(Formerly Sec. 19-395t). Exemption from code for urban homesteading property and historic structures

(a) The State Building Inspector and the Codes and Standards Committee shall revise the State Building Code to allow exemptions from the State Building Code for property acquired by an urban homesteading agency, pursuant to section 8-169r, and transferred to a qualified applicant pursuant to section 8-169s, and for historic structures, as defined in section 10-410, which have been classified as such in the state register of historic places, to encourage participation in urban homesteading programs and the restoration and preservation of historic places; provided such exemptions shall not affect the safe design, use or construction of such property. (b) Any person, agent of the state, municipality or any other political subdivision of the state may apply to the State Building Inspector and the Codes and Standards Committee to modify or set aside standards for historic buildings incorporated in the State Building Code. The State Building Inspector shall, within seven days of receipt of any such application, forward a copy of such application to the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development. Said commissioner shall, within thirty days of receipt, review such application and make such written recommendations as the commissioner deems appropriate to the State Building Inspector and the Codes and Standards Committee concerning the disposition of such application. The recommendation of the commissioner shall be part of the records and documents of the State Building Inspector concerning such application. The State Building Inspector and the Codes and Standards Committee shall consider such written recommendations when acting upon such application and may set aside or modify an individual standard or specification when they jointly determine that such standard or specification would not be feasible or would unreasonably complicate the construction, alteration or repair in question and where alternative methods and materials have been proposed to maintain certain features. Such determination shall be in writing, shall state the reasons therefor and if it sets aside any such standard or specification, a copy of such determination shall be sent to the commissioner. The State Building Inspector shall electronically publish such determination on the Internet web site of the Department of Administrative Services. (c) Regulations or codes made or amended by authority of this section shall be adopted in accordance with the provisions of section 29-252b. (d) If any regulation made or amended by authority of this section is set aside by a court, such ruling shall affect only the regulation, standard or specification included in the ruling and all other regulations, standards or specifications shall remain in effect.