Attachment No. 2
RESOLUTION NO. 25-53
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWALK
MAKING EXPRESS FINDINGS AND DETERMINATIONS THAT
MODIFICATIONS TO THE CALIFORNIA BUILDING, RESIDENTIAL,
FIRE, WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE, PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL,
MECHANICAL, EXISTING BUILDING, AND GREEN STANDARDS
CODES IN ORDINANCE NO. 25-1761 ARE REASONABLY NECESSARY
BECAUSE OF LOCAL CLIMATIC, GEOLOGICAL OR
TOPOGRAPHICAL CONDITIONS
WHEREAS, Health and Safety Code Section 17958 provides that the City of Norwalk shall adopt Ordinances and regulations imposing the same or modified or changed requirements as are contained in the regulations adopted by the State pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 17922; and
WHEREAS, the State of California is mandated by Health and Safety Code Section 17922 to impose the same requirements as are contained in the most recent edition of the California Building Code, the California Residential Code, the California Fire Code, the California Wildland-urban Interface, the California Plumbing Code, the California Electrical Code, the California Mechanical Code, the California Energy Code, the California Existing Building Code and the California Green Building Standards Code (hereinafter referred collectively as the “Codes”); and WHEREAS, to ensure compliance with AB 130 the existing 2022 Edition of the California Building Standards Codes amendments associated with Group R occupancies are being carried forward into the 2025 Edition of the California Building Standards Codes.
WHEREAS, Health and Safety Code Section 17598.7(a) permits the City to make modifications or changes to the Codes, which are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geographic or topographic conditions; and
WHEREAS, Health and Safety Code Section 17958.7 requires that the City Council, before making any modifications or changes to the Codes, shall make an express finding that such changes or modifications are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological or topographical conditions; and WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 25-1761 of the City of Norwalk includes several modifications to the 2025 California Building Code, California Residential Code, California Fire Code, California Wildland-urban Interface Code, California Plumbing Code, California Electrical Code, California Mechanical Code, California Existing Building Code, and California Green Standards Code; and
WHEREAS, the Community Development Department recommended that changes and modifications be made to the Codes and have advised that certain said Resolution No. 25-53 Page 2 of 5
changes and modifications to the 2025 Edition of the California Building Code, California Residential Code, California Fire Code, California Wildland-urban Interface Code, California Plumbing Code, California Electrical Code, California Mechanical Code, California Existing Building Code, and California Green Standards Code are reasonably necessary due to local conditions in the City of Norwalk.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWALK HEREBY DETERMINES, FINDS AND RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1.The City Council hereby finds that the following climatic conditions exist in the City of Norwalk:
A. The City of Norwalk is located in a semi-arid Mediterranean type climate that predisposes all fuels, including wood shingles, to rapid ignition and spread of fire.
Therefore, there exists a need for additional fire protection measures.
B. The City of Norwalk is located in an area subject to hot “Santa Ana” conditions consisting of potentially high winds and low humidity. This combination of events creates an environment, which is conducive to rapidly spreading fires. Control of such fires requires rapid response. Obstacles generated by a strong wind, such as fallen trees, street lights and utility poles, and the current level of traffic congestion will greatly impact the response time to reach an incident scene.
C. Untreated wood roofs cause or contribute to serious fire hazards and to the rapid spread of fires when such fires are accompanied by high winds. Pieces of burning wooden roofs become flying brands and are carried by the wind to other locations and thereby spread fire quickly. Recent Grand Jury Report findings support this concern.
D. The City is subject to dry seasonal weather conditions followed by occasional heavy winter rains, which in combination with the density of the development throughout the City and the relatively flat terrain create substantive concerns regarding the quality of storm water runoff, and require the City to take steps to effectively reduce and control contributions to the storm water system.
Section 2.The City Council hereby finds that the following geological conditions exist in the City of Norwalk:
A. The Los Angeles 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, 1987 Whittier and 1933 Long Beach earthquakes. The State Department of Conservation, Division of Mines and Geology has identified that soils in the City of Norwalk are subject to liquefaction under certain conditions. Experts predict a major earthquake in our area within the next 30 years. This situation creates the need for both additional fire protection measures and automatic on-site fire Resolution No. 25-53 Page 3 of 5
protection for building occupants since a multitude of fires may result from breakage of gas and electric lines as a result of an earthquake.
B. The City of Norwalk is located in the middle of a highly active seismic active area.
The viability of the public water system would be questionable at best after a major seismic event. 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.
Section 3.The City Council hereby finds that the following topographic conditions exist in the City of Norwalk:
A. Traffic and circulation congestion presently existing in the City of Norwalk often places fire department response time to fire occurrences at risk. This condition will be exacerbated by any major disaster, including any earthquake wherein damage to the highway system may occur. This condition makes the need for additional on-site protection for property occupants necessary.
B. Placement of multiple occupancy buildings, location of arterial roads, and fire department staffing constraints due to recent revenue-limiting state legislation have made it difficult for the fire department to locate additional fire stations and provide manpower sufficient to concentrate fire companies and personnel to control fires in high density commercial and residential buildings. These conditions create the need for built-in on-site fire protection systems to protect occupants and property until fire-fighting apparatus and personnel arrive on the scene.
Section 4.Amendments related to fire and life-safety contained in Table 1505.1, Sections 1505.1.2, 1613.8, 1807.1.4, 1807.1.6, and 3109.2, of the 2025 Edition of the California Building Code, and the Amendments related to fire and life-safety contained in Tables R301.2, Sections R302.1, R404.2, R902.1, R902.1.2, R902.2 and Appendix CI, Sections 115922(a), 115922(a)(1), 115922(a)(2) and 115923(e) of the 2025 Edition of the California Residential Code as recommended by the Community Development Department are hereby found to be reasonably necessary due to the local climatic, geological or topographic conditions.
Amendments to the 2025 Editions of the California Building, Residential, Fire, Wildland-urban Interface, Plumbing, Electrical, Mechanical, Existing Building, and Green Building Standards Codes are found reasonably necessary based on the climatic, geological or topographic conditions cited in Sections 1, 2 and/or 3 of this Resolution or are administrative in nature and are listed as follows:
California Building Code Section Findings (section-item) Chapter 1 Division II - Administration Administrative
Table 1505.1 1-A, 1-B, 2-A, 3-A & 3-B
1505.1.2 1-A, 1-B, 2-A, 3-A & 3-B
1613.8 2-A
Resolution No. 25-53 Page 4 of 5
1807.1.4 2-A
1807.1.6 2-A
3109.2 1-B & Administrative
California Residential Code Section Findings
Chapter 1 Division II - Administration Administrative
Table R301.2 1-B, 1-D, 2-A & Administrative
R302.1 1-A, 1-B, 2-A, 3-A & 3-B
R313.1 Administrative
R404.2 2-A
R902.1 1-A, 1-B, 2-A, 3-A & 3-B
R902.1.2 1-A, 1-B, 2-A, 3-A & 3-B
R902.2 1-A, 1-B, 1-C, 2-A, 3-A & 3-B
Appendix CI, 115922(a) 1-B & Administrative
Appendix CI, 115922(a)(1) 1-B & Administrative
Appendix CI, 115922(a)(2) 1-B & Administrative
Appendix CI, 115923(e) 1-B & Administrative
California Fire Code Section Findings
101.1 & 101.3 Administrative
101.2.2 1-A, 1-B, 2-B, 3-A, 3-B & Administrative
California Wildland-urban Interface
Code Section
Findings
Chapter 1 Administrative Provisions Administrative
California Plumbing Code Section Findings
Chapter 1 Administrative Provisions Administrative
California Electrical Code Section Findings
Chapter 1 Administrative Provisions Administrative
Deletion of 89.108.4 through 89.108.10 Administrative
California Mechanical Code Section Findings
Chapter 1 Administrative Provisions Administrative
California Existing Building Code
Section
Findings
Chapter 1 Administrative Provisions Administrative
California Green Building Standards
Code Section
Findings
Section 202 Administrative
Section 5.Additional amendments have been made to the California Codes on Resolution No. 25-53 Page 5 of 5
the recommendation of the Community Development Department, such amendments are hereby found to be either administrative or procedural in nature or concern themselves with subjects not covered in such Codes. The changes made include provisions making each of said Codes compatible with other Codes enforced by the City. The aforementioned amendments have been incorporated in detail in Ordinance No. 25-1761.
Section 6.If any section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this resolution is for any reason held to be invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this resolution. The City Council of the City of Norwalk hereby declares that it would have passed each section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase hereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, causes or phrases be declared invalid.
Section 7.The Building Official is hereby directed to file a copy of this Resolution, together with a copy of Ordinance No. 25-1761, with the California Building Standards Commission.
Section 8.The Mayor, or presiding officer, is hereby authorized to affix his signature to this Resolution signifying its adoption by the City Council of the City of Norwalk and the City Clerk, or his duly appointed assistant, is directed to attest thereto.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED on this _____day of _________ 2025. __________________________
TONY AYALA
MAYOR
ATTEST:
____________________________
THERESA DEVOY, CMC
CITY CLERK