The Bellaire City Council held a public hearing Oct. 20, 2025, on a recommendation from the Building and Standards Commission to adopt the 2024 editions of the International Codes and the 2023 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC) and to amend portions of Chapter 9 (Buildings) of the city code.

Christian Summers, Bellaire’s assistant director of development services and building official, told council the recommendation was adopted by the Building and Standards Commission on Aug. 28, 2025, after more than 45 days of public posting and internal review. Summers said the change is intended to keep Bellaire current with national model codes and to preserve the city’s standing in the Insurance Services Office grading and the Community Rating System used for flood-insurance discounts.

Summers listed several proposed local amendments to Chapter 9, including consolidating contractor duties into Section 9-5; clarifying residential and nonresidential drainage submittal criteria; creating a pathway for limited topographic grading that causes no net fill in the floodplain; tightening submittal requirements for elevation certificates and drainage plans; and revising overlapping residential sprinkler language. He said the City of Houston drainage criteria, adopted in 2023, was carried forward and aligned with proposed residential requirements.

Council members focused on implementation and grandfathering. Several members asked how permits in the pipeline would be treated and whether a clear grace period should be set. Summers and other staff said they expect to recommend a phased implementation and additional guidance for builders, designers and homeowners and noted multiple compliance pathways in the energy code (for example, alternative measures using insulation, fenestration, or mechanical systems), which makes blanket statements about single-product requirements inaccurate.

No members of the public spoke during the hearing; staff reported no written comments had been submitted during the public-posting period. Mayor Pappas closed the hearing and council scheduled final deliberation and possible adoption for the Nov. 3, 2025 council meeting. Staff told the council they will return with implementation details — including proposed effective dates and a plan to notify designers, builders and the public.