As you begin planning for the rebuilding of the permanent structure on your property, the following is important information you should know. Our County’s Office of Recovery is committed to continuously updating this information, ensuring you have access to the latest resources and support during this permitting and rebuilding phase.
Reviewing the first 40 plans submitted for Maui Disaster Recovery Permits revealed that several comments occur frequently. Here are many of the most common comments and how to satisfactorily incorporate the required information into plans:
Zoning
Issue: Setback lines must be shown on site plans. MCC 19.08.040 lists development standards, height regulations, and setback lines. (Front of lot/Front lot line means every lot line bordering a public or private street containing a driveway.)
Solution: In typical residential zones (R-1, R-2, R-3) show 6 foot side and rear setbacks and 10 foot side and rear setbacks on a site plan. Be sure that the whole building is kept out of the 6 foot setback, and all building elements over 15 feet tall are kept out of the 10 foot setback. In zones D-1 and D-2, the same 6 foot and 10 foot side setbacks apply, but the rear setback is 20 feet.
Issue: The impervious surface area of a zoning lot must not exceed 65% of the total zoning lot area.
Solution: Provide a table on the site plan containing the following information:
1) Square footage of each impervious surface by general type (pavement, roof, etc.) and square footage for each pervious square footage for each type
2) For each of the impervious surface types and for the pervious surface, provide their respective percentage of total parcel area.
3) Provide totals for all impervious surface types combined, and for the pervious surface, as well as the percentage of total parcel area for both.
Issue: Each single family dwelling unit can install only one kitchen. Wet bars are not to be used as a second kitchen and cannot be installed in bedrooms. Sink sizes must be listed on plans (bar sinks: 1.5 cu. ft. max., undercounter refrigerator 7.5 cu. ft.) [MCC 19.04.040]
Solution: If wet bars or other sinks and refrigerators are installed outside of the main kitchen, include a note calling out their size in cubic feet. (Or note the maximum allowable size on plans.)
Grading and Drainage
Issue: Lots shall be graded to drain surface water away from foundation walls. The grade shall fall a minimum of 6 inches within the first 10 feet. [R401.3] Impervious surfaces within 10 feet of the building foundation shall be sloped not less than 2 percent away from the building. [R401.3, Exception]
Solution: Please provide spot elevations on plans to demonstrate at least 6 inches of fall within 10 feet of the edge of the house, garage, ADU, and all other structures for drainage. Where the lot is skinnier than 10 feet (preventing 10 feet of sloped drainage), instead call out a swale running parallel to the building wall, directing rainwater from the back yard to the street.
Issue: Driveways must be defined, including their location, width, material, and how they interact with sidewalks and/or curbs.
Solution: Specify the driveway material and dimension the driveway width. Dimension the driveway location related to the edges of the parcel. Show the driveway apron intersection with sidewalks (if any) and streets. Reference the following specific details: at non-curb streets reference Detail R-50, at curbed streets must note compliance with both Detail R-49 and one of the following: R-7 for rolled curbs, R-29 when there is no sidewalk, R-61 when a sidewalk is along the curb, and R-62 when the sidewalk is along the property line.
Fire
Issue: A house or other building is more than 50 feet from the street.
Solution: Specify the driveway grade, material and width on plans. Driveways may not exceed 18% grade. Gravel is not allowed. Driveways serving more than 3 dwellings must be 20 foot clear; driveways serving fewer dwellings must be at least 16 feet clear, with at least 12 feet of pavement and 2 feet on each side.
Issue: A driveway (or other access) is more than 150 feet long.
Solution: Provide a fire truck turnaround.
Architectural
Issue: Plans must be stamped & signed by a design professional. [HAR 16-115-8 & 16-115-9]
Solution: Every sheet in a set of design drawings prepared by or under the supervision of a licensed professional engineer, architect, land surveyor, or landscape architect shall be stamped with the authorized seal or stamp when filed. Below the seal or stamp, the authentication shall state: “This work was prepared by me or under my supervision” and “Construction of this project will be under my observation”, be signed by the licensee, and state the expiration date of the license.
Issue: Utility services must be shown on plans.
Solution: Identify approximate locations of the points of connection to public utility services (electricity meter, gas meter, water meter and sewer cleanouts). Show the proposed route of the utility lines to the residence.
Issue: The structure under this permit is not the only structure on the property. [MCC 16.25.107.2.1]
Solution: Clearly define each structure on plans. Dimension from the structure being built to all other structures (including pools, sheds, ADUs, detached garages and carports, etc.)
Issue: Plans do not list whether fire sprinklers are being provided.
Solution: Under design data list “No fire sprinklers” or “Fire sprinklers are a deferred submittal.” (If you provide a fire sprinkler design, that is also clear.) IMPORTANT: All properties with three or more dwellings must install fire sprinklers.
Issue: Roof and/or floor trusses are specified on plans, but the truss calculations and layout aren’t ready to include in the drawing package.
Solution: On the cover sheet, provide a list of Deferred Submittals, and include Roof Trusses (and/or Floor Trusses) on the list.
Issue: Attic access is not provided, or its size is not defined, or it’s in a closet. The rough-framed opening shall not be less than 22-inches by 30- inches and shall be located in a hallway or other location with ready access. [R807.1]
Solution: Show an attic access opening on plans. If the attic access is called out in the legend, update the definition to specify 22”x30” (or larger). If defining the attic access on plans, include 22”x30” in the callout.
Issue: Materials used as backers for wall tile in tub and shower areas and wall panels in shower areas shall be glass mat gypsum panel, fiber-reinforced gypsum panels, non-asbestos fiber-cement backer board, or non-asbestos fiber-cement reinforced cementitious backer units installed in accordance with manufacturers' recommendations. [R702.4.2] IMPORTANT: Green board and purple board are no longer allowed as backers.
Solution: Define the backer in a detail or note callout on plans – like “30”x60” shower with tile walls 72” high over fiber-cement backer” (or any specific brand of backer, like DensShield, Durock, Schluter Kerdiboard, etc.)
Issue: Smoke alarms shall receive their primary power from the building wiring and shall be equipped with a battery backup. Wiring shall be permanent and without a disconnecting switch other than as required for overcurrent protection. [R314.6] Carbon monoxide alarms must also receive their primary power from building wiring. [R315.6] Where more than one smoke alarm is required to be installed within an individual dwelling or sleeping unit, the smoke alarms shall be interconnected in such a manner that the activation of one alarm will activate all of the alarms in the individual unit. The alarm shall be clearly audible in all bedrooms over background noise levels with all intervening doors closed. [R314.4] Carbon monoxide alarms must also be interconnected. [R315.5]
Solution: Update the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detector callout in the legend to say “hardwired and interconnected”. Or add an electrical note stating that Smoke and CO detectors will be hardwired and interconnected.
Issue: Houses require fire protection from attached or close garages and carports. The garage shall be separated from the dwelling and its attic space by means of ½” minimum gypsum board applied to the garage side of the common walls and 5/8” Type X gypsum board applied on the garage ceiling when habitable space is above the garage. [R302.6]
Solution: Add a note in the garage pointing to the walls shared with the house noting “½” gyp. board.” When habitable space is above the garage, add a note in the garage pointing to the ceiling noting “5/8” gyp. board.”
Issue: Asphalt shingle roofs require a drip edge.
Solution: On a section, draw an L at the end of the roof and call it out as “drip edge, typ.”
Issue: Attics must provide sufficient ventilation (1/150) to circulate air and vent heat from the attic or be explicitly designed as unventilated. [MCC 16.26C.1202.3.1]
Solution: Two paths are available.
(1) Calculate the required ventilation area – for example, a 2000 square foot roof requires 1920 square inches of ventilation. Provide a mix of vents sufficient to ventilate the attic – specifying ridge venting plus two or three 2 inch diameter holes per block at eaves usually provides enough ventilation. Only holes in blocking or just ridge venting usually isn’t enough. -OR-
(2) The design professional can provide one of the following three statements on plans:“It would be beneficial to eliminate ventilation openings to reduce salt-laden air and maintain relative humidity 60 percent or lower to avoid corrosion to steel components”, or
“It would be beneficial to eliminate ventilation openings to avoid moisture condensation in the attic space”, or
“It would be beneficial to eliminate ventilation openings to minimize energy consumption for air conditioning or ventilation by maintaining satisfactory space conditions in both the attic and occupied space below.”
Energy
Issue: Buildings require compliance with the energy code and have to include a completed Maui County energy compliance stamp on the coversheet.
Solution: Paste this image on the coversheet and be sure to fill out the designer certification, including the signature, etc.
Check one of the boxes – usually the first box (prescriptive) if a building includes heating or air conditioning, or the fourth box (tropical zone) if relying on large window and door openings and ceiling fans to keep the house cool.
Issue: Walls and ceilings need insulation. See RE Table 402.1.2 (from the Residential IECC code) or RE Table 401.2.1.
Solution: Air conditioned areas (which normally correspond to prescriptive compliance) require R-30 ceiling insulation and R-13 wall insulation – call it out in notes on a wall section. If you’re using tropical zone compliance, R-19 ceiling insulation is the minimum required.
Issue: Most or all lighting has to be high efficiency. Not less than 90 percent of the permanently installed lighting fixtures shall contain only high-efficacy lamps. [RE 404.1] (This requirement applies to both prescriptive and tropical zone paths.)
Solution: Update electrical plans to note lighting as high efficiency unless otherwise noted. (OR) Add a “high efficiency” or “LED” note to lighting callouts in the electrical legend.
Issue: Windows have to reflect solar heating. SHGC (Solar heat gain coefficient) is 0.25 maximum. [RE Table 402.1.2] (This requirement applies to both prescriptive and tropical zone paths.)
Solution: Add a note under the window schedule (or on a leader pointing to a window) stating “SHGC is 0.25 max., typical all windows.”
Issue: Tropical zone compliance requires large openings and airflow through the dwelling. Operable fenestration provides ventilation area equal to not less than 14 percent of the floor area in each room. Alternatively, equivalent ventilation must be provided by a ventilation fan. Bedrooms with exterior walls facing two different directions must have operable fenestration facing two different directions. Interior doors to bedrooms are capable of being secured in the open position. A ceiling fan or ceiling fan rough-in is provided for bedrooms and the largest space that is not used as bedroom. [RE 401.2.1]
Solution: 1) Call out window sizes on plans. 14% required ventilation means that a typical 120 square foot bedroom requires 16.8 square feet of ventilation. Since slider windows half open, the bedroom windows needs to total at least 35.6 square feet – so two 4’x5’ slider windows per bedroom (or similar) would be sufficient.
2) Add a note on plans, “Bedroom doors capable of being secured open.”
3) Show a ceiling fan in each bedroom and the family room.
Issue: A permanent certificate shall be completed by the builder or other approved party and posted on a wall in the space where the furnace is located, a utility room or an approved location inside the building. [RE 401.3]
Solution: Add a note stating: “Install a certificate of energy compliance measures in the laundry room at project completion.” (You can change “laundry room” to whatever’s appropriate for the current project – water heater closet, electrical panel, etc.)
Issue: The building shall be provided with ventilation that complies with the requirements of the International Residential Code or International Mechanical Code, as applicable, or with other approved means of ventilation. Outdoor air intakes and exhausts shall have automatic or gravity dampers that close when the ventilation system is not operating. [RE 403.6]
Solution: Specify a fan on plans with a leader that reads: “IAQ fan, 105 cfm continuous.” The specific number should read from the following chart by cross referencing from the number of bedrooms and building area.
You can also have other fans do double duty by noting them as continuous on plans – for example, three 35 cfm fans could be placed in bathrooms and noted as continuous to meet both bathroom ventilation and overall residence Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) requirements of 105 cfm.
Issue: Bathroom does not face an exterior wall, preventing installation of the required 1.5 square feet of ventilation opening. Provide bathroom fans or a 3 square foot glazed area, one half of which must be openable. [R303.3] If providing fans, the minimum local exhaust rates shall be 50 cubic feet per minute for intermittent ventilation or 20 cubic feet per minute for continuous ventilation. Exhaust air from the space shall be exhausted directly to the outdoors. [M1505.4.4]
Solution: Specify an exhaust fan in the powder room or bathroom, and note “Exhaust fan, 50 cfm” in the legend.
Plumbing
Issue: The water supply point of contact must be indicated on plans. Also show existing and proposed cleanouts on plans.
Solution: On the site plan, call out the water meter (the typical water supply point of contact), and call out a cleanout (often c/o on plans) on the sewer lateral between the house and street.
Issue: Maui County requires a plumbing fixture count on the coversheet of plans.
Solution: Provide a plumbing fixture count on the coversheet of plans. (Example: 3 w.c., 4 lav., 2 tub/shower, 1 kitchen sink, 1 bar sink, 1 washing machine, 1 laundry tub.)
Electrical
Issue: Electrical services must be shown and defined on plans. Service of 300 amps or more require a single line diagram to be submitted in the plan set. Dwellings with a demand exceeding 30 kVA must be prepared by a licensed electrical engineer and load calculations must be provided.
Solution: Typical homes typically require less than 300 amps, so an “Electric Main, 200 amp” note is all that’s required.
Issue: Water heaters shall be approved for outdoor installation or be protected from the weather, and the circuit conductors at the water heater shall have a minimum temperature rating of ninety degrees centigrade and shall be enclosed in a flexible metal conduit or other raceway or wiring method acceptable to the director. [MCC 16.18B.109-3b]
Solution: Locate the water heater in an enclosure under a roof, like in a carport or water heater closet. If exposed to weather, provide a leader to the water heater, noting “Approved for outdoor installation w/ 90C wiring in EMT.”
Issue: Outdoor lighting must be fully shielded and down directed with no light shining above the horizontal. [MCC 20.35.060.E] Swimming pool lights must be amber.
Solution: Copy the note(s) onto plans: “Outdoor lighting must be fully shielded and down directed with no light shining above the horizontal.” If the project features a pool, also add a “Swimming pool lights must be amber” note on plans.
Issue: Newer countertop appliance cords are usually only 2 feet long now, so the electrical code requires kitchen countertop electrical outlets to be not greater than 4 feet apart. Kitchen countertop receptacle outlets shall be installed so that no point along the wall line is more than 24-inches measured horizontally from a receptacle outlet in that space. Each countertop space that is 12-inches or wider shall require a receptacle. [NEC 210.52(C)(1)] All 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles installed in the locations specified in 210.8(A)(1) through (8) shall have ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection for personnel. [NEC 210.8(A)] (6) Kitchens- where the receptacles are installed to serve the countertop surfaces.
Solution: Show more countertop receptacles on plans. Be sure to note them all as GFI.
Issue: Only bedrooms used to require AFCI receptacles (in the old NEC), but now they’re required almost everywhere. All 120-volt, single phase, 15- and 20-ampere branch circuits supplying outlets or devices installed in dwelling unit kitchens, family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreation rooms, closets, hallways, laundry areas, or similar rooms or areas shall be protected by a listed arc-fault circuit interrupter, combination-type, installed to provide protection of the branch circuit. [NEC 210.12(A)]
Solution: Update the legend from “outlet” or “receptacle” to “outlet, AFCI”, or “receptacle AFCI”. Or add an electrical note to plans: “All receptacles not identified as GFI are AFCI.”
Structural
Issue: Maui County requires design criteria on plans. Construction documents for buildings constructed in accordance with the conventional light-frame construction provisions of Section 2308 shall indicate the following structural design information: [MCC 16.26C.1603.1]
1. Floor and roof dead and live loads.
2. Ground snow load, Pg.
3. Basic design wind speed, V, miles per hour (mph) and allowable stress design wind speed, Veff-asd as determined in accordance with section 1609.3.1 and wind exposure.
4. Design spectral response acceleration parameters, SDS and SD1.
5. Seismic design category and site class.
6. Flood design data, if located in flood hazard areas.
7. Design load-bearing values of soils.
8. Rain load data.
Solution: Many of these numbers are the same for all projects. Add a structural design loads or structural design section and list the following.
1. Floor and roof dead and live loads. (Dead loads are per your design, floor dead load is 40 psf, and roof live load is 20 psf.)
2. Ground snow load, Pg. (Usually zero.)
3. Basic design wind speed, V, miles per hour (mph) and allowable stress design wind speed, Veff-asd as determined in accordance with section 1609.3.1 and wind exposure. This must be looked up – see pages 58 or 54 of this PDF for Lahaina and Maui generally. https://ags.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Hawaii-Basic-Wind-Speeds-for-Risk-Category-II-Buildings-and-Other-Structures_IBC-2018.pdf
4. Design spectral response acceleration parameters, SDS and S1. (In Lahaina SDS = 0.73 and S1 = 0.23. Even in Hana SDS = 0.76 and S1 = 0.28.)
5. Seismic design category and site class. (All of Maui is SDC D1; the site class depends on a site evaluation, but is typically D – Default without a soils report.)
6. Flood design data, if located in flood hazard areas.
7. Design load-bearing values of soils. (1500 psf is common without a soils report.)
8. Rain load data. (In Lahaina, 3 inches per hour; elsewhere on Maui it can be double that.)
Issue: If plywood or OSB is wet for an extended period of time, it can swell and lose its shape. Where wood structural panel sheathing is used as the exposed finish on the outside of exterior walls, it shall have an exterior exposure durability classification. Where wood structural panel sheathing is used elsewhere, but not as the exposed finish, it shall be of a type manufactured with exterior glue (Exposure 1 or Exterior). [MCC 16.26C.2304.6.1]
Solution: Add a structural note: “All plywood and OSB to be exterior or exposure 1 durability.”
Issue: The project has no engineer to produce structural calculations.
Solution: Design and specify code compliant braced wall construction on plans. This is a “cookbook” design – it’s straightforward but restrictive, since it’s applying simple rules instead of engineering judgement. It’s a great solution for ADUs and smaller structures. Code sections R602.10 through R602.12 detail the requirements– but this list is a good starting point.
(1) Label braced wall lines in both directions. Exterior walls must be braced wall lines. Braced wall lines can be no more than 25 feet on center, so if your building is more than 25 feet in a direction, you’ll need to add interior braced wall lines to cut the spacing down below 25 feet. (Walls don’t have to be perfectly straight, but can offset no more than 4 feet.)
(1a) If you have a two story house, the second floor braced wall lines have to line up over the first floor braced wall lines. (Second floor walls are allowed to cantilever no more than 24 inches over the bearing wall below, allowing for a small offset.)
(2) Select the braced wall method. WSP (wall structural panel) is the most common system, requiring 3/8” OSB or plywood over studs at 16” o.c. with edge nailing of 8d nails 6” o.c. at edges, 12” o.c. field.
(3) Specify braced wall panel locations. Braced wall panels must start within 10 feet of each end of the braced wall line and cannot be more than 20’ apart for the whole length of the wall line.
(4) Specify the length of braced wall panels. The minimum length for each panel is 4 feet, though Alternate Braced Wall (ABW) panels can be as short as 32 inches – but they require special detailing and holdowns at each end. If you project has ABW, reproduce Figure R602.10.6.1 (or your take on it) into the plan set and call out panels shorter than 4 feet long “ABW” for clarity.
(5) Check the length of panels along each braced wall line. Since Maui is SDC D1, an upper floor (or ground floor of a 1 story house) has to be 20% WSP – so a 40 foot long house requires at least 8 feet of WSP panels along each wall line. At the ground floor of a two story house, each wall line has to be 45% WSP – so the same 40 foot house would require 18 feet of WSP along each ground floor wall line.
(6) Detail and specify connections at braced wall top plates and sills. See Figures R602.10.8.2(1) through (3) for connections at rafters and trusses, Figures R602.10.8(1) and (2) for floor and ceiling connections. Braced wall line sills shall be anchored to concrete or masonry foundations with. minimum ½ inch diameter anchor bolts spaced not greater than 6 feet on center, with plate washers not less than 0.229 inch by 3 inches by 3 inches, except where approved anchor straps are used.
Issue: Braced walls mostly work, but a wall line or two don’t have 4 feet for braced wall panels at each end – or a panel is even shorter than 32 inches. (This is common at the ends of garage doors.) [Table R602.10.5][R602.10.6.2]
Solution: Install a portal frame per Figure R602.10.6.2. It requires tight nailing, holdowns, and straps, but can work in spaces where nothing else does. (Portal frames up to 10’ tall must be at least 24 inches long, though if only a roof is supported portal frames as skinny as 16 inches are allowed.)
Issue: Braced wall design is too constraining. My project has large rooms, exterior walls that aren’t all in one line, lots of windows, second floor walls that don’t line up with the ground floor, etc.
Solution: Hire an engineer and include their structural calculations in your submittal. As long as the plans match the submitted calculations, most of the specific braced wall rules can be broken – they’re just compensated elsewhere in the lateral design.
Issue: The IRC lacks a beam table for the condition on plans, the design uses I-joists, LVL or glulam beams.
Solution: Provide span tables from the engineering report (or catalog) for joist products. Provide calculations for a specific beam – either engineered to check moment and reactions, or a beam load and tributary width calculation with a manufacturer’s span table for beam calculations. Complicated combinations of loads require an engineer’s calculation.
Issue: This property doesn’t have a soils report. [R401.4.1]
Solution: Under Design Loads (or a similar structural note), note “Soils designed for 1500 psf per Table R401.4.1.”
Issue: My project has sliding glass doors, garage doors, or large windows. Headers shall be supported on each end with one or more jack studs or with approved framing anchors in accordance with Table R602.7(1) or R602.7(2). The full-height stud adjacent to each end of the header shall be end nailed to each end of the header with four-16d nails (3.5 inches × 0.135 inches). The minimum number of full-height studs at each end of a header shall be in accordance with Table R602.7.5.
Solution: Provide a detail with a table of required jack studs and king studs, or that show jack and king studs and note when multiples apply. For projects with only one or two large openings, indicate “2 king studs” or “2 TS, 3 KS ea. end” at the larger openings with a leader and note. From TABLE R602.7.5, headers less than 4 feet require one king stud, from 4 to 8 feet requires two, from 8 to 14 feet requires three, and 14 to 18 foot openings (common at two car garage doors) require four king studs. (Engineers can calculate the specific wind load and stud height, often resulting in fewer king studs – particularly when 2x6 studs are used.)
Issue: The project has a deck or lanai that sticks out beyond the outer braced wall lines (or shear walls). [R507.8]
Solution: Install two DTT2, LTTP2, or HTT4 connectors between the deck and floor joists, within 24 inches of each end of the deck. Or instead install four LTS straps between the deck and main structure.
Issue: Wood beams or glulams need to attach to CMU walls. Anchorage of structural walls to supporting construction shall provide a direct connection capable of supporting Fp=0.4SDSkaIeWp. [ASCE 7-16 12.11.2.1] Anchorage shall not be accomplished by use of toenails or nails subject to withdrawal, nor shall wood ledgers or framing be used in cross-grain bending or cross-grain tension. [ASCE 7-16 12.11.2.2.3]
Old methods like inserting a rod through the glulam don’t work – or don’t work alone any longer.
Solution: MBHU, MBHA or WMU hangers are good for connecting when the masonry is the same height as the beam. For shorter masonry columns, CCQM and related are good connectors. PA straps are good when the masonry continues above the beam (like at wood floor connections).
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