Camarillo City Council
AGENDA REPORT
Date: November 12, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Greg Ramirez, City Manager
Submitted by: Philip Lanzafame, Interim Director of Community Development Subject: Ratification of Article 3 Section 903, Article 3 Appendix B, and Article 4 Section 604.11 of the Ventura County Fire Protection District Ordinance No. 34
BACKGROUND
On October 14, 2025, the Ventura County Fire Protection District adopted Ordinance No. 34 (Attachment 2), containing building standards more restrictive than those adopted by the State Fire Marshal and contained within the California Building Standards Code. The California Health and Safety code Section 13869.7 authorizes the Fire District to adopt such standards but requires ratification by the legislative body where the standards apply; in this case the cities that are served by the Ventura County Fire Protection District.
DISCUSSION
The proposed Resolution ratifies Article 3 Section 903, Article 3 Appendix B, and Article 4 Section 604.11 of the Fire District Ordinance 34. Article 3 Appendix B adopts building standards, relating to fire flow requirements; Article 3 Section 903, adopts building standards, relating to automatic fire sprinkler systems; and Article 4 Section 604.11 adopts building standards relating to combustible fencing on properties located within wildland-urban interface areas, which are more restrictive than those adopted by the State Fire Marshal and contained within the California Building Standards Code.
California law requires building standards adopted by local jurisdictions that are more restrictive than those adopted by the state to be enacted by ordinance within 180 days after the state adopts and publishes the California Building and Fire Code. The California Health and Safety Code Section 13869.7 authorizes the Fire District to adopt such standards but requires ratification by the legislative body where the standards will apply.
Provisions contained within Article 3 Appendix B have been in effect within the Fire District since January 1991 and are an integral part of the Fire District’s fire protection plan. The California State Fire Marshal determined fire protection water supplies be classified as a building standard pursuant to the California Health and Safety Code Section 18909. As such, some amendments included in Appendix B are more restrictive than the building
Ratification of VCFPD Ord. No. 34
November 12, 2025
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standards contained within the California Building Standard Code and must now be ratified by the local legislative body of each jurisdiction served by the Fire District.
Provisions contained within Article 3 Section 903 of Fire District Ordinance No. 34 have been in effect within the Fire District since June 3, 1982 and are an integral part of the Fire District’s fire protection plan. Modifications to Section 903 were adopted in May 2007 and include provisions to require the installation of an automatic sprinkler system in all occupancies with certain exceptions.
Provisions contained within Article 4 Section 604.11 of Fire District Ordinance No. 34 have been in effect within the Fire District since January 1, 2023 for properties located within designated wildland-urban interface areas.
California Health and Safety Code Sections 13869.7 requires the Fire District to file findings that support the need for more restrictive building standards based on local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions. Those findings were adopted by the Ventura County Fire Protection District’s Board of Directors by Resolution on September 16, 2025. A copy of the Ventura County Resolution No. 25-116 and associated findings are included as an attachment to this agenda (Attachment 3).
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no budget impact as a result of this action.
CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC PLAN FY 2025/26
This item supports the City Council’s Strategic Plan Goal 2 – Community Enrichment: It is the goal of the City Council to provide a safe and enriched environment where people can live, work and play and Goal 3 – Public Safety and Emergency Resilience: It is the goal of the City Council to strengthen public safety, emergency preparedness, and disaster resilience to protect residents, businesses, and City infrastructure.
CEQA DETERMINATIONS
City staff has determined, in accordance with Section 15061(b)(3) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, that the proposed ordinance is not subject to CEQA review because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the subject regulations may have a significant effect on the environment, either directly or indirectly and this activity is exempt from further review.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Find that the proposed resolution is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3); and
2. Adopt a Resolution ratifying Ventura County Fire Protection District Ordinance No. 34 Article 3 Section 903, Article 3 Appendix B, and Article 4 Section 604.11 pertaining to Building Standards for Applications within the Jurisdictional Boundaries of the City.
Ratification of VCFPD Ord. No. 34
November 12, 2025
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ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution
2. Ventura County Fire Protection District Ordinance No. 34
3. Ventura County Resolution No. 25-116
REFERENCE MATERIALS – AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AT CITY HALL None