Mississippi’s Leflore County Adopts New Statewide Building Code

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The Leflore County Board of Supervisors has adopted the 2012 International Building Code, which means new construction will have to adhere to a set of uniform standards.

Under a new state law, Mississippi counties have a Nov. 30 deadline to either adopt one of three versions of the IBC code or else opt out of imposing a building code.

Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney pushed for the law, saying buildings that are better able to withstand storms will be safer and could reduce the cost of insurance. The law covers a variety of structures, including those built for hunting and fishing camps, in subdivisions and on farms.

Mississippi Enacts First Statewide Building Code Law

The Greenwood Commonwealth reports that although the county already had a number of zoning regulations and ordinances addressing construction, officials said the new set building standards would mean more uniformly quality construction throughout the county.

Victor Stokes, director of community development for the city of Greenwood, said the biggest difference under the new regulations would be an end to unlicensed workmen installing gas lines or electrical wiring.

The next challenge for the county will be finding a means of enforcing the new code.

Tax Assessor Leroy Ware said the county hasn’t issued enough construction permits in the past to employ a full-time inspector.

Ware suggested that the county might be able to privately contract with a building inspector or else train an employee verify compliance.

The cost of inspections would be added to the construction permit fees, Ware said. He also said he’d come back to the board with recommendations on a schedule of fines or other fees for non-compliance with the IBC code.

While Leflore County has decided to adopt the statewide code, not all counties are in agreement. The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors has voted to opt out of state building codes and instead draw up their own. The Lafayette board plans to hold a public hearing on the matter on Nov. 17.