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Home My WebLink AboutCC Res 7696(1) 2025-10-13RESOLUTION 7696 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEAL BEACH, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING FINDINGS TO SUPPORT LOCAL AMENDMENTS TO THE 2025 CALIFORNIA BUILDING STANDARDS CODE BASED ON LOCAL CLIMATIC, TOPOGRAPHICAL, AND GEOLOGICAL CONDITIONS WHEREAS, California Health and Safety Code Sections 17958, 17958.5, 17958.7, and 18941.5 allow a city to make amendments to the California Building Standards Code based upon express findings that such modifications are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, topographical, or geological conditions; and, WHEREAS, the Building Official has recommended amending certain building standards in the 2025 California Building Standards Code ("CBSC") due to local conditions; and, WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Seal Beach has considered such findings and determined that they are necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public due to unique conditions present within the City and the surrounding region. NOW, THEREFORE, the Seal Beach City Council does resolved, declare, determine, and order as follows: Exhibit "A" attached hereto and incorporated by reference herein, identifies amendments made by the City to the California Building Standards Code, and the local conditions set forth below supporting each amended building standard. Section I. Climate Conditions A. Orange County is located in a semi -arid Mediterranean type climate. It annually experiences extended periods of high temperatures with little or no precipitation. Hot, dry (Santa Ana) winds, which may reach speeds of 70 M.P.H. or greater, are also common to the area. These climatic conditions cause extreme drying of vegetation and common building materials. Frequent periods of drought and low humidity add to the fire danger. This predisposes the area to large destructive fires (conflagration). In addition to directly damaging or destroying buildings, these fires are also prone to disrupt utility services throughout the County. Obstacles generated by a strong wind, such as fallen trees, street lights and utility poles will greatly impact the response time to reach an incident scene. B. The climate alternates between extended periods of drought and brief flooding conditions. Flood conditions may affect the Orange County Fire Authority's ability to respond to a fire or emergency condition. Floods also disrupt utility services to buildings and facilities within the County. C. Water demand in this densely populated area far exceeds the quantity supplied by natural precipitation; and although the population continues to grow, the already - taxed water supply does not. Due to storage capacities and consumption, and a limited amount of rainfall future water allocation is not fully dependable. This necessitates the need for additional and on-site fire protection features. D. These dry climatic conditions and winds contribute to the rapid spread of even small fires originating in high-density housing or vegetation. These fires spread very quickly and create a need for increased levels of fire protection. The added protection of fire sprinkler systems and other fire protection features will supplement normal fire department response by providing immediate protection for the building occupants and by containing and controlling the fire spread to the area of origin. Fire sprinkler systems will also reduce the use of water for firefighting by as much as 50 to 75 percent. Section II. Topographical conditions. A. Natural; slopes of 15 percent or greater generally occur throughout the foothills of Orange County. The elevation change caused by the hills creates the geological foundation on which communities within Orange County are built and will continue to build. With much of the populated flatlands already built upon, future growth will occur on steeper slopes and with greater constraints in terrain. B. Traffic and circulation congestion is an artificially created, obstructive topographical condition, which is common throughout Orange County. C. These topographical conditions combine to create a situation that places fire department response time to fire occurrences at risk and makes it necessary to provide automatic on-site fire -extinguishing systems and other protection measures to protect occupants and property. Section III. Geological Conditions The Orange County region is a densely populated area that has buildings constructed over and near a vast and complex network of faults that are believed to be capable of producing future earthquakes similar or greater in size than the 1994 Northridge and the 1971 Sylmar earthquakes. Earthquake faults run along the northeast and southwest boundaries of Orange County. The Newport -Inglewood Fault, located within Orange County was the source of the destructive 1933 Long Beach earthquake (6.3 magnitude) which took 120 lives and damaged buildings in an area from Laguna Beach to Marina Del Rey to Whittier. In December 1989, another earthquake occurred in the jurisdiction of Irvine at an unknown fault line. Regional planning for reoccurrence of earthquakes is recommended by the state of California, Department of Conservation. A. Previous earthquakes have been accompanied by disruption of traffic flow and fires. 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. The October 17, 1989, Santa Cruz earthquake resulted in one major fire in the Marina District (San Francisco). When combined with the 34 other fires locally and over 500 responses, the department was taxed to its fullest capabilities. The Marina fire was difficult to contain because mains supplying water to the district burst during the earthquake. This situation creates the need for both additional fire protection and automatic on-site fire protection for building occupants. State Department of Conservation noted in their 1988 report (Planning Scenario on a Major Earthquake on the Newport -Inglewood Fault Zone, page 59), "unfortunately, barely meeting the minimum earthquake standards of building codes places a building on the verge of being legally unsafe." B. Road circulation features located throughout the County also make amendments reasonably necessary. Located through the County are major roadways, highways and flood control channels that create barriers and slow response times. Hills, slopes, street and storm drain design, accompanied by occasional heavy rainfall, causes roadway flooding and landslides and at times may make an emergency access route impassable. There are areas in Orange County that naturally have extended emergency response times that exceed the 5 minute goal. C. Soils throughout the County possess corrosive properties that reduce the expected usable life of water services when metallic pipes are in contact with soils. Due to the topographical conditions of sprawling development separated by waterways and narrow and congested streets and the expected infrastructure damage inherent in seismic zones described above, it is prudent to rely on automatic fire sprinkler systems to mitigate extended fire department response time and keep fires manageable with reduced fire flow (water) resources available for a given structure. Additional fire protection is also justified to match the current resources of firefighting equipment and personnel within the Orange County Fire Authority. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED by the Seal Beach City Council at a meeting thereof held on October 13, 2025 by the following vote: AYES: Council Members Kalmick Wong,Landau Senecal Steele NOES: Council Members ABSENT: Council Members ABSTAIN: Council Members ATT T: Gloria D. Harper, City Clerk STATE OF CALIFORNIA } COUNTY OF ORANGE } SS CITY OF SEAL BEACH } � - 94, � � Lisa L�arfdau, Mayor I, Gloria D. Harper, City Clerk of the City of Seal Beach, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is the original copy of Resolution 7696 on file in the office of the City Clerk, passed, approved, and adopted by the City Council at a regular meeting held on the 13th day of October 2025. loria D. HarVer, City Clerk EXHIBIT A 2025 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE (CBC) AND RESIDENTIAL CODE (CRC) AMENDMENT FINDINGS LEGEND CODE TITLE (Clarification) FINDINGS/LOCAL SECTION AMENDMENT FINDINGS LEGEND CONDITIONS AMENDED TITLE (Clarification) FINDINGS/LOCAL Chapter 1 - Division II Administrative CBC Violation penalties Infraction and misdemeanor I Administrative Administrative Administrative _ Chapter 9 - Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems I, II & III and Code CBC General definitions correlation with Fire OCFA vegetation management l - - - Code amendments R301.1.3.2 - _ Wood Frame Structures II & III CRC _ 307 R309 - CRC Automatic Fire Sprinkler System I, II & III and Code 307.6.1 I & II correlation with Fire - - - I & II Code amendments 2025 CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE AMENDMENT FINDINGS LEGEND CODE TITLE (Clarification) FINDINGS/LOCAL SECTION CONDITIONS AMENDED Violation penalties Infraction and misdemeanor I Administrative Administrative Administrative 113.4 113.4.2 202 General definitions 304.1.3 OCFA vegetation management I 305.6 Hazardous conditions outdoor fires I & II I & II _ Administrative 305.7 Disposal of rubbish Open burning, recreational fires, fire pits, fire rings, and 307 outdoor fireplaces Outdoor fire laces, fire pits, fire rings Gas -fueled devices outdoor fires Administrative 307.6 307.6.1 I & II 307.6.2 Devices using wood or fuels other than natural gas or LPG I & II 307.6.2.1 Where prohibited(burning of solid fuels 1 & II 324 Fuel modification requirements for new construction I 325 Clearance of brush or vegetation growth from roaiiwa s I 326 Unusual circumstances (vegetation management) Administrative 327 Use of equipment IC engines ands ark arresters I 327.2 Use of equipment and devices generating heat, sparks or open flames 327.3 Spark arresters I 407.5 7 Hazardous material inventory statement I & II ' 501.1 Scope (fire service features) Administrative, I, II & III 510.1 Emergency responder radio coverage Administrative 903.2 Where required (sprinklers) I II &III 903.2.8 Group R (sprinklers) I, II &III 903.3.5.3 Hydraulically calculated systems I, II &III 2801.2 Permit (biomass storage and handling) Administrative 2808.2 Storage site Administrative 2808.3 Size of piles 1 2808.4 Pile separation Pile fire protection Material -handling equipment Tem erature control Pile temperature control 1 l 2808.7 2808.9 2808.11 2808.11.1 2808.11.2 New material temperature control 2808.12 Water availabilil furpiles)1 Tipping area 2808.13 2808.14 EmeMency contact information Administrative 2808.15 Maximum grid of piles and rows Administrative I 2808.16 5001.5.2 Push -out / clear area Hazardous materials inventory statement Administrative, 1 Administrative 5003.1.1.1 Extremely hazardous substances I, II & III 5608.2 Firing (commercial fireworks) Administrative 5608.3 Application for permit (commercial fireworks) Administrative Chapter 80 Reference Standards 2025 NFPA 13 (commercial sprinkler systems) 2025 NFPA 13D (single family sprinkler systems) N/A Administrative, II & III I & II 2025 NFPA 24 (underground water supply systems) Administrative & III AB 130 Finding Amendments to building standards affecting residential uses contained in Ordinance 1719 are changes or modifications substantially equivalent to existing changes or modifications that were previously filed by the City of Seal Beach and were in effect as of September 30, 2025. See Health and Safety Code Sections 17958.5 and 18941.5.