CITY OF FAIRFIELD
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-209
APPROVING REQUIRED FINDINGS RELATING TO THE ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT OF THE 2025 CALIFORNIA BUILDING STANDARDS CODE (ALSO KNOWN AS CHAPTER 5 BUILDING AND
HOUSING CODE OF THE CITY OF FAIRFIELD MUNICIPAL CODE)
WHEREAS, California Health and Safety Code Sections 17958, 17958.5, 17958.7, and 18941.5 allow the City, by ordinance, to make modifications or changes to the California Building Standards Code in Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations and other regulations adopted pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 17922; and
WHEREAS, the Health and Safety Code requires such changes to be determined to be reasonably necessary because of local climate, geographical, or topographical conditions; and
WHEREAS, the Health and Safety Code requires that the City, before making any modifications or changes, make an express finding that each such modification or change is needed; and
WHEREAS, the Health and Safety Code requires such findings to be made available as a public record and a copy of such findings to be filed with the California Building Standards Commission; and
WHEREAS, the City Council determines that proposed Ordinance establishes requirements greater and more restrictive than those set forth in the 20 25 edition of the California Building Standards Code, Title 24, Parts 2, 2.5, 3, and 5, of the California Code of Regulations, and which are reasonably necessary due to the unique local climate, geographical, or topographical conditions in the City of Fairfield.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FAIRFIELD HEREBY RESOLVES:
SECTION 1. Pursuant to Health and Safety Code Sections 17958.7 and 18941.5(b), the Fairfield City Council hereby expressly finds that the local amendments to California Building Standards Code, Title 24, Parts 2, 2.5, 3, and 5 of the California Code of Regulations, contained in proposed Ordinance are necessary, due to the following local climatic, geologic, or topographical conditions:
1. Wind is a persistent climatic feature in Fairfield, with prevailing winds from the west or southwest. The average daytime wind speed in the summer is 15 to 20 miles per hour (mph), and 25 to 35 mph wind speeds are common. Storm winds often reach speeds of 40 to 50 mph; and
2. Several residential areas are heavily landscaped, often next to hilly open space areas, which are characterized by dry vegetation during the months from May th rough September.
During these months, the dry vegetation, coupled with strong winds, creates a potential fire RES. NO. 2025-209
capable of reaching a magnitude that may be beyond the control capabilities of the Fire Department; and
3. The city is located in Seismic Design Category (SDC) D, a very high-risk earthquake area.
Buildings and other structures in SDC D can experience seismic damage which could have an adverse impact on fire protection. Any earth movement which causes buildings to move creates cracking and warping of firewalls, smoke barriers, door frames , etc., thereby negating the effectiveness of these structural elements which are intended to prevent fire and smoke from spreading within the building. In the event of a fire in large buildings, fire and smoke control conditions can reach a magnitude that is beyond the control capabilities of the Fire Department, thus resulting in major fire damage; and
4. The city is bisected topographically by Interstate 80 and Interstate 680. As a result, the city is divided into discrete districts. Emergency vehicles must use freeway overpasses to travel between the districts. Heavy traffic congestion on the city’s streets and freeway overpasses already acts as a barrier to timely response for emergency vehicles. In the event of an accident or overp ass failure due to an earthquake, sections of the city could become isolated, or response time could be sufficiently slowed, which would increase the risk or severity of injury or property damage; and
5. Much of the soil in and around the city is characterized as unstable. These soil conditions are moderately to severely prone to swelling and shrinking . The soil is also found to contain ammonia, which is highly corrosive to isolated copper in the soil.
SECTION 2. Therefore, the technical code amendments are as follows:
A. 2025 California Building Code (CBC), Cal. Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 2
1. Section 5.2.3.2 was added to modify Section 502.1 of the CBC for improved standardization of address signage to improve building identification for disaster recovery and emergency response, due to the topography, the potential of forest fire, larger lots in some areas, and densely packed housing in others.
2. Section 5.2.3.3 was added to amend Section 718.2.5.1 of the CBC to require enclosures for factory-built metallic chimneys to be separated from habitable space and attic areas with materials approved for one -hour fire-resistive construction. The City Council finds this provision necessary to protect the building in the event of a chimney failure and to reduce fire hazard due to seismic activity and prevailing high winds.
3. Section 5.2.3.5 was added to amend Section 1208.4 of the CBC to aid the city’s declared housing crisis and construction of small dwelling units.
RES. NO. 2025-209
4. Section 5.2.3.6 was added to amend Section 1505.1.3 of the CBC to require roof coverings used on all buildings located at elevations of 100 feet or over to be at least a class B roof.
And all roof coverings in high fire areas are to be class A. The City Council finds this provision necessary to reduce the fire hazard due to prevailing high winds and the lack of existing water pressure in higher elevations.
5. Section 5.2.3.7 was added to amend Sections 1507.8 and 1507.9 of the CBC to require wood shingles and wood shakes used for roof coverings to be at least a class B treated roof. And all roof coverings in high fire areas are to be class A. The City Council finds this provision necessary to reduce the fire hazard due to prevailing high winds.
6. Section 5.2.3.8 was added to repeal and replace Health and Safety Code Sections 115922 and 115923 to enhance pool and spa safety measures. Due to the topography , many swimming pools within the city are visible from the streets or neighboring properties. This creates an attraction, especially among young children , and an increase in potential drowning hazards. Therefore, the enhanced safety measures and protection of the residents and visitors with the additional pool and spa safety feature s are necessary to enhance life safety within the city.
7. Section 5.2.3.9 was added to clarify when a grading permit is required to ensure proper mitigation measures are included in grading projects to assess and address the city’s unstable soils. The City Council finds this provision is necessary to ensure that increased flooding potential in the flat lands is minimized.
B. 2025 California Residential Code (CRC), Cal. Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 2.5
1. Section 5.2.5.2 was added to amend Section 304.5 of the CRC to aid the city’s declared housing crisis and construction of small accessory dwelling units.
2. Section 5.2.5.3 was added to modify Section 319 of the CRC for improved standardization of address signage to improve building identification for disaster recovery and emergency response, due to the topography, potential of forest fire, larger lots in some areas, and densely packed housing in others.
3. Section 5.2.5.4 was added to amend Section R902.1.3 of the CRC to require roof coverings used on all buildings located at elevations of 100 feet or over to be at least a class B roof.
And all roof coverings in high fire areas are to be class A. The Council finds this provision necessary to reduce the fire hazard due to prevailing high winds and the lack of existing water pressure in higher elevations.
RES. NO. 2025-209
4. Section 5.2.5.5 was added to amend Sections R905.7 and R905.8 of the CRC to require wood shakes and wood shingles used for roof coverings to be at least a class B treated roof. And all roof coverings in high fire areas are to be class A. The council finds this provision necessary to reduce the fire hazard due to prevailing high winds.
5. Section 5.2.5.6 was added to amend Section R1005.3 of the CRC to require enclosures for factory-built metallic chimneys to be separated from habitable space and attic areas with materials approved for one -hour fire-resistive construction. The City Council finds this provision necessary to protect the building in the event of a chimney failure and to reduce fire hazards due to seismic activity and prevailing high winds.
6. Section 5.2.5.7 was adopted and modified to aid in the city’s declared housing crisis, in order to have the ability to utilize available shelters to help alleviate this or any potential crisis.
C. 2025 California Electrical Code (CEC), Cal. Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 3
1. Sections 5.2.7.1 and 5.2.7.2 were added to amend Sections 110.1 and 590.1 of the CEC to clarify the authority of the Chief Building Official to allow, restore, or disconnect electrical services due to hazardous conditions in a high wind climate or emergencies.
2. Section 5.2.7.3 was added to address the fire and electrocution history for Zinsco and Federal Pacific electrical panels. The section was also added to address increases in panel damage occurrence findings during solar or electric vehicle charging station installations.
3. Section 5.2.7.3 was added to address the history of fire, electrocution, and safety issues with Federal Pacific and Zinsco electrical panels.
D. 2025 California Plumbing Code (CPC), Cal. Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 5
1. Section 5.2.10.1 was added to amend Section 609.3 of the CPC to prohibit the use of water piping in or on the ground under buildings or structures without measures to mitigate damage from settlement and or corrosion. The City Council finds this prohibition necessary because the City’s soil conditions are such that metal pipe corrodes and non-metallic pipe may fracture or break.
2. Section 5.2.10.2 was added to amend Section 719.1 of the CPC to require a sewer cleanout at the property line. The Council finds that due to the City’s expansive soil conditions, sewer lines fail, and this cleanout allows the City to take responsibility for cleaning and maintaining that portion of the lateral to the main line.
RES. NO. 2025-209
SECTION 3. The City Council hereby waives the first reading of the Ordinance in full and approves reading by title only and sets a public hearing for November 18, 2025 at 6:00 p.m., in the Harry T.
Price Memorial Council Chamber, 1000 Webster Street, City of Fairfi eld, California, or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, to hear the comments of the public on said ordinance and the uniform codes to be adopted thereby and on the adoption of said Ordinance and Resolution.
Pursuant to California Government Code Section 6066, Notice of the Public Hearing shall be published in the Daily Republic in accordance with California Government Code Section 6006.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 21st day of October 2025, by the following vote:
AYES: MEMBERS: MOY/BERTANI/CARR/PANDURO/SANDHU/TONNESEN/WILLIAMS NOES: MEMBERS: _________________________________________________ ABSENT: MEMBERS: _________________________________________________ ABSTAIN: MEMBERS: _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
MAYOR
ATTEST:
___________________________
CITY CLERK