HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-100 Findings for Amendments to the 2022 California Building CodesRESOLUTION NO. 2022-100
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE,
CALIFORNIA, SETTING FORTH FINDINGS FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE 2022
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, 3109.4.4.3,Table 1505.1, and 1505.1.3 of the 2022 Edition
of the California Building Code, and Sections R403.1.3, R405.1, R902.1, R902.1.3, and R902.2
of the 2022 Edition of the California Residential Code, and Sections 202 and 4.304.1 of the 2022
Edition of the California Green Building Standards Code 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 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
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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 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 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 in June 2019, located in Riverside California, in the Ridgecrest
Area with a magnitude of 7.1 on the Richter scale. In July Ridgecrest had
a 6.1 and the City of Oxnard had a 6.4 earthquake and with over 500
responses, the department was taxed to its full capabilities. The Ridgecrest
earthquake 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 because 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 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 in an area
subject to a climatic condition of high winds and low humidity. This
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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 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 like 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.
5. Adopting 3109.4.4.3 allows the City to keep the current standards for pool
safety barriers. Current I.C.C. pool barriers are less restrictive.
SECTION 3. Amendments to the 2022 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 (Sprinkler placeholder) A-1, A-2, B-2
CBC 1505, CRC R902.1 A-1, A-2, B-2, B-4
CBC 3109.4.4.3 B-5
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, 2023.
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Passed and Adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Lake Elsinore,
California, this 25th day of October 2022.
Timothy J. Sheridan
Mayor
Attest:
Candice Alvarez, MMC
City Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss.
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE )
I, Candice Alvarez, MMC, City Clerk of the City of Lake Elsinore, California, do hereby certify that
Resolution No. 2022-100 was adopted by the City Council of the City of Lake Elsinore, California,
at the Regular meeting of October 25, 2022 and that the same was adopted by the following vote:
AYES: Council Members Magee, Tisdale, and Manos; Mayor Pro Tem Johnson; and Mayor
Sheridan
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
Candice Alvarez, MMC
City Clerk
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