The Nye County Commissioners unanimously rejected the bill to extend the IPMC throughout ALL of Nye County, however it remains in effect under the Pahrump Regional Planning District.

The public hearing on Nye County Bill No. 2025-09, aiming to extend the reach of the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) throughout all of Nye County, took place this week and from the start, it was clear that there was no support for the item. None of the Nye County commissioners were pleased with the scope of that code and the public, too, was clearly in opposition. After nearly an hour-and-a-half of discussion and public comment, the bill was unanimously rejected.

“There are three parts to this bill. First is clarifying that the IPMC applies countywide,” Nye County Planning Director Steve Osborne explained during the board’s Tuesday, March 3 meeting. “Currently in the code, it says it only applies to the Pahrump Regional Planning District. However, back in 2019, when the board of county commissioners at that time adopted the IPMC, it was supposed to be countywide.”

There were two other purposes for the bill, one to clarify that county building permits only apply within the Pahrump Regional Planning District and another to adopt the county’s existing appeals process for IPMC issues, rather than the procedure outlined in that code. But it was the IPMC itself that was the source of concern for residents as well as commissioners.

“This IPMC should not be in this thing at all, in my opinion,” commission chair Ron Boskovich remarked. “I’m a strong believer in live and let live.”

Commissioner Debra Strickland said she and fellow commissioner Bruce Jabbour had taken a deeper look at the IPMC and they both agreed that it seemed to be farther reaching than they were comfortable with.

“This code was passed in 2019 and it was brought to my attention a few months ago, when I was invited to an Amargosa town hall meeting, where we had approximately 250 of the community there. They were very upset, angry, concerned, stressed, worried,” Jabbour detailed. “There is no NRS [Nevada Revised Statute] that forces us to adopt this. I’m going to use the word ‘complement’. As I read through this packet of the IPMC, it’s doesn’t really complement - but it is supposed to complement - the International Building Code, which we must all adhere to… There is much of it [IPMC] that is unnecessary, it’s overreach… and I oppose this IPMC.”

“The one advantage of having this on the agenda today is, it’s the easiest way to make it go away completely,” commissioner John Koenig added.

Commissioner Ian Bayne then questioned how the item had originated in the first place.

“It actually was adopted in 2007 – it was the 2006 IPMC. Then at one point it came forward and was updated to the 2015 IPMC. Then in 2019, it was updated to the 2018 IPMC,” Nye County Manager Brett Waggoner stated. “It originated before any of us sitting here, were here.”

The update to the 2018 IPMC was included in a 2019 bill put before a commission that included both Strickland and Koenig. However, the IPMC was not specifically mentioned in the description of that bill, as it is in the 2025 bill, nor was the IPMC brought up during discussion at the Sept. 4 2019 meeting. The focus at that time had been on the applicability of county building permits, which are not required for residential or commercial development anywhere outside of the Pahrump Regional Planning District. The 2019 bill was unanimously approved, with both Koenig and Strickland voting in favor.

Regardless of any previous actions, it was evident that Strickland and Koenig, along with their other three commissioners, were not in favor of the IPMC, with Jabbour noting he did not even feel it should apply in Pahrump. Though repealing the IPMC in its entirety may have been the aim for some, Waggoner said that would have to wait.

“My understanding is, you cannot vote today, as written to repeal it. But what the recommendation would be is to motion to reject this bill and then request that a bill come back that would actually repeal the IPMC,” Waggoner said. “Because this is embedded with building codes, mechanical codes, plumbing codes, all the other codes.”

“Whatever we need to do to get what needs done, done,” Boskovich said.

Strickland made the motion to reject Nye County Bill 2025-09, with a second from both Jabbour and Koenig. The motion passed with all in favor and a round of applause from the pleased public.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com