ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PLEASANT HILL ADDING SECTION 14.05.090 TO TITLE 14 OF THE PLEASANT HILL MUNICIPAL CODE AND ADOPTING THE 2025 CALIFORNIA WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE
CODE WITH AMENDMENTS
The City Council of the City of Pleasant Hill does ordain as follows:
Section 1. ADOPTION OF THE CALIFORNIA WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE CODE.
As noted in Pleasant Hill Municipal Code, Chapter 14.05, Section 14.05.010, as of the effective date of this ordinance, the provisions of the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code are controlling and enforceable within the City. The California Wildland-Urban Interface Code is Part 7 of thirteen parts of the official compilation and publication of the adoptions, amendment, and repeal of building regulations to the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, also referred to as the California Building Standards Code. This part incorporates by adoption of the 2024 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code of the International Code Council (ICC) with necessary California amendments including Chapters 1 – 7 and Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C, Appendix F, Appendix G, and Appendix H, as amended by the changes, additions, and deletions set forth in this ordinance. The 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, with the changes, additions, and deletions set forth this ordinance, is adopted by this reference as though fully set forth in this ordinance.
Section 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE CALIFORNIA WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE CODE.
Pleasant Hill Municipal Code; Chapter 14.05, Section 14.05.090 ("Amendments to the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code") is hereby added to read as follows:
Section 1.1 – General
Section 1.1.2 is amended to read:
1.1.2 Purpose.
The purpose of this code is to establish minimum requirements to reduce the likelihood of life and property loss due to a wildfire through the use of performance and prescriptive requirements for construction and development in all Fire Hazard Severity Zones in State Responsibility Areas (SRA), and Local Responsibility Areas (LRA) designated as a Very High and High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, increase the ability of buildings located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone within State Responsibility Areas (SRA), Local Responsibility Area (LRA), or Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Areas to resist the intrusion of flames or burning embers projected by a vegetation fire, and contribute to a systematic reduction in conflagration losses and reduce the likelihood of life and property loss due to a wildfire.
SECTION 101—SCOPE AND GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Section 101.1 is amended to read:
101.1 Title. These regulations shall be known as the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code of the City of Pleasant Hill, hereinafter referred to as “this code.” Section 508 is added to read:
Section 508 - Non-Combustible Fences in Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Areas. 508.1 Scope.
This section applies to:
1. New residential subdivisions containing 30 or more dwelling units within a designated Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area.
508.2 General Requirement.
All fences regulated by this section shall be constructed of non-combustible materials, or materials approved for a minimum one-hour fire-resistance rating. 508.3 Location.
1. In new developments of 30 or more dwelling units, all perimeter fencing and fencing separating individual lots shall comply with this section.
2. Where a fence abuts a Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area, any portion of the fence within 30 feet of a structure.
3. Fence posts, gates, and decorative features shall be constructed of non-combustible materials consistent with this section.
Exceptions:
1. Fences located entirely outside a Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area and not within 30 feet of a structure.
2. Agricultural or open-space fencing (such as barbed wire, welded wire, or similar non-combustible designs) as approved by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).
3. Temporary fencing for construction or erosion control, provided it is removed within 180 days.
Section 3. The City Council hereby finds that the proposed amendments to the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code are more restrictive than the standards adopted by the state agency, and are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geologic or topographic conditions, based on the express findings and determinations, marked in relation to the respective amendments provided in this ordinance, described in “Exhibit A” attached hereto, and hereby adopted by the City Council as the findings to support the modifications to the California Building Standards Code.
Section 4. VALIDITY.
The City Council declares that if any section, paragraph, sentence, or word of this ordinance or of the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code as adopted and amended herein is declared for any reason to be invalid, it is the intent of the City Council that it would have passed all other portions or provisions of this ordinance independent of the elimination here from any portion or provision as may be declared invalid.
Section 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This ordinance becomes effective on January l, 2026 or 30 days after passage, whichever is later.
Within 15 days of passage, this ordinance shall be published in accordance with Government Code Section 36933, with the names of council members voting for and against it.
The foregoing ordinance was introduced at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Pleasant Hill held on the day of , 2025.
ADOPTED and ordered posted at a meeting of the City Council of the City of Pleasant Hill, held on the day of , 2025, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
_______________________________
SUSAN A. NOACK, Mayor
ATTEST:
_________________________________
LYONE P. CONNER, City Clerk
EXHIBIT A
FINDINGS