RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, MAKING EXPRESS FINDINGS FOR LOCAL AMENDMENTS TO THE 2022 EDITION OF THE CALIFORNIA BUILDING AND FIRE CODES, FOR LOCAL CLIMATIC, GEOLOGICAL AND TOPOGRAPHICAL CONDITIONS, AND REPEALING RESOLUTION NO. 23501.
WHEREAS, California Government Code Section 50022.1 et seq. authorizes the City to enact an ordinance which adopts any code for reference, in whole or in part; and WHEREAS, Section 17958 of the Health and Safety Code of the State of California provides that if a city does not amend, add, or repeal ordinances or regulations to impose the same requirements as are contained in the provisions adopted pursuant to Section 17922 of theHealth and Safety Code and published in the California Building Standards Code and the other regulations adopted pursuant to Section 17922 or make changes or modifications in those requirements upon express findings, the provisions published in the California Building Standards Code or other regulations promulgated pursuant to Section 17922 shall be applicable to it and shall become effective 180 days after publication by the California Building Commission; and WHEREAS, Section 17922(c) of the Health and Safety Code provides that local use zone requirements, local fire zones, building setbacks, side and rear yard requirements, and property line requirements are specifically and entirely reserved to the local jurisdiction except as provided in Section 17959.5 of the Health and Safety Code; and WHEREAS, Sections 17958.5 and 18941.5 of the Health and Safety Code of the State of California provide that in adopting ordinances or regulations making any changes in the provisions in the California Building Standards Code and other regulations adopted pursuant to Section 17922 of the Health and Safety Code, a city may make such changes or modifications as are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological or topographical conditions; and WHEREAS, Section 17958.7 of the Health and Safety Code requires the governing body of a city, before making any modifications or changes pursuant to Section 17958.5, to make an express finding that such modifications or changes are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological or topographical conditions; and WHEREAS, the Building Official and Fire Marshal have recommended modifications and changes be made to the Codes and advised that certain changes to the 2022 Editions of the California Building, Residential, and Fire Codes are reasonably necessary due to local conditions in the City of Riverside and have further advised that the remainder of said changes and modifications are of an administrative or procedural nature, or concern themselves with subjects not covered by the Codes, or are reasonably necessary to safeguard life and property within the City of Riverside; and WHEREAS, the City Council held a public hearing on October 18, 2022, at which time all interested persons had the opportunity to appear and be heard on the matter of adopting the California Building Standards Code, 2022 Edition, as amended by the concurrently adopted Ordinance Nos. ____ and ____; and WHEREAS, the City published notice of the public hearing pursuant to California Government Code section 6066 on _______________ and _____________.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Riverside, California, that it makes the following findings and determinations:
Section 1:
Climatic Conditions
Hot Drying Conditions. The City of Riverside is in a semi-arid Mediterranean type of climate. It annually experiences extended periods of high temperatures with little or no precipitation. Hot, dry (Santa Ana) winds, which may reach speeds of 60 M.P.H. or greater, are also common to the area. These climatic conditions cause extreme drying of vegetation and common building materials creating extreme fire hazard conditions. Frequent periods of drought and low humidity add to this fire danger. This predisposes the area to large destructive fires (conflagration). In addition to directly damaging or destroying buildings, these fires are also prone to disrupt utility services throughout the City. Obstacles generated by strong wind, such as fallen trees, streetlights and utility poles, and the requirement to climb 55 feet vertically will greatly impact the response time to reach an incident scene. Additionally, there is a significant increase in the amount of wind force at 60 feet above the ground. Use of aerial type firefighting apparatus above this height would place rescue personnel at increased risk of injury.
Strong Winds. The dry climatic conditions with strong winds contribute to the rapid spread of even small fires originating in high-density housing or vegetation. These fires spread very quickly and create a need for increased levels of fire protection. The added protection of fire sprinkler systems and other fire protection features will supplement normal fire department response by providing immediate protection for the building occupants and by containing and controlling the fire spread to area of origin. Fire sprinkler systems will also reduce the use of water for firefighting by as much as 50 to 75 percent.
Heavy Precipitation. The climate alternates between extended periods of drought and brief flooding conditions. The winter months can experience heavy rainfall of up to several inches per hour. Flood conditions may affect the City Fire Department's ability to respond to a fire or emergency condition. Floods also disrupt utility services to buildings and facilities within the City. Hillside erosion also may occur during such conditions and limit the response capability of the Fire Department.
Water Availability. Water demand in this densely populated area far exceeds the quantity supplied by natural precipitation; and although the population continues to grow, the already-taxed water supply does not. California is projected to increase in population by nearly 10 million over the next quarter of a century with 50 percent of that growth centered in Southern California. Due to storage capacities, consumption, and a limited amount of rainfall, future water allocation is not fully dependable. This necessitates the need for additional and on-site fire protection features. It would also leave tall buildings vulnerable to uncontrolled fires due to a lack of available water and an inability to pump enough available water to floors in a fire.
II. Topographical Conditions
Hillside Community. Natural slopes of 15 percent or greater generally occur throughout the foothills of Riverside County. The City of Riverside has a sizeable hillside community with little to no remaining developable lowlands. Mass grading for development on hillsides has become easier and cost effective. Therefore, mass grading on hillsides has increased the number of structures constructed on and around sloping terrain. Sloped terrain places physical burdens upon fire fighters and their equipment in responding to emergencies and attacking fires. Hillside development mandates construction to comply with setbacks from slopes and typically requires soil reports and fuel modification plans to be prepared.
Traffic and Circulation Congestion is an artificially created, obstructive topographical condition, which is common throughout Riverside County and the City.
Response Time. These topographical conditions combine to create a situation, which places fire department response time to fire occurrences at risk and makes it necessary to provide automatic on-site fire-extinguishing systems and other protection measures to protect occupants and property. It is necessary to adopt more restrictive fire suppression and fire protection requirements because of the land area and size of the City; construction of scattered apartment, high-rise, commercial and industrial developments through this large area; and the lack of adequate manpower and aerial equipment to cope with fire and life safety protection for the structures and adjacent exposure.
III. Geological Conditions
A. Earthquake Faults. Previous earthquakes have been accompanied by disruption of traffic flow and fires. A severe seismic event has the potential to negatively impact any rescue or fire suppression activities because it is likely to create obstacles like those indicated under the high wind section above. With the probability of strong aftershocks there exists a need to provide increased protection for anyone on upper floors of buildings. Due to the many active earthquake faults in Southern California region including the San Andreas fault approximately 15 miles to the northeast, the San Jacinto fault approximately 6 miles to the northeast, the Elsinore fault 16 miles to the southwest, the Whittier fault 24 miles to the west and the San Gabriel fault approximately 33 miles to the northwest, there are significant seismic hazards within the City of Riverside. In the event of a severe earthquake, these faults present the potential for catastrophic damage including fire, damage to roadways, and other impairments to or disruption in public services including the ability of the Fire Department to respond to fires.
B. Landslide and Flooding. Road circulation features located throughout the County also make amendments reasonably necessary. Located throughout the County are major roadways, highways and flood control channels that create barriers and slow response times. There is also a major riverbed located on the western edge of the corporate limits of the City of Riverside. During flooding conditions, emergency travel in and out of the City may be severely impaired, if not completely cut off.
C. Soil Conditions. Riverside is subject to ground tremors from seismic events as the City is located in a Design Category D, which relates to a high risk of earthquakes. The high-risk seismic zone is defined based on the proximity to known fault lines, soil type, and known mapped spectral accelerations. Various areas in Riverside have very poor soil conditions, including liquefiable soil, which is known to cause severe structural damage to buildings and their supporting facilities during severe earthquake events.
Section 2: The City Council hereby finds that the amendments to the Codes as set forth in detail in Ordinances Nos. ____ and ____ are reasonably necessary based on climatic, geological and topographical conditions cited in Section 1 of this Resolution and apply to the amendments as follows:
CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE:
CODE SECTION FINDINGS
16.08.145 - Section 903.2 amended Climatic/Topographical CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE:
CODE SECTION FINDINGS
16.32.220 Section 305.2.1 added Climatic /Topographical
16.32.225 Section 307.1 added Climatic /Topographical
16.32.227 Section 305.1 added Climatic /Topographical
16.32.228 Section 305.4 added Climatic /Topographical
16.32.230 Section 307.1.1 added Climatic /Topographical
16.32.235 Section 307.2 added Climatic /Topographical
16.32.240 Section 307.2.1 added Climatic /Topographical
16.32.250 Section 307.4 added Climatic /Topographical
16.32.255 Section 307.4.1 added Climatic /Topographical
16.32.260 Section 307.4.2 added Climatic /Topographical
16.32.265 Section 307.4.3 added Climatic /Topographical
16.32.270 Section 307.5 amended Climatic /Topographical
16.32.275 Section 308.1.6.3 added Climatic /Topographical
16.32.276 Section 321 added Climatic /Topographical
16.32.279 Section 503.1.2 added Climatic /Topographical
16.32.280 Section 503.3 amended Climatic /Topographical
16.32.285 Section 503.4 amended Topographical
16.32.290 Section 503.4.2 amended Topographical
16.32.293 Section 503.5 amended Topographical
16.32.295 Section 503.6 amended Topographical
16.32.297 Section 503.7 added Topographical
16.32.300 Section 506.1 amended Topographical
16.32.310 Section 507.1 amended Topographical
16.32.315 Section 507.5.1 amended Topographical
16.32.320 Section 507.5.5 amended Topographical
16.32.325 Section 507.5.7 added Topographical
16.32.330 Section 510.1.1 amended Topographical
16.32.331 Section 510.3 added Topographical
16.32.332 Section 805 added Topographical
16.32.333 Section 806 added Climatic /Topographical
16.32.334 Section 807 added Climatic /Topographical
16.32.335 Section 903.2 amended Topographical
16.32.340 Section 907.6.6 added Topographical
16.32.345 Section 912.2.1 amended Topographical
16.32.350 Section 912.5 added Topographical
16.32.355 Section 912.8 added Topographical
16.32.356 Section 1103.2 amended Topographical
16.32.357 Section 1103.2added Topographical
16.32.360 Chapter 25 amended Climatic
16.32.365 Section 4904.3.1.1 added Climatic /Topographical
16.32.370 Section 5601.1.1 amended Climatic
16.32.375 Section 5601.1.3 amended Climatic /Topographical
16.32.377 Appendix B Table B105.2 amended Climatic
16.32.380 Finding and declaration. Climatic
16.32.385 Severability Climatic /Topographical
16.32.390 Hazardous materials clean-up Climatic /Topographical Section 3: The other modifications to the California Building Code, the California Residential Code, the California Existing Building Code, the California Green Building Standards Code, the California Energy and Mechanical Code, the California Plumbing Code, California Fire Code, and the California Electrical Code are administrative in nature or are reenactments of existing provisions of the Riverside Municipal Code.
Section 4: As required by Section 17958.7 of the Health and Safety Code, a copy of these findings, together with the modifications or changes expressly marked and identified to which each such finding refers, shall be filed by the City Clerk of the City of Riverside with the California Building Standards Commission.
Section 5: Resolution No. 23501 is hereby repealed.
/ /
ADOPTED by the City Council this _____ day of _______________, 2022. ______________________________
PATRICIA LOCK DAWSON
Mayor of the City of Riverside
Attest:
______________________________
DONESIA GAUSE
City Clerk of the City of Riverside
I, Donesia Gause, City Clerk of the City of Riverside, California, hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a meeting of the City Council of said City at its meeting held on the _____ day of _______________, 2022, by the following vote, to wit:
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Riverside, California, this _____ day of _______________, 2022. ______________________________
DONESIA GAUSE
City Clerk of the City of Riverside
CA # 22-0350.1 RMS 9/21/2022
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City Attorney’s Office3750 University Ave, Suite 250Riverside, CA 92501(951) 826-5567City Attorney’s Office3750 University Ave, Suite 250Riverside, CA 92501(951) 826-5567 City Attorney’s Office
3750 University Ave, Suite 250
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
City Attorney’s Office
3750 University Ave, Suite 250
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
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