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The city of Portland on Oct. 1 will adopt the new statewide Oregon Structural Specialty Code, which comes with new regulations regarding mass timber and much more.

There will be a phase-in period from Oct. 1-Dec. 31, 2019, when applicants will have the option of submitting documents for permits using either the current OSSC adopted in 2014 or the new OSSC. After Jan. 1, 2020, all permits must meet the requirements of the new OSSC.

The Portland Bureau of Development Services recommends submission of development applications no later than Dec. 16 to ensure the project is vested under the 2014 OSSC.

For projects in the city’s phased permitting process, at a minimum, foundation or structural partial permits must be submitted by Dec. 31 in order to be vested under the 2014 OSSC. An excavation and shoring partial permit will not be sufficient to vest a building under the 2014 code, according to BDS.

鈥淥regon is adopting the 2018 International Building Code, which will become the 2019 OSSC,鈥� said Terry Whitehill, the city’s Building Official. 鈥淭hat’s the base model code. We’re also adopting the 2019 Oregon Mechanical Specialty Code, and they both will go into effect on October 1.鈥�

If land use review is required, it must be substantially complete before an applicant may submit an application for a building permit.

There are many changes in the new code.

鈥淥ne of the big things we’ve incorporated in this code cycle are a bunch of changes for mass-timber construction,鈥� Whitehill said.

The regulations, including three separate categories of mass timber construction, were already in place as interim rules set to take effect in the 2021 International Building Code, he added.

Also, Oregon is adopting new energy code requirements that will be mirrored by the city.

鈥淭hose are probably the two biggest things, but there are plenty of other changes and clarifications,鈥� Whitehill said.