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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 08a - Adopting California Building and Fire Codes DATE: November 15, 2022 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director Chen Suen, 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: Adopt CEQA: Not a Project 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: Adopt CEQA: Not a Project Adoption of the California Building and California Fire Codes November 15, 2022 Page 2 of 3 SUMMARY At the October 18, 2022, City Council Meeting, the City Council introduced the attached 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 scheduled a Public Hearing for November 15, 2022. The October 18, 2022, Staff Report describes the process and changes, includes all necessary findings and justifications for amendments, and is attached and incorporated herein for reference. The proposed amendments and additions to the 2022 California Building Standards Codes (“CBSC”) were recommended in order to comply with State requirements, and to maintain the current construction standards within the City. The code changes primarily address life safety and energy efficient design and construction. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), as it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the environment. Thus, this matter is exempt under CEQA. 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. Adopt the necessary findings, and adopt 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 2. Adopt the necessary findings, and adopt 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 Chapter 4 and Appendices 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. Adoption of the California Building and California Fire Codes November 15, 2022 Page 3 of 3 Attachments: Ordinance No. 2394 (Findings of Fact attached as Exhibit “A”) Ordinance No. 2395 (Findings of Fact attached as Exhibit “A”) October 18, 2022, City Council Staff Report 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”)