Updated : 04/22/2024
Overview
Lawrence County, SD, adopted the 2012 IBC with amendments. Lawrence County Zoning Ordinance, Article 4.
"DEADWOOD — The Lawrence County Commission heard the first reading of an ordinance that would amend the International Residential Code for one- and two-family dwellings in Lawrence County to add specific elevations to the existing snow load requirements.
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Amber Vogt said that her office ran into an issue where the ground snow loads weren’t specified.
“Because of our elevation and the amount of snow we receive, the engineers were uncomfortable with deciding on their own.” Vogt said. “We looked at similar counties in Colorado with 5,000- to 7,000 feet elevation to determine ours. The engineers didn’t like being the ones to determine what that was. They wanted firm numbers.”
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Formerly, under climatic and geographic design criteria, the ground snow load pounds per square foot, dependent upon the elevation of the proposed building was 43 pounds per square foot of snowload for the Spearfish and 56 pounds per square foot for the Deadwood area. Anything more than 56 pounds per square foot expected requires special engineering.
The proposed changes to the International Residence Code spell out 43 pounds per square foot for up to 4,500 feet in elevation; 56 pounds per square foot for 4,501 to 5,500 feet in elevation; 66 pounds per square foot for 5,501 to 6,500 feet in elevation; 75 pounds per square foot for 6,501 feet and higher in elevation. Rafters that exceed the limits of the span tables in Chapter 8 of 2012 IRC will require an engineered design.
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The second reading of the ordinance will likely be held Dec. 9 at the regular meeting of the Lawrence County Commission. "
Jaci Conrad Pearson Black Hills Pioneer Nov. 24, 2104
Helpful resources for Lawrence County, South Dakota include the following.