The action begins a city staff review. It does not adopt a new code, establish an implementation date or change how many dwelling units Austin zoning allows on a lot.

What Austin is considering

The proposed Houseplex pathway would apply to buildings with up to four attached dwelling units, no internal common spaces or shared utilities, and no more than three stories above grade.

If the council later adopts the proposal, qualifying projects could be covered by local amendments to the 2024 International Residential Code. The July 23 action does not give builders an immediate right to use that pathway.

Austin Development Services currently says four-unit developments are classified as multifamily residential and are exempt from the site-plan process. The city’s guidance distinguishes between separate four-unit configurations, which remain under Residential Plan Review, and a fourplex in one building, which must be submitted to Commercial Plan Review or Expedited Plan Review.

Safety requirements would be part of the proposal

Any Houseplex code amendment would include specified life-safety requirements. For three- and four-unit Houseplexes, the draft resolution calls for either two-hour fire-resistance-rated assemblies between dwelling units and supporting construction, or one-hour fire-resistance-rated assemblies combined with an automatic sprinkler system based on NFPA 13D installed throughout the building.

The proposed requirements also include shared external means of egress where applicable, a prohibition on electrical receptacles in shared external means of egress, and the International Residential Code’s penetration-protection and draft-stopping requirements.

For two-unit Houseplexes, the draft says existing International Residential Code rules for two-family dwellings would apply without modification.

No zoning increase in this action

The council direction says the related building-code work must not modify, expand or otherwise affect the number of dwelling units permitted on a lot. That question remains governed by the applicable zoning district under Austin’s Land Development Code.

In practical terms, the July 23 action concerns the construction and review standards that might apply to certain small multifamily buildings if a later amendment is adopted. It does not authorize four units on a lot where zoning does not allow them.

Separate study for five to 16 units

The council separately directed the city manager to explore a simplified pathway for residential buildings containing five to 16 attached dwelling units. Those projects would remain under the International Building Code, but staff will study local amendments or alternative compliance options intended to reduce unnecessary cost and complexity while maintaining equivalent life-safety outcomes.

That five- to 16-unit study is separate from the proposed International Residential Code pathway for buildings with up to four units.

Part of Austin’s missing-middle housing work

The Houseplex work must be coordinated with Austin’s March 2026 Missing Middle initiative. City planning materials have identified building-code requirements and related technical standards as potential barriers to smaller-scale housing and have recommended examining whether some middle-scale projects could use the International Residential Code.

The July 23 direction also calls for city staff, potentially including Austin Development Services, the Austin Fire Department and the building official, to review technical-code provisions and related development-application processes. The review will examine requirements triggered by unit-count thresholds, life-safety issues and conflicts between potential International Residential Code and International Building Code pathways.

What happens next

The city manager must report back to the council by December 2026 with proposed Houseplex amendments, recommendations for five- to 16-unit projects, the technical-code review and any other code changes needed to carry out the direction.

Until the council considers and adopts a final amendment, builders, property owners and residents should treat the Houseplex pathway as a developing proposal. The next material decision will come after staff develops the language and the council considers whether to adopt it.

Sources

• Houseplex Code Amendment Draft Resolution, File ID 26-2127
• Austin Development Services Residential Plan Review

The Marion City Council approved Ordinance 4121 on July 13. The ordinance replaces the city’s 2018 editions of the International Building Code, International Property Maintenance Code and International Fire Code with 2021 editions. It also adopts the 2021 International Residential Code.

What changes for new homes

The ordinance removes the automatic-sprinkler provisions in Section R313 of the 2021 residential code for new one-family dwellings, two-family dwellings and townhouses.

Under the ordinance, sprinklers will not be required solely as a condition of permit issuance, plan approval, inspection approval, a certificate of occupancy or another city approval for those residential structures. The change takes effect with the rest of the code update on September 1.

The language does not eliminate every possible sprinkler requirement. The ordinance says another applicable state law, federal law or city-adopted code provision could still require sprinklers for a particular project or circumstance.

Voluntary systems remain allowed

Homeowners, builders and developers may still choose to install automatic sprinklers. If a system is installed, it must meet applicable technical standards and inspection requirements.

The Marion Fire Department’s building-inspection guidance shows that sprinkler and fire-alarm systems remain part of the department’s inspection work when those systems are installed or required. The department also lists testing and inspection responsibilities for fire-protection equipment.

Who should pay attention

Builders and developers planning residential projects in Marion should confirm which code edition and requirements apply to permits submitted before and after September 1. The effective date is separate from the council’s July 13 approval date, so project timing may matter.

Homeowners considering new construction should understand that Marion’s amended residential code will no longer impose the same automatic-sprinkler requirement on the covered types of homes. A voluntary system remains an option, and other project-specific requirements may still apply.

Marion Building and Code Services handles residential building permits, inspections and development-related code administration. Applicants should contact the city with project-specific questions. The Marion Fire Department can provide additional guidance on fire-protection and inspection issues.

The ordinance changes Marion’s municipal code; it is not a statewide Illinois change. Applicants should review city requirements together with any applicable Illinois plumbing, building or fire-safety rules before finalizing plans.

Sources

• Marion Ordinance 4121
• City of Marion Building and Code Services
• Marion Fire Department Building Inspections
• Illinois Capital Development Board Building Codes and Regulations

In its announcement, the City of Farmington says it is currently operating under the 2015 International Code Council (ICC) family and the 2014 National Electrical Code (NEC), which were adopted in 2018. The update would replace those references with the most current code cycle.

What Farmington is considering adopting

The city’s proposed adoption by ordinance includes multiple updated ICC codes and a newer NEC edition. Farmington lists the following codes for consideration:

• 2024 International Building Code
• 2024 International Residential Code
• 2024 International Plumbing Code
• 2024 International Mechanical Code
• 2024 International Fuel Gas Code
• 2024 International Energy Conservation Code
• 2024 International Existing Building Code
• 2024 International Property Maintenance Code
• 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code
• 2024 International Private Sewage Disposal Code
• 2024 International Fire Code
• 2023 National Electrical Code (NFPA 70)

Farmington notes that ICC updates are released every three years, but the city does not adopt every cycle. The city links that approach to adoption costs including staff time, legal review, and reference-material updates—plus the time it takes builders and design professionals to become familiar with new requirements.

The 90-day review and comment window (starting June 20)

Farmington says residents can review the updated code materials for ninety days. During that inspection-availability timeframe—and before final adoption—residents may inspect the materials or submit written comments to the City Clerk.

The city also says no public hearing is required; the key step is the inspection-availability period. The period begins June 20, 2026. Copies of the codes, along with the proposed adopting ordinance with local amendments, are on display for public review at the City Clerk’s office at Long Memorial Hall, 110 West Columbia Street in Farmington.

Why this can matter for remodeling, additions, and new construction

The city says the updated codes cover the full range of construction, from structural, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical systems to fire safety—for both new construction and major renovations. That means the specific code edition that applies to a project can affect how permit applications are reviewed and what builders design to.

Farmington also says its Building Code Advisory Board—which includes local contractors and a local architect—reviewed the updated codes and proposed local amendments before recommending adoption to City Council.

If you’re planning ahead, the practical takeaway is to check what’s proposed now—before you finalize plans and apply for permits. Farmington’s published building permit fees may also be relevant as you move from design to permitting, and the city’s permit fee schedule is listed as subject to change.

Where to verify what’s current

Farmington directs residents to its Codes and Ordinances page for the official/current workflow. That page notes that codes and ordinances shown online may not be the most recent, and that the most current edition is available in City Hall. If what you see online doesn’t match what you’re planning—or if you have questions about the update process—Farmington says to contact the City Clerk.

Sources

• City of Farmington — City of Farmington to Adopt New Building Codes