City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: October 8, 2024
Agenda Item: 5.A
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Matthew Hallock, Fire Chief, Fire Department
Subject: Annual Fire Inspection Report per SB1205
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a resolution acknowledging receipt of a report on the status of statemandated annual fire inspections in the City of Santa Monica pursuant to California Health and Safety Code Section 13146.4; and
2. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
Summary
California Health and Safety Code Section 13146.4 requires that each fire department performing annual inspections under Sections 13146.2 and 13146.3 submit an annual report to its administering authority (City Council) on its compliance. These sections mandate the Fire Department to conduct annual inspections of all public and private schools, hotels, motels, lodging houses, and all apartment and condominium buildings.
The purpose of the annual fire inspections is to mitigate known hazards, reduce risks to the community, and ensure reasonable compliance with the California Fire Code. The Fire Department completed annual fire inspections of these facilities for FY 2023-24. A resolution is included as Attachment A for Council to accept the City’s FY 2023-24 annual fire inspections report from the Fire Department, as required by California Health and Safety Code Section 13146.4.
Discussion
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After the tragic 2016 “Ghost Ship Fire” in Oakland, the State of California enacted SB 1205 on September 27, 2018 to amend California Health and Safety Code by adding Section 13146.4. This new section is a reporting requirement to ensure each fire department’s compliance with the annual inspections mandated in Sections 13146.2 and 13146.3. The Fire Department submits the FY 2023-24 annual fire inspections report to the City Council and a resolution acknowledging receipt of the report.
Acceptance of the report and the resolution fulfills the statutory requirements contained in California Health and Safety Code Sections 13146.2, 13146.3, and 13146.4, as amended by SB 1205.
The California Building Code also specifies that condominiums should be considered apartments for building code application. An apartment shall consist of three or more attached units and excludes all duplex-style buildings. In FY 2023-24, the Fire Department inspected 3,906 apartment/condominium buildings with three units or greater.
During FY 2023-24, the Fire Department conducted 4,084 state-mandated annual inspections under California Health and Safety Code Sections 13146.2, 13146.3, and 13146.4, as shown in the table below.
Occupancy
Type
Inspections
Completed
Total Number Percentage
Completed
Schools Public 44 44 100%
Schools Private 133 133 100%
Jails SMPD PSF 1 1 100%
Multi-Family
Residential Three Units + 3,906 3,906 100%
Total Inspections Completed 4,084
The Fire Department also conducted 3,383 other types of annual inspections shown in the table below.
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Occupancy Type Inspections
Completed
Total
Number
Percentage
Completed
Assemblies, Institutions, Hospitals 256 268 95.5%
Highrise 82 82 100%
Underground Storage Tanks 34 34 100%
New Construction Plan Review
and Inspections
1,837 1,837 100%
Business and Mercantile 1,174 4139 28%
Environmental Review
The reporting of Fire and Life safety annual inspections is exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the CEQA Guidelines, which state that CEQA does not apply where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment. The report provides information on Fire and Life Safety inspections. Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that actions would not result in adverse physical impacts on the environment, and as such, is categorically exempt from CEQA.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the recommended action. Staff will return to Council if specific budget actions are required in the future.
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Prepared By: Jonathan Tang, Principal Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Fire Inspection Resolution per SB 1205