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HomeMy WebLinkAbout19-74 - Amending 2019 Building CodesRESOLUTION NO. 19-74 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA, SETTING FORTH FINDINGS FOR REQUIRED AMENDMENTS TO THE 2019 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE, THE 2019 CALIFORNIA RESIDENTIAL CODE, AND THE 2019 CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE RELATIVE TO LOCAL CLIMATIC AND GEOGRAPHIC CONDITIONS Section 1 The City Council of the City of Costa Mesa finds and resolves as follow: WHEREAS, Health and Safety Code Section 17958 provides that the City of Costa Mesa ("City") shall adopt Ordinances and regulations imposing the same or modified or changed requirements as are contained in the regulations adopted by the State pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 17922; and WHEREAS, the State of California is mandated by Health and Safety Code Section 17922 to impose the same requirements as are contained in the most recent edition of the California Building Code, the California Fire Code, the California Green Building Standards Code, the California Residential Code, the California Plumbing Code, the California Mechanical Code, and the California Electrical Code (hereinafter referred to collectively as "Codes"); and WHEREAS, Health and Safety Code Section 17958.5(a) permits the City to make modifications or changes to the Codes, which are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geographic, or topographic conditions; and WHEREAS, Health and Safety Code Section 17958.7 requires that the City Council, before making any modifications or changes to the Codes, make an express finding that such changes or modifications are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geographic, or topographic conditions; and WHEREAS, the Development Services and Fire Departments have recommended that changes and modifications be made to the Codes and have advised that certain of said changes and modifications to the California Building Code, 2019 Edition, the California Residential Code, 2019 Edition, and the California Fire Code, 2019 Edition, are reasonably necessary due to local conditions in the City of Costa Mesa and have further advised that the remainder of said changes and modifications are of an administrative or procedural nature, or concern themselves with subjects not covered by the Codes or are reasonably necessary to safeguard life and property within the City of Costa Mesa. NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Costa Mesa makes the following findings: Resolution No 19-74 Page 1 of 4 Amendments related to life and fire safety contained in Sections 903, Table 1505.1, and 1505.1.3 of the 2019 Edition of the California Building Code, and Sections R313, R902.1, R902.1.3, and R902.2 of the 2019 Edition of the California Residential Code, Sections 503.2, 901.11, Chapters 56, 57, and 80 of the 2019 Edition of the California Fire Code as recommended by the Development Services and Fire Departments are hereby found to be reasonably necessary due to the following local conditions: A. Climatic Conditions 1. Hot, dry Santa Ana winds are common to all areas within the City of Costa Mesa and Orange County in general. These winds, which can cause small fires to spread quickly, are a contributing factor to the high fire danger in the area, and create the need for an increased level of fire protection. This added protection will supplement normal fire department response available and provide immediate protection for life and safety of multiple occupants during fire occurrences. 2. Orange County and the City of Costa Mesa are located in a semi -arid Mediterranean type climate which predisposes all fuels, including wood shingles, to rapid ignition and spread of fire. Therefore, there exists a need for additional fire protection measures. B. Geographic Conditions 1. Orange County and the City of Costa Mesa are located in a high seismically active area. There are earthquake faults that run along both the northeastern and southwestern boundaries of Orange County. The Newport -Inglewood Fault Zone (NIFZ) which runs through Orange County was the source of the destructive 1933 Long Beach earthquake (6.3 magnitude, hypocenter off Newport Beach coast), which took 120 lives, with areas damaged from Laguna Beach to Marina del Rey and inland to Whittier, and poses one of the greatest hazards to lives and property in the nation. Regional planning for reoccurrence is recommended by the State of California, Department of Conservation. There was also an earthquake in December 1989, with the epicenter located near the City of Irvine. The fault on which this quake occurred was unknown prior to this activity. The October 17, 1989, Loma Prieta earthquake resulted in only one major San Francisco fire in the Marina district, but when combined with the 34 other fires and over 500 responses, the department was taxed to its full capabilities. The Marina fire was difficult to contain because mains supplying water to the district burst during the earthquake. If more fires had been ignited by the earthquake, it would have been difficult for the fire department to contain them. Experts predict a major earthquake in our area within the next 50 years. This situation creates the need for both additional fire protection measures and automatic on -site fire protection for building occupants since a multitude of fires may result from breakage of gas and electric lines as a result of an earthquake. As noted by "Planning Scenario on a Major Earthquake on the Newport -Inglewood Fault Zone, 1988, State Department of Conservation," page 59, "unfortunately, barely meeting the minimum earthquake Resolution No 19-74 Page 2 of 4 standards of building codes places a building on the verge of being legally unsafe". 2. Traffic and circulation congestion presently existing in the City of Costa Mesa often places fire department response time to fire occurrences at risk. This condition would be exacerbated by any major disaster, including any earthquake wherein damage to the highway system occurs. This condition makes the need for additional on -site protection for property occupants necessary. 2. Untreated wood roofs cause or contribute to a serious fire hazard and to the rapid spread of fires when such fires are accompanied by high winds. Pieces of burning wooden roofs become flying brands and are carried by the wind to other locations and thereby spread fire quickly. Previous Grand Jury Report findings support this concern. Additional amendments have been made to the California Building Code, 2019 Edition, the California Residential Code, 2019 Edition, and the California Fire Code, 2019 Edition. On the recommendation of the Development Services and Fire Departments, such amendments are hereby found to be either administrative or procedural in nature or concern themselves with subjects not covered in the California Building Code, the California Residential Code, or California Fire Code. The changes made include provisions making each of said Codes compatible with other Codes enforced by the City. The aforementioned amendments have been incorporated in detail in Ordinance 19-18. Section 2 The Development Services and Fire Departments shall file copies of Resolution 19-75 and Ordinance 19-18 with the California Building Standards Commission and Department of Housing and Community Development as required by Health and Safety Code Section 17958.7. PASSED and ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Costa Mesa City Council, held on the 5"' day of November, 2019. Resolution No 19-74 Page 3 of 4 PASSED AND ADOPTED this 5th day 9f November, 2019. ATTEST: Brenda Gre , City Clerk STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF ORANGE ) CITY OF COSTA MESA ) SS Mayor APPROVED AS TO FORM: Kimberly Hal Barlow, City Attorney I, BRENDA GREEN, City Clerk of the City of Costa Mesa, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the above and foregoing is the original of Resolution No. 19-74 and was duly passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Costa Mesa at a regular meeting held on November 5, 2019 by the following roll call vote, to wit: AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: CHAVEZ, GENTS, MANSOOR, MARK, REYNOLDS, STEPHENS, FOLEY NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: NONE ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: NONE IN WITNESS THEREOF, I have hereby set my hand and affixed the seal of the City of Costa Mesa this 6'h day of November, 2019. Brenda Green City Clerk Resolution No 19-74 Page 4 of 4