Fire Sprinkler Systems in Qualifying
Accessory Dwelling Unit Condominiums
Community and Economic Development Committee
November 18, 2024
Item d(3)
Presenter:
James Dobson, Deputy Fire Chief/Fire Marshal – Fire Department, Bureau of Fire Prevention Monday, November 18, 2024
Overview of Fire Life Safety Measures
Based on furniture and materials found in
residences, a home fire can become deadly
within 2 minutes or less.
Since January 2011, the California Residential
Code and Fire Code mandated that all
residential developments, including new
single-family homes, be equipped with fire
sprinklers.
The current Fire Code requires the installation
of fire sprinklers for condominium projects.
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Effective January 2017, state law allows the construction of non-sprinklered Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) when built on properties with nonsprinklered single-family homes. Effective January 2020, further amendments to the California Government Code made local ADU ordinances that did not meet the new state law requirements null and void.
Effective January 2024, AB1033 allowed municipalities to adopt local ordinances to allow the conveyance of an ADU as a condominium. On June 11, 2024, City Council approved and incorporated state provisions into an ordinance specifying that permitted and qualifying ADUs that meet all conditions may be converted and sold as condominiums.
Background
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Fire Spread
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Source: Reproducible-Safety-Sheets.indd
Building-to-Building Fire Risk
ADU laws allow parcels with existing
non-sprinklered homes to have nonsprinklered ADUs on the same parcel. The result is that older-construction
neighborhoods are densifying with
ADUs that have less fire protection
compared to newer-built neighborhoods
which are required to have sprinklers.
State ADU law does not require any
upgrades to existing structures to
harden their construction to prevent
building-to-building fire spread.
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Vulnerable Populations
ADUs are sometimes used to house aging
family members in multigenerational living
arrangements while maintaining separate
living spaces. This is particularly common in
regions with high housing costs such as San
José, where families seek to provide
affordable housing solutions for their
members.
Sprinklers provide critical life-saving
intervention for populations who may have
difficulty evacuating during a fire.
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Discussion with State Partners
The California Office of the State
Marshal is exploring
modifying legislation to include a
sprinkler requirement for ADUs
converted to condos.
There are no restrictions within
AB 1033 that prohibit local
jurisdictions from
requiring sprinklers in ADUs
converted into condos.
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Fire Sprinkler Systems in Qualifying
Accessory Dwelling Unit Condominiums
Community and Economic Development Committee
November 18, 2024
Item d(3)
Presenter:
James Dobson, Deputy Fire Chief/Fire Marshal – Fire Department, Bureau of Fire Prevention Monday, November 18, 2024