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Summary:
AGENDA REPORT CityofPoway
March 3, 2026
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
Brian Mitchell, Fire Chief _/jf/J1'-
Andy Loperena, Deputy Fire Marshal
(858) 668-4471, [email protected]
Fire and Life Safety Inspection Report
CITY COUNCIL
In September 2018, California Senate Bill No. 1205 (SB 1205) was approved requiring every city, county fire department, or district providing fire protection services to report annually to its administering authority on the department's inspection of public and private schools and preschools, hotels, motels, apartments, residential care facilities, and places of detention for compliance with building standards.
There are 99 occupancies of these types in the City of Poway. For the eighteen-month reporting period between July 2024 and December 2025, the Poway Fire Department completed one hundred percent of the fire and life safety occupancy inspections required by SB 1205.
Recommended Action:
It is recommended the City Council adopt the Resolution acknowledging receipt of the Fire and Life Safety Inspection Report.
Discussion:
California law requires every city, county fire department, or district providing fire protection services to annually inspect and enforce specific building standards of certain structures classified as Group E, Group R, and Group I occupancies. These occupancy types include public and private schools and preschools, hotels, motels, apartments, residential care facilities, and places of detention. The department's Fire Prevention Division conducts fire and life-safety inspections of these occupancy classifications every year.
SB 1205 was introduced by the California Legislature following the 2016 Ghost Ship Fire in Oakland, CA that resulted in 36 deaths. SB 1205 was approved by the Governor, filed with the Secretary of State and became law effective September 27, 2018. SB 1205 requires every city, county fire department, or district providing fire protection services to report annually to its administering authority on the department's inspection of these occupancy classifications. 1 of 4
March 3, 2026, Item #5
SB 1205 requires this report to occur when the administering authority discusses its annual budget, or at another time determined by the administering authority. It also requires the administering authority to acknowledge receipt of the report in a resolution or similar formal document. For the purposes of SB 1205 the "administering authority" means a city council, county board of supervisors, or district board.
An eighteen-month report is being provided to align the reporting period with the calendar year instead of the fiscal year. In the future, fire and life safety inspection reports will be provided for the preceding twelve month calendar year.
Environmental Review:
This action is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Fiscal Impact:
None.
Public Notification:
None.
Attachments:
A. Resolution.
Reviewed/Approved By:
Assistant City Manager
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Reviewed By:
Alan Fenstermacher
City Attorney
March 3, 2026, Item #5
RESOLUTION NO. 26-
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
POWAY, CALIFORNIA, ACKNOWLEDGING RECEIPT OF A
REPORT MADE BY THE DEPUTY FIRE MARSHAL OF THE
POWAY FIRE DEPARTMENT REGARDING THE INSPECTION
OF CERTAIN OCCUPANCIES REQUIRED TO PERFORM
ANNUAL INSPECTIONS IN SUCH OCCUPANCIES PURSUANT
TO SECTIONS 13146.2 AND 13146.3 OF THE CALIFORNIA
HEAL TH AND SAFETY CODE
WHEREAS, California Health and Safety Code Section 13146.4 was added in 2018, and became effective September 27, 2018;
WHEREAS, California Health and Safety Code Sections 13146.2 and 13146.3 requires all fire departments, including the Poway Fire Department, that provide fire protection services to perform annual inspections in every building used as a public or private school, hotel, motel, lodging house, apartment house, and certain residential care facilities for compliance with building standards, as provided;
WHEREAS, California Health and Safety Code Section 13146.4 requires all fire departments, including the Poway Fire Department, that provide fire protection services to report annually to its administering authority on its compliance with Section 13146.2 and 1314~.3; and WHEREAS, the City Council intends this Resolution to fulfill the requirements of the California Health and Safety Code regarding acknowledgment of the Poway Fire Department's compliance with California Health and Safety Code Sections 13146.2 and 13146.3.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Poway as follows:
SECTION 1: City Council expressly acknowledges the measure of compliance of the Poway Fire Department with the California Health and Safety Code Section 13146.2 and 13146.3 in the area encompassed by the City of Poway, as follows:
A. EDUCATIONAL GROUPE OCCUPANCIES:
Educational Group E Occupancies, for the purpose of this resolution, include Group E occupancies. Group E occupancies are buildings or structures occupying more than six persons at any time for educational purposes through the 12th grade, to include public and private schools and pre-schools. Within the City of Poway, there lie 36 Group E occupancies, buildings, structures and/or facilities.
For the 2025 annual reporting year, the Poway Fire Department completed the annual inspection of 36 Group E Occupancies, buildings, structures and/or facilities. This is a completion rate of 100% for this reporting period.
B. RESIDENTIAL GROUP R OCCUPANCIES:
Residential Group R occupancies, for the purposes of this resolution, includes Groups R- 1, R-2, R-2.1, and R-4 occupancies. Residential Group R-1 occupancies are residential occupancies containing sleeping units where the occupants are primarily transient in nature, including hotels and motels. Residential Group R-2 occupancies are residential occupancies 3 of4 ATTACHMENT A
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Resolution No. 26-
containing sleeping units or more than two dwelling units where the occupants are primarily permanent in nature, to include apartments. Residential Group R-2.1/R-4 occupancies are residential occupancies containing sleeping units where on a 24-hour basis who because of age, mental disability, or other reasons, live in a supervised residential environment that provides personal care services and custodial care. Within the City of Poway, there lie 62 Group R-1, R-2, and R-2.1 /R-4 occupancies.
For the 2025 annual reporting year, the Poway Fire Department completed the annual inspection of 53 Group R1 & R2 Occupancies, buildings, structures and/or facilities. This is a completion rate of 100% for this reporting period.
C. INSTITUTIONAL GROUP I OCCUPANCIES:
Institutional Group I occupancies, for the purpose of this resolution, includes Group 1-3 occupancies. Institutional Group 1-3 occupancies are buildings or structures which are inhabited by one or more persons who are under restraint or security. Within the City of Poway, there lie 1 Group 1-3 occupancies, buildings, structures and or facilities.
For the 2025 annual reporting year, the Poway Fire Department completed the annual inspection of 1 Group 1-3 occupancies, buildings, structures and/or facilities. This is a completion rate of 100% for this reporting period.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Poway, California on the 3rd day of March, 2026 by the following vote, to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAINED:
ABSENT:
DISQUALIFIED:
Steve Vaus, Mayor
ATTEST:
Carrie Gallagher, CMC, City Clerk
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