New Deadline on Building Code Appeal Applications

Effective Thursday, November 7, 2019, the deadline for submitting a building code appeal changes from Monday to Thursday. The City must be in receipt of a building code appeal application no later than 9 a.m. on Thursday for an appeal request to be reviewed by the board the following Wednesday.

Requests reviewed by the appeals board

Building code appeals are an administrative review led by the City’s Building Official and reviewed every Wednesday morning. The appeal board reviews requests to provide an alternative construction method to any of the following codes:

1. Oregon Structural Specialty Code
2. Oregon Residential Specialty Code
3. Oregon Mechanical Specialty Code
4. Oregon Electrical Specialty Code; and the
5. Oregon Plumbing Code

The appeal process provides an opportunity for customers to submit development proposals that will meet the intent of the building code when compliance with the letter of the code is not feasible. Building code appeal meetings at this level are closed to the public. 

Current application deadline and information about proposed change

The current application deadline to request an appeal is 9 a.m. on the Monday immediately preceding a Wednesday review. The new Thursday deadline provides two additional business days for staff to review and comment on an appeal request and applicants to submit additional materials when needed. The proposed change will offset the impacts associated with the following issues:

1. An overall increase in the number of building code appeal applications;
2. Increased complexity in the types of appeals requested;
3. Insufficient time for staff to review and submit comments on appeal requests;
4. Insufficient information and/or incomplete appeal applications; and
5. Insufficient time for applicants to submit additional materials to support an application when needed.

For more information, please visit the File Appeals for Building, Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing Code webpage.

Questions and comments should be sent to appealss@portlandoregon.gov, or to Terry Whitehill.  

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