About
For property development in the City of San Antonio, the Building Official and Fire Chief make decisions about residential and commercial applications and permits.
When the property owners disagree with our decisions and would like other facts considered, they have the option to appeal to the Building-Related and Fire Codes Appeals and Advisory Board (BRFCAAB). The Board will hear their appeal and make a decision relative to the application and interpretations of Chapters 10, Chapter 11 and specific articles in Chapter 28 of the City Code.
In addition, the Board will advise the Building Official or Fire Chief on code-related matters to include making recommendations regarding adopting new building codes.
Membership
The Board is comprised of 17 primary members and 17 alternates designated to represent industry types that are nationally recognized. All members are appointed at large by City Council. A member may serve no more than three consecutive two-year terms, for a total of six years.
You can find current BRFCAAB members and vacancies in the Boards & Commissions Rosters.
View the Membership Layout (PDF) for details on member categories and alternates.
Meetings
The Board does not have regularly scheduled meetings but meets when an appeal of the Building Official's or Fire Marshal's decision has been submitted or when the Building Official or Fire Marshal requests the Board to advise on a code issue.
The Board must meet within 14 calendar days of receiving an appeal. Special meetings are called as needed for the building-related and fire codes adoption process.
Current Meetings & Agendas
All meetings are open to the public.
Language assistance is available. Review IB 560 - Spanish Translation Services for Boards and Commissions (PDF) for information about translation services.
Application Process
Development Services assists customers with an appeal to the Board. An application for the appeal shall be based on one of the following claims:
- The true intent of the code has been incorrectly interpreted.
- The provisions of the code do not fully apply.
- An equally good or better form of construction is proposed.
For additional information on how to submit the appeal and the appeal application, refer to Information Bulletin 144.