R-10060
City Council Meeting July 26, 2005
Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER 10060 (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 FOR LOCAL
AMENDMENTS TO THE CALlFORINA BUILDING, ENERGY AND PLUMBING CODES
RELATED TO FIRE SPRINKLER REQUIREMENTS IN EXISTING BUilDINGS;
ADDITIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION MEASURES AND
THE USE OF NON-WATER-USING URINALS AS PLUMBING FIXTURES
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, Energy and Plumbing Codes based upon express findings that such
changes or modifications are reasonably necessary because of local dimatic, geological
or topographical conditions, and
WHEREAS, the City Council has considered the 2001 edition of the California
Building and Plumbing Codes, and the 2005 edition of the California Energy 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 Building. Plumbing and Energy
Codes, 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 Building 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 inaease 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.
(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.
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(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 building utilities inside. The close proximity of these faults increases the likelihood
of seismic disturbances of substantial magnitude.
(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.
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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 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.
(j) 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.
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(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 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 Building Standards Code are reasonably
necessary because of the local climatic, geological or topographical conditions and that
each and every one 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) Require the addition of fire sprinklers throughout existing buildings when
the occupancy changes to a higher specified risk category for 33 percent or more of the
existing floor area.
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(2) Require the addition of fire sprinklers throughout any existing building
greater than one thousand square feet whenever more than fifty percent cumulative, of
the existing floor area, including mezzanines, is added to within three calendar years.
(3) Require the addition of fire sprinklers throughout any existing building one
thousand square feet or less whenever more than seventy five percent cumulative, of
the existing floor area, including mezzanines, is added to within three calendar years.
(4) Require the addition of fire sprinklers throughout any existing building
greater than one thousand square feet whenever more than fifty percent of the interior
and exterior walls Of partitions and ceilings are exposed.
(5) Require the addition of fire sprinklers throughout any existing building one
thousand square feet or less whenever more than seventy five percent of the interior
and exterior walls or partitions and ceilings are exposed.
(6) Require the addition of fire sprinklers throughout any existing building one
thousand square feet or less whenever more than seventy five percent of the interior
and exterior walls and ceilings are exposed.
(7) Require the addition of fire sprinklers throughout any existing building
other than a single family dwelling whenever an additional story is added.
(8) Require the addition of fire sprinklers throughout any single family dwelling
greater than one thousand square feet whenever an additional story is added and the
new floor area for the additional story increases the existing floor area by more than
thirty-three and one-third percent.
(9) Require the addition of fire sprinklers throughout any single family dwelling
one thousand square feet or less whenever an additional story is added and the new
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floor area for the additional story increases the existing floor area by more than fifty
percent.
(10) Require the addition of fire sprinklers throughout any existing building or
structure determined to be used primarily for public assembly more than five thousand
square feet in total floor area except for buildings or structures with an approved full
automatic fire sprinkler system or to. churches and theaters with fixed seating.
(11) Require the addition of fire sprinklers throughout the entire floor of any
existing non-residential building equipped with a partial fire sprinkler system whenever
more than fifty percent of the floor space is altered or reconfigured.
(12) Require the use of recycled construction materials for all new buildings
except one and two family dwellings and historic buildings.
(13) Require additional energy conservation measures for all buildings except
one and two family dwellings and historic buildings that include solar water heating to
heat swimming pool water and to preheat industrial process water, including but not
limited to, car washes and laundries; pipe insulation on all hot water distribution and
recirculation system piping from the heater to the end-use fixtures and providing heat
traps on the inlets and outlets of non-circulating hot water heaters.
(14) Allow the use of non-water-using urinals as plumbing fixtures.
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 26th day of July, 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. 10060 (CCS) was duly adopted at a meeting of
the Santa Monica City Council held on the 26th day of July, 2005, by the
following vote:
Ayes:
Council members: Mayor O'Connor, Mayor Pro Tem Katz, Bloom,
Genser, Holbrook, Shriver
Noes:
Council members: None
Abstain:
Council members: None
Absent:
Council members: McKeown
......
ATTEST:
~:~ F'''~
Maria M. Stewart, C y Clerk
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