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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE : GLENDALE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Introduction and Adoption of 2023 Glendale Building and Safety Code
1. Ordinance for Introduction Adopting and Amending Specific Portions of the California Building Standards Code as the Glendale Building and Safety Code, 2023;
2. Resolution Adopting Findings and Analysis of Amendments to the California Building Standards Code [Title 24, California Code of Regulations].
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Action Item
Approved for November 1, 2022 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
City Amendments
City amendments to the Building and Safety Code (Code) are essentially a carry-over from the previous Code with very few changes.
Regional efforts to standardize local codes have resulted in greater uniformity among neighboring cities. A small number of new amendments have been added and previous amendments removed or revised in Volume VI of the Fire Standards, in order to standardize our local codes to be in line with neighboring jurisdictions.
State Amendments
The new energy standards are incorporated. The green building code has upgraded requirements for the installation of EV charging stations in new buildings, additions and alterations to existing building.
National Amendment
This adoption will align engineering requirements in the Code with the major revisions to national standards.
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COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Infrastructure: Adopting the Building and Safety Code of the City of Glendale, 2023 will ensure we maintain the current level of protection throughout the City of Glendale, which has been provided in the current Glendale and Building Safety Code.
RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council introduce and adopt the Building and Safety Code of the City of Glendale, 2023, along with a required resolution adopting findings and analysis of amendments.
BACKGROUND
Building and Safety Code
Every three years, the State of California adopts new model codes to establish uniform standards for the construction and maintenance of buildings, plumbing systems, mechanical systems, electrical systems, and fire and life safety systems. Pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 18941.5, local jurisdictions are mandated to adopt such state codes, generally within 180 days after publication of the code by the California Building Standards Commission. Prior to adoption, amendments to the state codes desired by the local jurisdiction may be made if each amendment can be justified on the basis of a local climatic, local geological, and/or local topographical condition which affects the jurisdiction.
ANALYSIS
The Glendale Building and Safety Code is comprised of the following distinct volumes:
Volume IA: Building Standards (For Commercial and Multi-Family Residential) Volume IB: Residential Standards (For One-and-Two Family Dwellings and Townhouses)
Volume IC: Existing Building Standards
Volume II: Plumbing Standards
Volume III: Mechanical Standards
Volume IV: Electrical Standards
Volume V: Housing Standards
Volume VI: Fire Standards
Volume VII: Security Standards
Volume VIII: Commercial and Industrial Property Maintenance Standards Volume IX: Green Building Standards
The regulatory requirements contained within the first six volumes are based on requirements contained within the California Code of Regulations (CCR), specifically, 37b
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portions of Titles 19, 24, and 25. The California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) adopted such requirements into the California Building Code, California Residential Code, California Existing Building Code, California Plumbing Code, California Mechanical Code, California Electrical Code, California Fire Code, and California Green Building Standards Code. Adoption and enforcement of the Uniform Housing Code is mandated through the State Housing Law (Health and Safety Code, Division 13, Part
1.5, Section 17960). The 1997 Edition of the Uniform Housing Code was adopted by the California Department of Housing and Community Development as provided for in CCR, Title 25, Division 1, Chapter 1, Subchapter 1, Article 5, Section 32.
Local adoption of such codes is mandated to be in effect on January 1, 2023, and requires a four-fifths (4/5th) approval of the City Council. As stated above, jurisdictional bodies may amend said codes if such amendments are justified on the basis of a local climatic, local geological or local topographical condition which makes such amendment(s) necessary.
Staff from the Community Development Department’s Building and Safety Division and the Fire Department have reviewed the state codes, and have proposed a number of local amendments for adoption as the Building and Safety Code of the City of Glendale, 2023, with proper justifications to be submitted to the California Building Standards Commission.
The Building Official has determined these amendments are necessary to maintain the current level of protection throughout the City of Glendale, which has been provided through in the current Glendale Building and Safety Code. In fact, the vast majority of the proposed amendments were carried over from the current code.
As a result, the proposed local amendments generally fall into four categories.
1. Administrative - to establish administrative regulations pertaining to the performance of plan check, the issuance of permits, the collection of fees, and other administrative standards.
2. Fire Safety - to increase the level of protection to building occupants through specific standards related to fire sprinklers, smoke detection and alarms, restriction of certain building materials, and construction standards for buildings located within high fire hazard areas.
3. Life Safety - to increase overall life safety through enhanced structural design, improved seismic design, modified egress standards, and limitation of building heights and/or building areas.
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4. Grading- to augment the basic grading standards contained within the model building code to more closely match currently enforced grading standards. Such amendments prescribe specific requirements related to cut slopes, fill slopes, retaining walls, and geotechnical investigations. The aesthetic grading standards contained within Title 15 of the G.M.C. will not be affected by the proposed amendments.
Staff recommends that the City Council review and introduce and subsequently adopt the ordinance, consisting of the local amendments to Title-24 C.C.R. herein described to maintain the current level of protection throughout the City of Glendale.
Staff also recommends that the City Council review and adopt the resolution establishing findings of fact that justify local amendments to Title-24 C.C.R. on the basis of specific local climatic, typographic and/or geologic conditions.
An initial draft of the ordinance known as the Building and Safety Code of the City of Glendale, 2023, was introduced publicly at the September 21, 2022 and October 19, 2022 meetings of the Building and Fire Board of Appeals for review and consideration.
As a result of these two meetings, the public was given an opportunity to make inquiries regarding the proposed amendments. As of the date of this writing, no such inquiries have been received. If any are provided prior to adoption, they will be provided to Council and addressed by the Building Official. On October 19, 2022, after reviewing the draft of the proposed ordinance with the proposed amendments, and after public discussion, the Building and Fire Board of Appeals unanimously recommended that the City Council approve the proposed ordinance accompanying this agenda item adopting the Building and Safety Code of the City of Glendale, 2023.
Before the second reading of the proposed ordinance, staff requests that the City Council adopt by resolution findings of fact (accompanying this item) which would justify the amendments to the California Building Standards Code. If adopted, copies of the ordinance and resolution will be submitted to the California Building Standards Commission as required by law.
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STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
1. Public meeting with Building and Fire Board of Appeals on September 21, 2022 and October 19, 2022 to Introduce the Proposed Local Amendments to Title-24, C.C.R. for the 2023 Glendale Building and Safety Code.
2. 2023 GBSC Code Adoption Team Meetings with City Departments on June 29, 2022, July 27, 2022 and August 24, 2022.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
The adoption of the Ordinance and Resolution is exempt from further review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in that it is not a Project which has the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment under Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, Section 15061(b)(3).
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
This item is exempt from campaign disclosure requirements.
ALTERNATIVES
Alternative 1: Introduce and subsequently adopt the Building and Safety Code of the City of Glendale, 2023 and adopt the Resolution Adopting Findings to ensure and maintain the current level of protection throughout the City of Glendale.
Alternative 2: Do not introduce or adopt the Ordinance or Resolution Adopting Findings, and by default be subject to the state codes. In that case, the City would lose its current level of protection and reduce its enforcement abilities.
Alternative 3: Consider any alternative not proposed by staff.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Prepared by:
Miroslav Lhotsky, S.E., Building Official
Foster McLean, Fire Marshal
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
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EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
1. Analysis of Amendments to the California Code of Regulations