HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 12a - California Building and Fire Codes Update
DATE: October 18, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director
Barry Spriggs, Fire Chief
By: Kenneth Fields, Building Official
Mark Krikorian, Fire Marshal
SUBJECT: ADOPTION OF THE CALIFORNIA BUILDING AND CALIFORNIA FIRE
CODES
ORDINANCE NO. 2394 AMENDING ARTICLE VIII OF THE ARCADIA
MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO BUILDING REGULATIONS AND
ADOPTING BY REFERENCE THE 2022 EDITION OF THE CALIFORNIA
BUILDING CODE, VOLUMES 1 AND 2, AND APPENDIX J, THE 2022
CALIFORNIA RESIDENTIAL CODE, THE 2022 CALIFORNIA GREEN
BUILDING STANDARDS CODE, THE 2022 CALIFORNIA PLUMBING
CODE, THE 2022 CALIFORNIA ELECTRICAL CODE, THE 2022
CALIFORNIA MECHANICAL CODE, THE 2022 CALIFORNIA EXISTING
BUILDINGS CODE, THE UNIFORM CODE FOR THE ABATEMENT OF
DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, 1997 EDITION, AND THE LOS ANGELES
COUNTY GRADING CODE WITH ADDITIONS, AMENDMENTS, AND
DELETIONS
Recommendation: Introduce Ordinance No. 2394 and set the public
hearing for November 15, 2022
ORDINANCE NO. 2395 AMENDING ARTICLE III OF THE ARCADIA
MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO FIRE REGULATIONS AND
ADOPTING BY REFERENCE THE 2022 EDITION OF THE CALIFORNIA
FIRE CODE IN ITS ENTIRETY, INCLUDING APPENDICES CHAPTER 4,
B, C, D, K, AND O BASED ON THE 2021 EDITION OF THE
INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE PUBLISHED BY THE INTERNATIONAL
CODE COUNCIL; TOGETHER WITH CERTAIN ADDITIONS,
INSERTIONS, DELETIONS AND CHANGES THERETO
Recommendation: Introduce Ordinance No. 2395 and set the public
hearing for November 15, 2022
Adoption of the California Building and California Fire Codes
October 18, 2022
Page 2 of 4
SUMMARY
The Development Services and Fire Departments are proposing amendments to the
Arcadia Municipal Code relating to building and fire code regulations for the purpose of
complying with State requirements, and to update current administrative and technical
standards. Every three years, the State of California adopts new Building and Fire
Codes with California amendments. The last code adoptions and amendments to the
Arcadia Codes were adopted on December 17, 2019.
It is recommended that the City Council introduce Ordinance No. 2394 amending Article
VIII of the Arcadia Municipal Code relating to Building Codes, and Ordinance No. 2395
amending Article III of the Arcadia Municipal Code relating to Fire Codes and schedule
a public hearing for November 15, 2022.
BACKGROUND
The City of Arcadia uses the California Building Standards Codes (“CBSC”) as its local
building and fire codes. Every three years, the California Building Standards
Commission reviews the International Building Code and recommends revisions and
updates to the State Code, and the State adopts the new code. Prior to adoption,
amendments to the State Codes may be incorporated by the local jurisdiction based on
local climatic, geologic, and/or topographic conditions per Section 17958.7 of
California’s Health and Safety Code.
DISCUSSION
The 2022 CBSC was recently adopted by the State of California and will automatically
become effective on January 1, 2023. While there are many technical updates to the
various codes, there are not any highly notable changes this cycle. The updates
generally fine tune existing regulations.
With each code adoption, cities have the option of amending the State model building
standards code to better accommodate local conditions if specific findings are made
justifying the changes. To further protect the public health, welfare, and safety specific
to Arcadia residents, it is recommended that the City maintain the same basic
amendments to the Codes that were made during the last code cycle three years ago,
with minor modifications. These basic amendments provide an enhanced level of fire
protection and prevention for buildings located within the City. They also establish
minimum standards for multifamily developments, such as requirements for noise
reduction and undergrounding of utility lines. Finally, they set minimum requirements for
swimming pool safety barriers and construction site fencing. Findings of Fact for these
amendments are included as Exhibit “A” of both proposed Ordinances.
Two examples of how the Codes have been amended from the State’s model building
standards codes are as follows:
Adoption of the California Building and California Fire Codes
October 18, 2022
Page 3 of 4
• Amends the fire sprinkler requirements in the Building Code, Residential Code,
and the Fire Code by requiring sprinklers in existing single-family dwellings when
they are enlarged to exceed 2,500 square feet of livable area.
• Amends the Electrical Code to require a single point of disconnect on the exterior
of the building for solar energy systems.
In addition to amendments specific to Arcadia, Government Code 65850.7 requires that
the City codify a process to expedite and streamline the permitting of electric vehicle
charging stations, and adopt a checklist of all requirements that electric vehicle charging
stations shall comply with in order to be eligible for expedited review. This ordinance
would add language to codify this process.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The proposed code adoptions and amendments to the Arcadia Municipal Code will not
have a potential for causing a significant effect on the environment; therefore, this
activity is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) per Section
15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines.
PUBLIC NOTICE/COMMENTS
Adoption of the California Building and California Fire Codes requires a public hearing
after the initial introduction of the proposed Ordinance. It is recommended that a public
hearing be scheduled for the November 15, 2022, City Council Meeting. In anticipation
of this hearing date, a notice of public hearing will be published in the Arcadia Weekly
newspaper on October 24, 2022, and October 31, 2022.
FISCAL IMPACT
The adoption of the Codes and Amendments will have no fiscal impact on the City.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Introduce Ordinance No. 2394 amending Article VIII of the Arcadia Municipal
Code relating to Building Regulations and adopting by reference the 2022
Edition of the California Building Code, Volumes 1 and 2, and Appendix J, the
2022 California Residential Code, the 2022 California Green Building Standards
Code, the 2022 California Plumbing Code, the 2022 California Electrical Code,
the 2022 California Mechanical Code, the 2022 California Existing Buildings
Code, the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, 1997
Edition, and Los Angeles County Grading Code with additions, amendments,
and deletions; and
Adoption of the California Building and California Fire Codes
October 18, 2022
Page 4 of 4
2. Set the public hearing for November 15, 2022; and
3. Introduce Ordinance No. 2395 amending Article III of the Arcadia Municipal
Code relating to fire regulations and adopting by reference the 2022 Edition of
the California Fire Code in its entirety, including Appendices Chapter 4, B, C, D,
K, and O based on the 2021 Edition of the International Fire Code published by
the International Code Council; together with certain additions, insertions,
deletions and changes thereto; and
4. Set the public hearing for November 15, 2022.
Attachments: Ordinance No. 2394 (Findings of Fact attached as Exhibit “A”)
Ordinance No. 2395 (Findings of Fact attached as Exhibit “A”)