MOUNT DESERT — Thanks to a newly enacted state law, the town is no longer required to adopt and enforce the state’s comprehensive building and energy efficiency code.
Now town officials need to decide whether to do it anyway.
The Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (MUBEC) replaced all existing municipal building codes in December 2010. That is when all towns of more than 2,000 people that had their own building codes were supposed to start enforcing MUBEC. Towns of at least 2,000 that did not have their own codes were given until July 2012 to begin enforcement.
Mount Desert was in that category because, according to the 2010 census, its population is 2,053.
But last month the state Legislature passed a bill exempting towns of fewer than 4,000 residents from the requirement to adopt and enforce MUBEC. However, any town may still do so, if it wishes.
Even if a town decides not to adopt and enforce MUBEC, it is still state law, and builders statewide are supposed to comply with it.