Florida’s Building Commission recently voted down 22 provisions for its building code related to mass timber construction.

The vote went against the recommendations of the commission’s own fire and structural experts. As a result, tall timber construction, now allowed in 44 states, will remain out of the state’s building code.

With the statewide code not addressing mass timber construction, a local jurisdiction’s first mass timber project must run through an alternative means and methods process for approval.

Under the code’s alternative materials clause, cities and counties can okay projects whose methods match the quality, strength, fire resistance, durability, and safety of standard construction.

The American Wood Council has blamed competing material interests and misleading testimony for the vote.