TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Jeff Gibson, Interim Community Development Director
Ryan Heise, Building Official
Susan Yuzuki, Plan Check Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Consider Introduction of an Ordinance to Amend Title 9 of the Manhattan Beach Municipal Code and to Adopt the Most Recent California Building Standards Code and City Amendments to the following Codes: 2019 California Building Code; 2019 California Residential Code; 2019 California Electrical Code; 2019 California Plumbing Code; 2019 California Green Building Standards Code; 2019 California Energy Code; 2019 California Mechanical Code; 2019 California Existing Building Code; 2019 California Historical Building Code; 2019 California Administrative Code; 2019 California Referenced Standards Code; and City Amendments (Interim Community Development Gibson).
a) INTRODUCE ORDINANCE NO. 19-0015
b) SET PUBLIC HEARING FOR NOVEMBER 19, 2019
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that City Council introduce Ordinance No 19-0015 (Building Codes) and set a public hearing for November 19, 2019.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
The California Building Standards Commission published the most recent edition of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, known as the California Building Standards Code, on July 1, 2019, to become effective on January 1, 2020. The Triennial Code Adoption Cycle is a routine rule-making process that occurs every three years in which various State agencies adopt building standards based on model codes. State law requires local governments to enforce the California Building Standards Code. Most cities adopt the published Title 24 by reference. The City must adopt these codes with any local amendments before January 1, 2020.
These Building Standards Codes include the 2019 California Building, Residential, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Energy, Existing, and Green Building codes. The last complete set of building codes was adopted by the State in 2016 and became effective on January 1, 2017. The City Attorney assisted the Community Development staff in drafting the attached ordinance to ensure compliance with State Law.
DISCUSSION:
The State of California has adopted the 2019 California Building Standard Codes that must in turn be adopted or utilized by each city or county. The City is able to amend certain provisions due to unique climatic, geological, and topographical conditions prevailing within Manhattan Beach. The California Health and Safety Code Sections 17958.5 and 18941.5 provide for amendments to the California Building Standard Codes, provided findings of necessity can be made.
Staff is proposing amendments to all codes consistent with the current Manhattan Beach Codes and past practice. The draft Ordinance No. 19-0015 can be found at the following link: <https://www.citymb.info/Home/ShowDocument?id=40830>. The most significant current amendments proposed at this time are:
1. Continue to limit the maximum duration of construction permits to four years for construction projects, instead of the State provision which has no definite limit, in order to minimize neighborhood construction impacts and to ensure that new construction is consistent with the most current Codes.
2. Continue to prohibit new roof or re-roof covering material of wood shakes and wood shingles due to fire safety concerns.
3. Continue the current requirements for undergrounding or stubbing out of utilities for major remodels and new construction to accommodate possible future utility undergrounding.
4. Continue to disallow aluminum conductors because of our unique moist beach climate conditions, which can cause arcing and sparking from aluminum conductors.
5. Require an increase in the number of electric vehicle charging spaces and service equipment.
6. Continue to require sustainable building measures regarding water conservation, material conservation, waste management diversion and air quality improvements.
A majority of the amendments clarify and update the structural requirements due to potential hazards specific to our community. These amendments are part of the joint effort by 89 jurisdictions within Los Angeles County to develop the Los Angeles Regional Uniform Code Program. The amendments include additional structural engineering design-related provisions for earthquake, wind, and other geologic, topographic, or climatic concerns. Under the proposed energy efficiency standards, buildings will use 30-50% less energy than those built under the current standards, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 700,000 metric tons statewide over three years.
According to California Health and Safety Code Section 17958.7, the City Council must find specific, local needs to support amendments that are more restrictive than the State-adopted model codes. These findings will be included in a resolution that will accompany the ordinance at second reading. If the City Council adopts the ordinance and resolution, both documents will be filed with the California Building Standards Commission.
The California Building Standards Code that will be effective statewide is the 2019 edition. Each of the state construction codes with amendments is based on various model codes as determined by the California Building Standards Commission. These model codes are published by various professional organizations, including the International Code Council, the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, the National Fire Protection Association, and the Western Fire Chiefs Association.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
An email was distributed to the City’s Construction Community distribution list notifying the recipients of this item and the City Council meeting date. A public hearing for this item will also occur on November 19, 2019. Notice of the public hearing will be published for two successive weeks in the Beach Reporter.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City Council hereby finds that it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the adoption of this Ordinance, and the prohibitions established hereby, may have a significant effect on the environment, because the Ordinance will impose limitations on activities in the City, and will thereby serve to eliminate potentially significant adverse environmental impacts. It is therefore not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act review pursuant to Title 14, Chapter 3, Section 15061(b)(3) of the California Code of Regulations. A Notice of Exemption will be prepared.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The ordinance is under legal review.