Title
Planning and Building Department, Building Division, recommending the Board, in accordance with Health and Safety Code Section 13869.7(c), take the following actions:
1) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolutions that ratify ordinances adopted by each of the following districts to reflect changes to the California Fire Code, 2019 Edition; delegate the enforcement of the ordinances to the respective Fire Department Chief; and rescind the previous Resolutions adopted in 2017:
a) Resolution 035-2020 - Cameron Park Community Services District;
b) Resolution 036-2020 - Diamond Springs-El Dorado Fire Protection District;
c) Resolution 037-2020 - El Dorado County Fire Protection District;
d) Resolution 038-2020 - El Dorado Hills County Water District;
e) Resolution 039-2020 - Garden Valley Fire Protection District;
f) Resolution 040-2020 - Georgetown Fire Protection District;
g) Resolution 041-2020 - Lake Valley Fire Protection District;
h) Resolution 042-2020 - Meeks Bay Fire Protection District;
i) Resolution 043-2020 - Mosquito Fire Protection District;
j) Resolution 044-2020 - Pioneer Fire Protection District; and
k) Resolution 045-2020 - Rescue Fire Protection District; and
2) Direct staff to transmit the Board’s determination to each District within 15 days of the determination.
FUNDING: N/A
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Every three years the State updates the California Fire Code (Code). The Code applies Statewide. Although local jurisdictions do not have the authority to modify the Code they may adopt additional or more stringent requirements as are reasonably necessary due to local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions.
In El Dorado County, there are twelve special districts that provide fire protection services. Eleven (11) of the twelve (12) Districts have worked diligently with the El Dorado County Fire Prevention Officers Association and the El Dorado County Building Official to agree on a very similar set of Building Standard Amendments to achieve consistency within the County. Fallen Leaf Fire Department is not staffed this time of year, and therefore, is not currently represented in this request.
Diamond Springs Fire District provided a template of fire code amendments to each of the Districts. Diamond Springs, El Dorado County, and Garden Valley utilized the template and identically match their amendments to the Fire Code. The other Districts made modifications to the template that are outlined in the attached letter from the El Dorado County Fire Prevention Officer’s Association letter dated February 6, 2020 (Legistar Attachment A).
Pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 13869.7(c), the legislative body of the city or county where these ordinances will apply must ratify, modify or deny the adopted ordinances. Planning and Building Department, Building Division, is recommending that the Board of Supervisors, by resolution, ratify the ordinances adopted by each of the districts and delegate the enforcement of the ordinance to the respective Fire Protection District Chief. Each resolution rescinds the previous Board resolution adopted in 2017.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose to modify or deny an adopted fire protection district ordinance as identified in California Health and Safety Code Section 13869.7(c) and direct staff to transmit its determination to each district within 15 days of the determination. Any modifications or denial of an adopted ordinance shall include a written statement describing the reasons for any modifications or denial.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
Legistar File 16-1189, February 7, 2017, Item No. 24 - Board of Supervisors' approved and adopted Resolutions 011-2017, 012-2017, 013-2017, 014-2017, 015-2017, 016-2017, 017-2017, 018-2017, 019-2017 and 020-2017; and,
Legistar File 14-1478, December 2, 2014, Item No. 32 - Board of Supervisors' approved and adopted Resolutions 212-2014, 213-2014, 214-2014, 215-2014, 216-2014, 217-2014, 218-2014, 219-2014 and 220-2014.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
El Dorado County Fire Prevention Officers Association
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
It is recommended the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
N/A
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Clerk of the Board to obtain the Chair's signature on each of the 11 County Resolutions.
2) Clerk of the Board will return a fully executed copy of each Resolution to Tom Burnette, Deputy Director of Building/Building Official.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance, Healthy Communities, Infrastructure and Public Safety
CONTACT
Tiffany Schmid, Director
Planning and Building Department