R-10036
City Council Meeting May 10, 2005
Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER 10036 (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
MAKING FINDINGS REGARDING LOCAL CLIMATIC, GEOLOGICAL AND
TOPOGRAPHIC CONDITIONS PURSUANT TO HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE
SECTIONS 17958.5,17958.7 and 18941.5 AS REQUIRED TO ADOPT LOCAL
AMENDMENTS TO THE 2004 EDITION OF THE CALIFORNIA ELECTRICAL CODE
WHEREAS, the State Building Standards Commission has approved and
published the 2004 edition of the California Electrical Code in February of 2005; and
such code will be effective 180 days thereafter, which is August 1, 2005; and
WHEREAS, Health and Safety Code Sections 17958.7 and 18941.5 provide that
the City may make changes or modifications to the building standards contained in the
California Building Standards Code based upon express findings that such changes or
modifications are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological or
topographical conditions, and
WHEREAS, the City Council has considered the 2004 edition of the California
Electrical Code and the reference standards, all appendixes and the matrix adoption
tables contained therein; and
WHEREAS, based upon the findings contained in this Resolution, the City
Council will be adopting an ordinance containing certain modifications and additions to
the building standards contained in the California Electrical Code, which are reasonably
necessary based upon local climatic, topographical and geological conditions;
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NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS
SECTION 1. The City Council makes the following findings regarding local
climatic, geological and topographic conditions related to the local amendments to the
California Electrical Code found in Section 2 below:
(a) The Master Environmental Assessment (MEA), adopted in April, 1996,
shows that Santa Monica's climate is primarily influenced by the Pacific Ocean
and is characterized by infrequent rainfall and winds, which come from the west
during the daytime and from the north and northeast during the nighttime, with
intermittent Santa Ana winds occurring from September to March. These
conditions create the potential for high velocity winds with high temperatures,
which are conducive to uncontrolled wind driven fires and greatly increase the fire
rise to residences.
(b) The MEA also shows that structures in the City are situated in close
proximity to each other, with only about 1 % of the 8.3 square miles that the City
occupies vacant. In addition, these lots are often very narrow or on hilly terrain,
which limits access to side yards for fire suppression and placement of ladders
for rescue operations, These conditions also contribute to the ability of fires to
spread quickly between buildings because of the proximity to each other and
create difficulty in suppressing fires in the hilly terrains.
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(c) The Safety Element also identifies that many of the structures in the
City are older structures that are prone to the quick spread of fire from adjacent
structures due to the materials used in construction and less stringent fire
resistant technology available at the time they were built.
(d) Santa Monica is situated In Southern California, which has extreme
arid conditions and periods of severe drought. As outlined In the MEA, the City
relies upon water from outside the region, which is bought from the Metropolitan
Water District, and local groundwater for the City's water supply. Severe drought
conditions and potential uncertainty about the availability of future water supplies
from outside the region require the proper management of available water
supplies. These conditions also contribute to the ability of fires to spread quickly
due to the reliance of water from outside sources that may not be available
following a major earthquake,
(e) The Safety Element shows a high risk of seismic activity in the City due
to the close proximity to the Santa Monica-Malibu Coast fault, the Newport-
Inglewood fault and the San Andreas fault, and discusses the damaging effect
local seismic activity would have on potentially hazardous buildings and the
related potential demands on emergency services needs. Structures built without
supplemental seismic provisions are susceptible to extensive damage and are a
source of fire hazard with damaged gas and electrical utilities inside. The close
proximity of these faults increases the likelihood of seismic disturbances of
substantial magnitude.
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(f) The Los Angeles region has a vast and complex network of faults.
Some of these faults, like the previously unknown Northridge Fault, are blind
thrust faults that earth scientists believe are capable of intense ground shaking
similar or greater in size than the Northridge Earthquake, The random possible
location of these blind thrust faults increases the local seismic risk and poses an
increasing threat to public safety,
(g) The Safety Element of the General Plan, adopted in January 1995,
shows high risk of seismic activity in the City due to the close proximity of the City
to the Santa Monica-Malibu Coast fault, the Newport-Inglewood fault and the San
Andreas Fault. The Safety Element discusses the damaging effect local seismic
activity would have on street, roadways and overpasses at the Santa Monica
Freeway, which would hamper and delay emergency vehicle response.
(h) An analysis of damage patterns to structures in the City from the
January 17, 1994 Northridge earthquake and its aftershocks showed that
unreinforced masonry structures, wood frame structures, tilt-up and masonry
structures with flexible diaphragms, non-ductile concrete buildings, and steel
frame structures, were more susceptible to damage than other types of
structures. Unless supplemental seismic and fire life safety prevention
requirements are adopted, these buildings will perform poorly during intense
ground shaking and will pose an ongoing threat to public safety.
(i) An analysis of damage patterns to nonstructural elements in the City
from the January 17, 1994 Northridge earthquake and its aftershocks also
showed that concrete and masonry chimneys, veneer, clay and concrete tile
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roofing and fire sprinklers were more susceptible to damage than other types of
nonstructural elements. Unless supplemental seismic and fire life safety
provisions are adopted, these nonstructural elements will perform poorly during
intense ground shaking and pose an ongoing threat to public safety.
U) Continued study of buildings damaged during the Northridge
Earthquake has led to improvements in earthquake design regulations that better
identify the types of buildings that are vulnerable to earthquakes and cost
effective economic methods to construct them.
(k) By incorporating the latest earthquake design regulations into the City's
building standards, the latest and most effective standards will be implemented
into design and construction so that the public health and welfare will be better
protected,
(I) The Safety Element also identifies shallow ground water within 50 feet
of the ground surface along the beach, near the Industrial corridor and Marine
Park areas of the City, This ground water condition, coupled with unconsolidated
youthful sedimentary soils, makes these areas susceptible to possible
liquefaction during strong or moderately strong earthquakes. Liquefaction is a
very destructive secondary effect of strong seismic shaking where a loss of
bearing strength occurs along with ground oscillations in the supporting soils,
(m) Analysis of the emergency response to the January 17, 1994
earthquake showed that the need for emergency fire services in the City greatly
exceeded available resources, A major seismic event would create a demand for
fire suppression services that the City Fire Department would have difficulty
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meeting, thus making supplemental seismic safety provisions essential to fire
suppression efforts.
SECTION 2. The City Council makes the express finding that the following
modifications and changes to the California Electrical Code are reasonably necessary
because of the local climatic, geological or topographical conditions and that each and
everyone of the local conditions detailed in Section 1 above, are identified as applying
to the following modifications and changes to the California Building Standards Code:
(1) Ensure that any wiring not having metal protection over the
conductors shall be entirely concealed within the building structure to prevent and
inhibit tampering and restrict the use of aluminum wiring found to be hazardous.
Limit the use of nonmetallic-sheathed cable to single and multi-family dwellings
not exceeding three floors above grade (see Section 8.24.030).
(2) Prohibit the use of any electrical material, device, or equipment
unless it complies with provisions of this section, including rating and
conformance with national standards (see Section 8.24.040).
(3) Provide regulations for temporary service poles used on
construction sites (see Section 8.24.060)
(4) Provide regulations for underground concrete vaults and hand holes
(see Section 8.24.070).
(5) Provide proper disconnecting means for multiple arrays on solar
photovoltaic systems (see Section 8.24.080).
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SECTION 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution and
thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM
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Adopted and approved this 10th day of May, 2005.
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Pam O'Connor, Mayor
I, Maria Stewart, City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica, do hereby certify
that the foregoing Resolution No. 10036 (CCS) was duly adopted at a meeting of
the Santa Monica City Council held on the 10th day of May, 2005, by the
following vote:
Ayes:
Council members: Mayor O'Connor, Mayor Pro Tem Katz, Bloom,
Genser, McKeown, Shriver
Noes:
Council members: None
Abstain:
Council members: None
Absent:
Council members: Holbrook
ATTEST:
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MariaM. Stewart, "ty Clerk
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