HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 11d - Annual Inspections of Certain Occupancies
DATE: July 20, 2021
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Barry R. Spriggs, Fire Chief
By: Mark Krikorian, Fire Marshal
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 7384 ACKNOWLEDGING RECEIPT OF A REPORT
MADE BY THE FIRE CHIEF OF THE ARCADIA FIRE DEPARTMENT
REGARDING INSPECTIONS OF CERTAIN OCCUPANCIES REQUIRED
BY SECTIONS 13146.2 AND 13146.3 OF THE CALIFORNIA HEALTH
AND SAFETY CODE
Recommendation: Adopt
SUMMARY
The California Health and Safety Code requires the Fire Department to annually file a
report with the City Council on the status of building inspections of certain building
occupancy types, which must be acknowledged formally by the City Council.
The subject occupancies are public and private schools, hotels, motels, lodging houses,
and apartment houses, including residential care facilities. While the Fire Department
typically can inspect every sensitive building each year, in 2020, due to pandemic-related
closures, it was impossible to inspect certain buildings, especially educational facilities.
Overall, of the 749 buildings in the required reporting categories, 724 inspections were
conducted.
To comply with this mandate for the calendar year 2020 reporting period, it is
recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 7384 acknowledging receipt of
a report made by the Fire Chief of the Arcadia Fire Department regarding the inspection
of certain occupancies as required pursuant to Sections 13146.2 and 13146.3 of the
California Health and Safety Code.
BACKGROUND
The California State Fire Marshal, through the California’s Health and Safety Code,
mandates that certain occupancies be inspected annually. In December 2016, a deadly
Resolution No. 7384, Inspection of Certain Occupancies (SB 1205)
July 20, 2021
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fire at an Oakland warehouse (known as the “Ghost Ship”) killed 36 people, the highest
death toll for a structural fire in the United States in over 10 years. The outcome of the
investigations from this tragic incident determined that even though the State required
annual inspections on various occupancies, the inspection reports were not mandated to
be reported to any governing body, which could have established accountability and
enforcement in ensuring that structural facilities are in compliance with building safety
standards.
Consequently, on September 27, 2018, the Governor signed California Senate Bill 1205
(“SB 1205”) into law, which added Section 13146.4 to the California Health and Safety
Code and required the reporting of annual inspections to the City Council. SB 1205 also
requires the City Council to formally acknowledge receipt of the report in a resolution or
a similar formal document.
DISCUSSION
The attached Resolution No. 7384 and its adoption will serve as a formal document to
fulfill the annual fire inspection reporting requirements of Sections 13146.2 and 13146.3
of the California Health and Safety Code. According to this law, annual building
inspections and reporting must be conducted on two groups of occupancies: Educational
Group E and Residential Group R.
Educational Group E occupancies consist of public and private schools used by more
than six persons at one time for educational purposes through the 12th grade. Residential
Group R occupancies are those containing sleeping units such as hotels, motels, lodging
homes, and apartments (three units or more) including residential care facilities.
Over the years, the City of Arcadia has regarded itself as one of the few cities to have
consistently and diligently conducted its annual fire inspections to meet and exceed the
State’s annual inspections requirement pursuant to the California Health and Safety
Code. However, due to State mandatory lockdowns for COVID-19, many private Group
E occupancies (Educational Group) were not open during year 2020 and could not be
inspected. For the calendar year 2020 reporting period, 46 of 71 Group E (Educational
Occupancies) buildings, structures, and/or facilities were inspected. This produced a 65%
inspection rate. In Group R (Residential Occupancies), 678 occupancies were inspected
for a 100% inspection rate. Copies of the individual inspection reports are available to
the public upon request.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental
Quality Act (“CEQA”), and it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the
environment. Thus, this matter is exempt under CEQA.
Resolution No. 7384, Inspection of Certain Occupancies (SB 1205)
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FISCAL IMPACT
Adoption of Resolution No. 7384 has no immediate fiscal impact to the City.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council determine that this action does not constitute a
project and is, therefore, exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act
(“CEQA”); and adopt Resolution No 7384 acknowledging receipt of a report made by the
Chief of the Arcadia Fire Department regarding inspections of certain occupancies
required by Sections 13146.2 and 13146.3 of the California Health and Safety Code.
Attachment: Resolution No. 7384