Post Falls makes changes to building codes

In a unanimous decision last week, the Post Falls City Council voted to amend its building codes, introducing changes that will impact future developments.

City Planning Manager Jon Manley presented two key modifications to the city's SmartCode, a zoning ordinance implemented in 2010.

The first amendment expands the criteria for triggering site reviews. 

Now, a 25% change in use, a 25% expansion of a structure, or any change requiring improvements outside the building will prompt a review.

The second amendment addresses a potential loophole in building height regulations. The new amendment closes these gaps.

• Mezzanines extending beyond 33% of floor area in commercial spaces now count as an additional story.

• Ground floors between 18 and 25 feet high will be counted as two stories.

• Single-level buildings with pitched roofs between 18 and 25 feet high (measured from floor to ceiling) will also be considered two-story structures.

"This avoids creating a really tall four-story building with four floors with 18 feet in each floor," Manley said.

After some discussion and clarification, council members approved both amendments.

"The language is clearer than what was there previously," Manley noted.