d) Climatic conditions and flammable vegetation contribute to the extreme high fire hazard severity in the county, resulting in numerous wildland fires, which draw existing fire department resources from their structure protection areas for extended periods of time. This in turn extends response times, which may contribute to greater life and property loss in large unsprinklered buildings within the urban limit boundary and in all structures outside of the urban limit boundary.
WHEREAS, code amendments listed in Exhibit A are necessary and consistent with the intent of the 2025 California Fire Code based on the unique characteristics of the local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions; and
WHEREAS, a modification from the 2025 California Fire Code is reasonably necessary due to local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions;
NO
W, THEREFORE, IT IS HERE BY RESOLVED, by the County of Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors:
1. The above recitations are true and correct.
2. The Board of Supervisors makes the findings, attached in Exhibit A, that changes contained in the Santa Barbara County Code, Chapter 15, Fire Prevention, 2025 are required in order to provide specific and greater protections to the public health, safety and welfare than are afforded by the California Fire Code. These changes are necessary due to the unique characteristics of the local climatic, geological or topographical conditions.
PA
SSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 18th day of November 2025 by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTENTIONS:
LAURA CAPPS, CHAIR
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
MONA MIYASATO RACHEL VAN MULLEM
COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER COUNTY COUNSEL
CLERK OF THE BOARD
By: ____________________________ By: ________________________ Deputy Clerk Deputy County Counsel
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2025 Fire Code Resolution
Exhibit A
Non-Administrative Code Amendment Justification Matrix.
ARTICLE I — SANTA BARBARA COUNTY CODE
Section Number Amendment Description Justification
Section 15.2 (k) – Minor
FPC 1-10 through
Major FPC 1-8
Amending Chapter 15, Rules of construction to
redefine projects requiring a Minor and Major Fire
Protection Certificate and review by the Fire
Department.
Footnotes (b), (c) & (d)
Section 105 Amended the 2025 CFC by defining expiration and adding permit types.
Footnotes (a), (b), (c) & (d)
Section 202 Amended area calculation language for consistency with Chapter 10.
Footnotes (a), (b), (c) & (d)
Section 503.2.5 Added language to allow for requirement of turnarounds in fire prone areas.
Footnotes (a), (b), (c) & (d)
Section 505.1 Amend language for consistency with SBC Fire Development Standard language.
Footnotes (a), (b), (c) & (d)
Section 903.4.3.1 Amend language for consistency with SBC Fire Development Standard language.
Footnotes (a), (b), (c) & (d)
Section 3307 Amend language for consistency with SBC Fire Development Standard language
Footnotes (a), (b), (c) & (d)
Chapter 49 Deleted from 2025 California Fire Code and now in the 2025 California Wildland Urban Interface Code
N/A
Appendix B Amend language for consistency with SBC Fire Development Standard language.
Footnotes (a) (b), (c) & (d)
137
Section 15-49 Amended language to account for broader scope of development and Fire Department technology needs Footnotes (a) (b), (c) & (d) Section 15-51 Amended language to account for broader risks and hazards of
Footnotes (a) (b), (c) & (d)
Section 15-66 and 15-67 Amended language at the request of the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District
for applicability to current practices
Footnotes (a) (b), (c) & (d)
Section 15-101 Added fee matrix for all Fire Prevention fees requested by public. Deleted fee types not related
to occupancies in the County, while adding types
with no fees associated.
Footnotes (a) (b), (c) & (d)
Footnotes:
(a) That Santa Barbara County is prone to extreme weather conditions, from hot, dry winds from the north and the east (Sundowner and Santa Ana winds), to strong westerly (coastal) winds, which greatly enhance the ability for fire to spread as reflected in devastating recent fires. In addition, the topographical layout and features of the county make the area subject to isolation should a flood or earthquake occur, which would prevent or severely limit and delay the north and south entities from giving or receiving mutual aid and emergency assistance;
(b) The present firefighting resources of this county are constrained in their efforts to control fires in large unsprinklered buildings within the urban limit boundary and all buildings outside of the urban limit boundary as designated in the county comprehensive plan;
(c) Geologic and topographic conditions in the county result in extended response times for firefighting resources, which may contribute to greater life and property loss in large unsprinklered buildings within the urban limit boundary and in all structures outside of the urban limit boundary; and
(d) Climatic conditions and flammable vegetation contribute to the extreme high fire hazard severity in the county, resulting in numerous wildland fires, which draw existing fire department resources from their structure protection areas for extended periods o f time. This in turn extends response times, which may contribute to greater life and property loss in large unsprinklered buildings within the urban limit boundary and in all structures outside of the urban limit boundary.
138
ATTACHMENT 3
Staff PowerPoint Presentation
139
Building Code
Adoption 2025
November 18, 2025
140
Building Code Update
Triennial Update
Fire Code and Wildland- Urban Interface Codes added
Maintain Existing Local Amendments
On December 2, 2025, Council will be asked to ratify
County’
s adoption of the local amendments to the Fire
Code and Wildland-Urban Interface Codes
November 18, 2025, City Council Meeting 2
141
Building Code Update
Introduce and conduct first reading (by title only) and waive further
reading of the Ordinance that adopts the
2025 Building Codes, adds Chapter 15.23 “California
Wildland- Urban Interface Code” and 15.24 “California Fire Code”, adopts the existing local amendments to Chapter
15.01 (Building Code), and adopt the Notice Exemption
Set a public hearing on December 2, 2025, in order to
conduct the second r
eading by title only of the Ordinance.
November 18, 2025 City Council Meeting 3
142
4 QUESTIONS
143