Episode 14 – Building codes and permitting

In this episode of ClackCo Works, host Dylan Blaylock talks with Matt Rozell, Clackamas County’s Building Codes Administrator, to break down how building codes shape our homes and communities. Matt explains the history behind these codes and why they are so important for safety. He also walks listeners through the permitting process and discusses how his team of 50 works together to handle thousands of permits and countless customer questions each year. Tune in to learn how building codes affect your daily life. 

Transcript 

Dylan: Welcome to ClackCo Works. Today, we're chatting with building codes administrator Matt Rozell. Thanks for being here, Matt. Building codes are something we hear about a lot. My first question is: What are building codes and why do we need them? 
 
Matt: Building codes are a set of standards that provide minimum safety for buildings, whether they're new or being remodeled. They ensure safe spaces for us to live and work in. Building codes have a long history, going back as far as early Mesopotamia. In the U.S., they started in the 1600s, like when Boston banned wood chimneys and thatched roofs because of fire risks. Codes often come about because of catastrophes, like the San Francisco fire in the early 1900s, where 80% of the city burned due to buildings being too close together and made of combustible materials. Modern codes address these issues with fire separation distances and approved materials, all based on lessons learned over time. 
 
Dylan: So, the San Francisco fire led to rules about how far apart houses need to be? 
 
Matt: Exactly. That's why we have requirements for the distance between houses. 
 
Dylan: My understanding is that building codes are split between residential and commercial. Is that right? What are examples of each, and how does your team split its time between them? 
 
Matt: Yes, that's correct. There's a code for one- and two-family dwellings—basically houses—and then a commercial code for everything else, like high-rises, apartment buildings, and strip malls. The split is about 60% residential and 40% commercial for applications, but in terms of time spent, it's closer to 50/50 because commercial projects take longer to review and inspect. 
 
Dylan: Can you walk us through a typical residential project, like building a new house? When do you get involved, and how involved are you throughout the process? 
 
Matt: We get involved after land use is approved. Once that's done, a designer or architect submits plans online. Our permit team checks for all necessary information, then our plans examiners review the plans for code compliance. After permitting, our inspectors get involved, starting with the foundation and continuing through all phases—plumbing, electrical, and so on—until the house is complete. There are multiple inspections throughout, and at the end, we issue a certificate of occupancy, which is often needed for financing. 
 
Dylan: I hear a lot about system development charges. What exactly are they? 
 
Matt: System development charges, or SDCs, are one-time fees collected with the building permit. They're used for capital projects like expanding sewer and water lines or purchasing park property. There are SDCs for parks, transportation, and more. They're not directly related to the building itself, but to the impact the new building will have on community infrastructure and services. 
 
Dylan: So, when a big building goes up, the logic is that the county needs to accommodate more people and traffic, so you collect these fees to cover the extra work? 
 
Matt: That's right. They're also called impact fees, reflecting the impact a building has on the community and its services. For industrial or commercial uses, these charges can be substantial. 
 
Dylan: How much of those charges does your department actually keep? 
 
Matt: Our department's building permit fees make up about 10% of the total. The other 90% goes to SDCs, construction excise tax, and other associated fees. Our funds are dedicated and can only be used for building codes. 
 
Dylan: Where do your codes come from? Are they made up by the county? 
 
Matt: No, there's a model code written by organizations like the International Code Council. The state adopts these model codes and may modify them to fit Oregon's needs. Various state boards review and recommend changes, and once adopted, they become Oregon specialty codes. All counties and cities delegated by the state must use these codes, so they're consistent statewide. 
 
Dylan: Can local authorities change the code? 
 
Matt: There's a process in state statute to go beyond the code, but it's pretty arduous and rare. Generally, the codes are the same across the state. 
 
Dylan: Does your department handle permitting for all of Clackamas County, including the cities? 
 
Matt: It depends. Some cities, like Lake Oswego and Happy Valley, run their own programs. We handle unincorporated areas and some cities like Canby, Molalla, and Gladstone. In some cities, we only do certain inspections, like electrical. 
 
Dylan: How big is your team? 
 
Matt: We have about 50 people in the building codes division, including code enforcement. In 2025, we issued over 13,000 permits—about 1,100 residential and 500 commercial. The rest are trade permits, like electrical or plumbing. 
 
Dylan: I assume a lot of jobs are remodels or expansions, not just new houses. What happens if someone does work without the proper permits and you get involved later? 
 
Matt: We work toward voluntary compliance. Often, someone buys a house and discovers unpermitted work. We try to find the easiest solution, but sometimes it requires intrusive work to inspect, like chipping out floors. We want to ensure the house is safe and up to code for future owners. 
 
Dylan: What's one thing you wish more people knew about building codes or your department? 
 
Matt: We have about 400,000 customer interactions a year—calls, emails, and so on. Our staff is dedicated and wants to help people permit their projects. Inspectors are out every day as a resource. Building codes are essential for safety in our homes and communities, and our team is here to help. 
 
Dylan: Thank you, Matt, and thanks to your team for all your work. 
 
Matt: Thank you.