Permits will no longer be required in Phoenix for residential fence replacement projects and the use of storage shipping containers.
Those two items are part of a series of new policies just approved by members of the Phoenix City Council that are designed to make life easier for builders, while also promoting sustainability practices.
What is officially called the new Phoenix Building Construction Code is also requiring the use of faucet, shower, and toilet lower maximum flow rates, as well as the presence of at least one electric vehicle charging infrastructure in every new one- and two-bedroom home and townhouse.
The new codes are the work of city staff, as well technical and industry experts who reviewed all of Phoenix’s existing building laws in an effort to decide what needed to be updated and what didn’t.
In a statement, Debra Stark, a member of the city council, said the new codes will enhance standards for “some entrances, hallways, bathrooms, and household fixtures to help residents age in place and improve accessibility for people with disabilities.”
On the issue of alternative building materials usage, the new code encourages the use of mass timber in the construction of structures up to 18 stories in height. To maximize the square footage of residential units, the code also is supportive of implementing less space to house mechanical systems.
The new code take effect on August 1 and has a built-in grace period for construction projects already in the planning stage.
July 1, 2025
By Garry Boulard
