REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Adoption of a Resolution Establishing the Necessary Findings of Fact for Amendments to the California Building Standards; Action on Introduction of an Ordinance Adopting the 2019 California Fire Code, as Amended, as the 2019 Santa Clara Municipal Fire and Environmental Code and Setting November 19, 2019 for a Public Hearing on Adoption of said Ordinance
Report
BACKGROUND
The International Fire Code (IFC) is a model fire code that regulates minimum fire and life safety requirements for new and existing buildings, facilities, storage and processes. In California, the California Building Standards Commission adopts the IFC with new statewide amendments every three years. This adopted code is known as the California Fire Code (CFC) and is found in Part 9 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations. Title 24 is commonly referred to as the California Building Standards Code. The State of California published the CFC on July 1, 2019, with an effective date of January 1st, 2020. If a City wishes to adopt the CFC with amendments, then action must be taken to make certain findings, and adopt the code amendments, prior to the effective date of the CFC. The proposed Resolution and Ordinance state the required factual findings for the proposed amendments to the CFC.
DISCUSSION
The amendments and revisions set forth here establish the requirements of the 2019 Santa Clara Municipal Fire and Environmental Code. All Santa Clara County Fire Departments, through the Santa Clara County Fire Marshal's Fire Code Work Group, (a subcommittee of the Santa Clara County Fire Chiefs' Association), have worked towards making the Code more uniform throughout the County. Many of the proposed amendments to the Santa Clara Municipal Fire and Environmental Code were developed in cooperation with other cities and fire districts within Santa Clara County to provide regulatory consistency. Except for the administrative sections of the Code, ma...
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