PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Code Enforcement
285 Hamilton Avenue
CITY OF
PALO Palo Alto, CA 94301
ALTO 650.329.2605
Notice of Violation
VIA PERSONAL SERVICE AND POSTING
VIA CERTIFIED MAIL: 7018 3090 0001 0801 1115
March 21, 2024
Responsible Person(s): Subject Property:
AURORA RISING INC/ATLAS STAR LLC 531 Stanford Avenue
531 Stanford Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94306
Palo Alto, CA 94306-1113 APN: 137-01-121, 137-01-002, 137-01-003 Re: Case Number: 24PCE-00203
Property Owner(s) and Interested Parties:
The City conducted an inspection of the subject property on March 18, 2024 and found a number of violations. The following remedial actions are required immediately:
1. Due to the lack of a fire sprinklers and alarm systems, the owner must provide fire watch services to keep residents and first responders safe. This is a common service that can be contracted. Please see attached for fire watch requirements.
COMPLIANCE DEADLINE: Friday, March 22, 2024 by 5PM. The City will inspect the property at the designated compliance deadline time to confirm compliance. Failure to comply will result in additional enforcement.
The following additional remedies are required by Monday, March 25, 2024:
1. All tenants shall vacate the 2nd and 3rd floors of all buildings and access restricted (No Access Allowed);
2. Provide smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to units and common occupied by tenants;
3. Remove all deadbolts and paddle lock latches on required exit fire rated exit doorways and their components along with making sure they are self-closing with smoke seal.
Remove all unpermitted installed barriers in exit pathways.
5. Provide the names and addresses of all tenants in all buildings.
COMPLIANCE DEADLINE: Monday, March 25, 2024 by 2PM. The City will inspect the property at the designated compliance deadline time to confirm compliance. Failure to comply will result in additional enforcement.
Additionally, the City requires the following remedial action for the pool:
2. Test pool water for chemical make-up and provide a strategy/schedule to the undersigned below to drain the pool no later than Friday, March 29, 2024.
COMPLIANCE DEADLINE: Tuesday, March 26, 2024 by 5PM. Failure to comply will result in additional enforcement.
PROCEDURE AND CONSEQUENCES FOR NONCOMPLIANCE
Should the deadlines above expire, a reinspection of the property on or about the date of expiration established above shall occur. If it is determined that the above substandard conditions, or any portion thereof, continue to exist, we may proceed with any combination of the following:
• DECLARATION OF A DANGEROUS BUILDING AND/OR SUBSTANDARD RESIDENTIAL BUILDING - The City may declare the buildings to be dangerous and/or substandard pursuant to PAMC sections 16.40.010 and 020. You may be ordered to repair and/or vacate the building. • ABATEMENT - The City may order you to abate any and all public nuisances under PAMC Chapter 9.56 and applicable state law.
• FINES - An administrative citation is a fine for a violation of the City of Palo Alto Municipal Code.
Citations are issued pursuant to Palo Alto Municipal Code, Chapter 1.12. Fines can increase up to 200% daily.
• NOTICE OF PENDENCY - Notices may be recorded for violations against the Subject Property with the County Clerk-Recorder's Office when/if the Chief Building Official determines that a violation of these chapters have occurred. The Chief Building Official may, in their sole discretion, record a notice of pendency of code violation with the Office of the County Recorder identifying the address and owner of the property involved. When the violation has been corrected, the Chief Building Official shall issue and record a release of the notice of pendency of code violation.
INSPECTION VIOLATIONS
Following our inspection, a list of violations have been identified which will require documentation and/or remedy, including:
• Dilapidated Fire Sprinkler & Fire Alarm Systems.
• Unconfirmed Records of Testing for Fire Sprinklers & Fire Alarm Systems. • High Combustible Storage throughout all buildings.
• Improper hazmat storage - Created Corrosive Environments and Conditions. • Severely Corroded electrical and Plumbing systems.
• Combustible Storage in certain areas.
• Plastic film on ceilings in some units and in exit stairways. • Unpermitted remodeling of all units (Includes: Enclosing decks, patios, & roof coverings). • Unpermitted Construction in Electrical (exposed & unsafe wiring) / Mechanical /Plumbing/Structural (Unsafe) & Non-Structural. (Gazebo structures)| • Potential failure of 2nd Floor exit balcony that appears to be shored for stability. • Dilapidated & Missing emergency exit Signage and emergency lighting. • Expired U&O (permitted for R-1, now being used as R-2) • Inoperable elevators (expired Certifications)
• Blocked Egress - Stanford Side and throughout buildings. • Non-functioning and missing egress exits and components.
PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Code Enforcement
285 Hamilton Avenue
CITY OF
PALO Palo Alto, CA 94301
ALTO 650.329.2605
• POOL - (visible mold underfloor/garage level), hygienically (no County inspections made available at the time of inspection).
The City reserves the right to issue additional or amended Notices or other enforcement actions for the violations listed above.
In addition, City records indicate that this parcel has no records of permits or inspections for the following: Use and Occupancy, Request for Address of 520 Oxford Avenue, Building Permits for remodeling or alterations, Fire Alarm Systems or Sprinklers Permits or Records, and clearances to use pool.
Regarding, this notice, please contact Elisa Vargas at: [email protected] or telephone at (650) 885-8565.
Respectfully,
George E. Hoyt
Chief Building Official
City of Palo Alto
CC: Dana Kennedy, attorney for responsible party, at [email protected] CC: Tami Jasso, Fire Marshal
CC: Tim Shimizu, Asst. City Attorney
PALO ALTO FIRE DEPARTMENT
OFFICE OF THE FIRE MARSHAL
230 Hamiltone: (69) A A 91301
THE BOD
FIRE WATCH INFORMATION
Note: A fire watch is the action of an on-site person whose sole responsibility is to watch for the occurrence of fire.
Fire Watch Requirements
A fire watch may be required for any of the following reasons:
1. Fire alarm system fully or partially out of service
2. Sprinkler system fully or partially out of service
3. Fire pump is out of service
4. Special hazards
5. Other conditions as required by the Fire Department
If any of these conditions occur and cannot be corrected within four hours, the building owner or their representative is required by the California Fire Code to either vacate the building or provide a fire watch until the system is repaired, or the hazard mitigated.
Owner Responsibilities
1. Notify the Fire Department when the system is not working and again when the system has been repaired.
2. Contact a licensed contractor to repair the system and attain any required permits.
3. Establish, instruct, and maintain fire watch personnel.
4. Train fire watch personnel to ensure that they are knowledgeable about the property being protected, including the following:
a. Floor layout of all buildings, floors, occupancies, and hazards b. Hazardous materials and processes, if any, and location of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) c. Emergency shutdown procedures and equipment
d. Fixed fire protection systems
e. Manual and automatic detection and alarm systems
f. Portable fire protection equipment
g. Facility emergency action plan and procedures
h. Any construction operations
Fire Watch Duties
Persons serving as a fire watch shall not have any other duties except the fire watch. Fire watch duties will consist of the following:
1. Conduct periodic patrols of the affected areas and maintain a record of the fire watch for inspection by REV 8/9/23 1
PALO ALTO FIRE DEPARTMENT
OFFICE OF THE FIRE MARSHAL
250 Hamilton Ave Palo Alto. CA 94301
Phone: (650) 329-2184
Palo Alto Fire Department.
2. Be trained in the use of a fire extinguisher and have one accessible at all times.
3. Identify any fire, signs of fire, life or property hazards.
4. Knowledge of building floor layout, hazardous areas, emergency shut down procedures, emergency evacuation plan, etc.
5. Check all exits and exit access corridors to ensure means of egress are clear and unobstructed.
6. Check sprinkler system valves are in open position, if applicable.
7. Check for any smoking violations, or other sources of ignition.
8. Have two means of communication (ex: a radio and a cell phone are acceptable).
9. The fire watch must have at least one means of direct communication with the Fire Department (ex: a cell phone is acceptable).
10. If a fire is discovered, the fire watch must:
a. first notify the Fire Department immediately by calling 9-1-1 and give exact address and location of the fire.
b. second notify occupants of the need to evacuate. If the fire alarm horns or public- address system are still functional, use them to notify occupants. If appliances are not functional, then other means of notification must be available (i.e., bull hors).
11. Have knowledge of the location and use of fire protection equipment, such as fire extinguishers and occupant hose lines, however, fire watch will not perform fire-fighting duties beyond the scope of ordinary citizens).
12. Maintain a logbook of fire watch activity.
Frequency of Patrols
Fire watch personnel shall patrol the entire area affected every 30 minutes. In large buildings additional fire watch personnel shall be assigned in order to achieve the required frequency.
Record Keeping
A fire watch logbook must be maintained at the building and must be available to the Fire Department at all times during the fire watch. The completed fire watch log shall be emailed to [email protected] daily. The logbook should contain the following information:
1. Address of the building.
2. Date and time of each patrol through the affected area.
3. Name of person(s) conducting fire watch.
4. Records of communications with the Fire Department and licensed contractor doing the repairs.
5. Other information as required by the Fire Department (i.e., equipment, inspection logbooks).
It is the responsibility of the owner, or their representative, to contact the Fire Prevention Bureau once the fire protection systems are repaired or the hazard has been mitigated. After the Fire Department has confirmed that systems requiring the fire watch are fully operational, the Fire Department will terminate the fire watch.
REV 8/9/23 2
PALO ALTO FIRE DEPARTMENT
OFFICE OF THE FIRE MARSHAL
250 Hamilton Are Palo Alto. CA 94301
Phone: (650) 329-2184
ASSIGNED AREA: DATE:
FIRE-WATCHER: INITIALS: _
FIRE WATCH TIMES: STARTED ENDED
Fire watch personnel must perform continuous tours such that each area in their assigned area is checked at not less than 30-minute intervals. The first entry in this log must be made within 30 minutes of the start of the fire watch and every 30 minutes thereafier.
Times must be recorded using the 24-hour clock and initialed I certify (by my initials below) that I completed a tour of my entire assigned area at the following times:
Time Tour / Initials Time Tour Initials Time Tour Initials Completed Completed Completed
Problems noted during fire watch:
REV 8/9/23