commissioner and the chief of the fire prevention bureau, the submitter may appeal to the fire marshal under the provisions of rule 661—200.2(100).

         200.3(8) 661—subrule 300.4(2), paragraphs “b” and “c,” are adopted by reference.

Note: 661—subrule 300.4(2) establishes fees for plan reviews.

         200.3(9) The responsible design professional for a project shall schedule a preliminary meeting with the building code bureau to discuss code compliance issues early in the design development phase. The responsible design professional shall contact the bureau to schedule the preliminary meeting. There is no separate fee for a preliminary meeting. If the responsible design professional plans to request approval to bid the project as part of the preliminary meeting, the responsible design professional shall request a copy of the document “Preliminary Meeting Checklist” at the time the meeting is scheduled and shall be prepared to address all applicable issues identified on the checklist at the preliminary meeting. Approval to bid the project shall not be given unless all applicable issues identified on the checklist have been addressed to the satisfaction of the state fire marshal or the state fire marshal’s designee.

         200.3(10) A construction project that is subject to a provision of this chapter or 661—Chapter 201 that requires compliance with a provision of the 2015 edition of any code published by the International Code Council may comply with either the current requirements of this chapter and 661—Chapter 201 or the provisions of this chapter and 661—Chapter 201 as they applied prior to July 1, 2016, if construction has commenced on or prior to September 30, 2016. “Commenced” means the submitter has received preliminary approval of the plans. If a construction project receives preliminary approval based upon the provisions of this chapter and 661—Chapter 201 as they applied prior to July 1, 2016, then final approval must be received on or prior to December 31, 2016.

[ARC 8307B, IAB 11/18/09, effective 1/1/10; ARC 2494C, IAB 4/13/16, effective 5/18/16]