HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Reso No 2010-067 Amendnent to 2010 California Building Standards CodeRESOLUTION NO. 2010- 067
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE
ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, SETTING FORTH FINDINGS FOR
AMENDMENTS TO THE 2010 CALIFORNIA BUILDING STANDARDS
CODE
WHEREAS, Health and Safety Code Section 17958 provides that the City of
Lake Elsinore ( "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 Green Building Standards Code,
the California Residential Code, the California Plumbing Code, the California
Mechanical Code, the California Energy 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, shall make an
express finding that such changes or modifications are reasonably necessary because
of local climatic, geographic, or topographic conditions; and
WHEREAS, the Building and Safety Division has recommended that changes
and modifications be made to the Codes and have advised that certain said changes
and modifications to the Codes are reasonably necessary due to local conditions in the
City of Lake Elsinore 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 Lake Elsinore.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, DOES
HEREBY RESOLVE, DECLARE, DETERMINE AND ORDER AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The above recitals are true and correct.
SECTION 2. Amendments related to life and fire safety contained in Sections
403, 403.1, 403.1.1, 403.4.7.2, 403.4.8.1, 412.7, Table 1505.1, and 1505.1.3 of the
2010 Edition of the California Building Code, and Sections R403.1.3, R405.1, R902.1,
R902.1.3, and R902.2 of the 2010 Edition of the California Residential Code, and
Sections 202 and 4.304.1 of the 2010 Edition of the California Green Building
Standards Code are hereby found to be reasonably necessary due to the following local
conditions:
Resolution No. 2010 -067
Page 2
A. Climatic Conditions
1. Hot, dry Santa Ana winds are common to all areas within the City of
Lake Elsinore. 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. Riverside County and the City of Lake Elsinore 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. Riverside County and the City of Lake Elsinore are located in a
highly active seismic area. There are earthquake faults that run
along both the northeastern and southwestern boundaries of
Riverside County including the San Jacinto and Elsinore faults
which are branches of the San Andreas Fault. There have been
several substantial earthquakes located along these faults in the
Inland Empire area in the past few years. The most recent was on
February 13, 2010, located in Riverside California, three miles
south of Redlands with a magnitude of 4.1 on the Richter scale.
The October 17, 1989, Santa Cruz 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 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
Lake Elsinore often places fire department response time to fire
occurrences at risk. This condition will be exacerbated by any
Resolution No. 2010 -067
Page 3
major disaster, including any earthquake wherein damage to the
highway system will occur. This condition makes the need for
additional on -site protection for property occupants necessary.
3. Placement of multiple occupancy buildings, location of arterial
roads, and fire department staffing constraints due to recent
revenue - limiting state legislation have made it difficult for the fire
department to locate additional fire stations and provide manpower
sufficient to concentrate fire companies and personnel to control
fires in high density apartment or condominium buildings. Fire
Department equipment does not allow easy access to areas of
buildings greater than 55 feet above the level of Fire Department
vehicle access. These conditions create the need for built -in on-
site fire protection systems to protect occupants and property until
fire fighting apparatus and personnel arrive on the scene. The City
of Lake Elsinore is located in an area subject to a climatic condition
of high winds and low humidity. This combination of events creates
an environment, which is conducive to rapidly spreading fires.
Control of such fires requires rapid response. Obstacles generated
by a strong wind, such as fallen trees, street lights and utility poles,
and the requirement to climb 75 feet vertically up flights of stairs will
greatly impact the response time to reach an incident scene.
Additionally, Section 6, Figure 6 -2 of ASCE 7 identifies a significant
increase in the amount of wind force at 60 feet above the ground.
Use of aerial type fire fighting apparatus above this height would
place rescue personnel at increased risk of injury. The City of Lake
Elsinore is located in the middle of the seismically active area. The
viability of the public water system would be questionable at best
after a major seismic event. This would leave tall buildings
vulnerable to uncontrolled fires due to a lack of available water and
an inability to pump sufficient quantities of any available water to
floors above the 55 -foot level. A severe seismic event has the
potential to negatively impact any rescue or fire suppression
activities because it is likely to create obstacles similar to those
indicated under the high wind section above. With the probability of
strong aftershocks there exists a need to provide increased
protection for anyone on upper floors.
4. Untreated wood roofs cause or contribute to 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. Recent Grand Jury Report findings support this
concern.
Resolution No. 2010 -067
Page 4
SECTION 3. Amendments to the 2010 Edition of the Codes are found
reasonably necessary based on the climatic and /or geographic conditions cited in
Section 2 of this resolution and are listed as follows:
Code Section Findings in Section 2
CBC 403, 403.4.7.2, 403.4.8.1, 907.2.13, 907.6.3.2 A -1, B -2, B -3
CBC 412.7 B -1, B -2, B -3
CBC 903.2 (Sprinklerplaceholder) A -1, A -2, B -2
CBC 1505, CRC R902.1 A -1, A -2, B -2, B -4
CRC R403.1.3, R405.1 B -1
SECTION 4. Additional amendments have been made to the Codes. Such
amendments are hereby found to be either administrative or procedural in nature or
concern themselves with subjects not covered in such Codes. The changes made
include provisions making each of such Codes compatible with other codes enforced by
the City.
SECTION 5. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this
resolution and the same shall thereupon take effect and be in force as January 1, 2011.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council
of the City of Lake Elsinore, California, this 23rd day of November, 2010.
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MELISSA A. MELEN15EZ, MAYORS
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE
ATTEST:
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CAROL COWLEY
CITY CLERK
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Resolution No. 2010 -067
Page 5
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE )
I, CAROL COWLEY, City Clerk of the City of Lake Elsinore, California, hereby
certify that Resolution No. 2010 -067 was adopted by the City Council of the City of Lake
Elsinore, California, at a regular meeting held on the 23rd day of November 2010, and
that the same was adopted by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: BUCKLEY, HICKMAN, MAGEE, MAYOR PRO
TEM BHUTTA AND MAYOR MELENDEZ
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
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CAROL C LEY
CITY CLERK