CITY OF

HERMOSA BEACH

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MUNICIPAL CODE 
ON-LINE

BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTION

Chapter 15.20

FIRE PREVENTION CODE

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	15.20.010	Adoption of Fire Code
	15.20.020	Establishment and duties of bureau of fire prevention.
	15.20.030	Definitions.
	15.20.040	District limits in which explosives and blasting agents storage is prohibited.
	15.20.050	District limits where flammable liquids storage in outside above ground tanks is restricted.
	15.20.060	District limits where new bulk plants for flammable or combustible liquids are prohibited.
	15.20.070	Bulk storage of liquefied petroleum gases prohibited, where.
	15.20.080	Amendments to the Uniform Fire Code.
	15.20.090	Modifications.
	15.20.100	Appeals.
	15.20.110	New materials, processes or occupancies which may require permits.
	15.20.120	Fireworks Prohibited.
	15.20.130	Penalties (Fire Code)

 

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15.20. 010 Adoption of Fire Code.

Except as hereinafter provided in this Chapter, the California Fire Code, 2007 Edition (Part 9 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), which incorporates and amends the International Fire Code is hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this chapter as though set forth in this chapter in full. Said code shall comprise the Fire Code of the City of Hermosa Beach. A copy of the Fire Code shall be maintained in the office of the City Clerk, and shall be made available for public inspection while the Code is in force.

Permits as required by provisions within this Code may be issued for an identified period of time, subject, however, to the right of the fire chief or his designee to revoke said permit for misuse or violation of the terms of the permit.

The Fire Code is hereby amended as set out hereinbelow:

 

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15.20. 020 Establishment and duties of bureau of fire prevention.

The Fire Code as adopted and amended herein shall be enforced by the Bureau of Fire Prevention in the Fire Department of the City of Hermosa Beach which is hereby established and which shall be operated under the supervision of the Chief of the Fire Department.

 

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15.20. 030   Definitions.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 15.20.010, Section 202, General Definitions is amended to add:

"Administrative authority" or "building official" appears in said code, it shall mean and refer to the Director of Community Development of the City of Hermosa Beach or his or her designee.

"Building Code" shall mean the current edition of the Building Code, including any revisions, additions, and amendments.

"Corporation counsel" shall mean the attorney for the City of Hermosa Beach.

"Jurisdiction" shall mean the City of Hermosa Beach.

"May" shall mean permissible; the word "Shall" is held to mean mandatory.

 

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15.20. 040  District limits in which explosives and blasting agents storage is prohibited .

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 15.20.010, Section 3301 of said Fire Code is hereby amended to add the following:

Storage of explosives and blasting agents is prohibited for all property zoned for residential and commercial uses.

 

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15.20. 050 District limits where flammable liquids storage in outside aboveground tanks is restricted.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 15.20.010, the limits referred to in Section 3404.2.9.5.1 and 3406.2.4.4 of the Fire Code, in which storage of flammable liquids in outside aboveground tanks is restricted, are hereby established as follows: All property zoned for residential and commercial uses.

 

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15.20. 060   District limits where new bulk plants for flammable or combustible liquids are prohibited.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 15.20.010, the limits referred to in Section 3804.2 of the Fire Code, in which new bulk plants for flammable or combustible liquids are prohibited, are hereby established as follows: All property zoned for residential and commercial uses.

 

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15.20. 070    Bulk storage of liquefied petroleum gases prohibited, where.   

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 15.20.010, the limits referred to in Section 3804.2 of the Fire Code, in which storage of liquefied petroleum gas is restricted, are hereby established as follows: All property zoned for residential and commercial uses.

 

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15.20. 080    Amendments to the Fire Code .

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 15.20.010, the following subsections of Section 903 of said Fire Code are hereby amended to read as follows:

903.2.1.2 Group A-2. An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided for Group A-2 occupancies where one of the following conditions exists:

The fire area exceeds 3,500 square feet;

The fire area has an occupancy load of 100 or more; or

The fire area is located on a floor other than the level of exit discharge.

903.2.1.2 Group A-3. An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided for Group A-3 occupancies where one of the following conditions exists:

The fire area exceeds 3,500 square feet;

The fire area has an occupancy load of 300 or more;

The fire area is located on a floor other than the level of exit discharge.

Exception: Areas used exclusively as participant sports areas where the main floor area is located at the same level as the level of exit discharge of the main entrance and exit.

903.2.6 Group M. An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout buildings containing a Group M occupancies where one of the following conditions exists:

1. Where the Group M fire area exceeds 3,500 square feet on any floor or 5,000 square feet on all floors; or

2. Where the Group M fire area in located more than one story above grade plane.

903.2.7 Group R. An automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3 shall be provided throughout all buildings with a Group R fire area.

Exceptions:

1. Detached one- and two-family dwellings and multiple single-family dwellings (town houses) not more than two stories above grade plane in height with a separate means of egress, unless specifically required by other sections of this code or classified as Group R-4.

The following subsections of Section 905 of said Fire Code are hereby amended to read as follows:

905.3.1 Building Height. Class III standpipes systems shall be installed throughout buildings where the floor level of the highest story is located more the 20 feet above the lowest level of the fire department vehicle access, or where the floor level of the lowest story is located more then 20 feet below the highest level of fire department vehicle access.

The following subsection of Section 907 of said Fire Code is hereby added to read as follows:

907.2.8.2.1 Group R, Division 1. An automatic fire alarm system shall be installed in apartment houses 3 stories or more in height (mezzanines and lofts shall be considered as stories), or containing 16 or more dwelling units, and in hotels 3 or more stories in height or containing 20 or more guest rooms.

Section 105.1 of Appendix B of said Fire Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 105.1 One- and two-family dwellings.

The minimum fire-flow requirements for one- and two family dwellings not exceeding two (2) stories in height, shall be one thousand five hundred (1,500) gallons per minute (for other residential buildings, Table B105.1 will be used). Exception: Fire flow may be reduced fifty (50) percent when the building is provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system.

The fire flow for buildings other than one- and two-family dwellings shall be not less than that specified in Table B105.1. Exception: The required fire flow may be reduced up to seventy-five (75) percent when the building is provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system, but in no case less than one thousand five hundred (1,500) gallons per minute.

In types I and 11-FR Construction, only the three (3) largest successive floor areas shall be used.

Appendix C of said Fire Code is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section to read as follows:

C105.2 The Fire Chief may require closer spacing between hydrants because of grades, steep inclines or other geographic problems, and accessibility.

 

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15.20. 090   Modifications .

    The Fire Chief, or his designee, shall have power to modify any of the provisions of the Fire Code upon application in writing by the owner or lessee, or his duly authorized agent, when there are practical difficulties in the way of carrying out the strict letter of the code, provided that the spirit of the code shall be observed, public safety secured, and substantial justice done. The particulars of such modification when granted or allowed, and the decision of the fire chief or his designee thereon, shall be entered upon the records of the department and a signed copy shall be furnished to the applicant. (Ord. 99-1192 §1 (part), 06/22/99; Ord. 95-1143 § 1 (part), 1995: prior code § 12-8)

 

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15.20. 100 .   Appeals.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 15.20.010, Section 108 of Appendix Chapter 1 of said Fire Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

Whenever the Chief of the Fire Department shall disapprove an application or refuse to grant a permit applied for, or when it is claimed that the provisions of the code do not apply or that the true intent and meaning of the code have been misconstrued or wrongly interpreted, the applicant may appeal the decision of the Chief of the Fire Department to the City Council within thirty (30) days from the date of the decision appealed.

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15.20. 110   New materials, processes or occupancies which may require permits.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 15.20.010, Section 104.9 of Appendix Chapter 1, Alternate materials and methods, of said Fire Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

The Fire Chief, the Fire Department Plan Check Officer, and the Director of the Community Development Department shall act as a committee to determine and specify what new materials, processes, or occupancies shall require permits in addition to those now enumerated in said code after giving affected persons reasonable opportunity to be heard. The decision of the committee shall be final. The Fire Chief shall post such list in a conspicuous place in his department and distribute copies thereof to interested persons.

 

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15.20. 120    Fireworks Prohibited.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 15.20.010, Section 3308.2 is hereby added to read as follows:

The possession, use and discharge of fireworks, as defined in the Fire Code, is prohibited within the City limits, with the exception of fireworks displays which are approved by both the Fire Department and the City Council.

    

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15.20. 130   Penalties

Any person violating any of the provisions of this code shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable as provided by law. The imposition of one penalty for any violation shall not excuse the violation or permit it to continue; all such persons shall be required to correct or remedy such violations or defects within a reasonable time; and when not otherwise specified, each ten (10) days that prohibited conditions are maintained shall constitute a separate offense.

The application of the above penalty shall not be held to prevent the enforced removal of prohibited conditions.

 

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