An Act To Support Municipal Enforcement Of Residential Construction Laws, Codes And Regulations

Maine LD 2225 strengthens municipal enforcement of residential construction laws by adding a standard for off-site and modular building construction to the state's uniform building codes. The bill establishes fixed dates for when code updates take effect, requiring changes made in the first half of the year to apply by December 1 and those made in the second half to apply by June 1 of the following year. It also increases a surcharge on plan review fees from 4 cents to 6 cents per square foot to fund building codes activities and mandates that code enforcement officer training include specific instruction on industrialized housing. Additionally, the legislation directs the Maine Office of Community Affairs to run a three-year pilot project, funded by a $1 million transfer, to support municipalities in adopting regionalized approaches to code enforcement.