HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 13b - Annual Fire Inspections State Reporting
STAFF REPORT
Fire Department
DATE: June 21, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Barry Spriggs, Fire Chief
By: Mark Krikorian, Fire Marshal
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 7436 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
State regulations require annual building inspections for fire safety purposes of certain
sensitive building occupancies. The subject occupancies are public and private schools,
hotels, motels, lodging houses, and apartment houses, including residential care facilities.
In addition, the City Council must formally acknowledge receipt of a compliance report
from the Fire Chief each year.
To comply with this mandate for the calendar year 2021 reporting period, it is
recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 7436 acknowledging receipt of
the attached 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. In all 751 out of 751 required buildings were
inspected during the calendar year in these reporting categories, a 100% inspection rate.
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
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, SB 1205, was signed into law by the
Resolution No. 7436 Fire Inspections
Annual State Reporting of Certain Occupancies
June 21, 2022
Page 2 of 3
Governor legislating the reporting of annual inspections to its administering authority
(such as a City Council) in a resolution or a similar formal document.
DISCUSSION
The attached Resolution No. 7436 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 child daycare facilities and 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 conducted its annual fire inspections to meet and exceed the State’s annual
inspections requirement pursuant to the California Health and Safety Code. For the
calendar year 2021 reporting period, 73 Group E (Educational Occupancies) buildings,
structures, and/or facilities were inspected. This produced a 100% 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.
FISCAL IMPACT
Adoption of Resolution No. 7436 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. 7436 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.
Resolution No. 7436 Fire Inspections
Annual State Reporting of Certain Occupancies
June 21, 2022
Page 3 of 3
Attachment: Resolution No. 7436