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RES-10520 Local Fire Code Condition ModificationsRESOLUTION NO. 10520 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ORANGE SETTING FORTH FINDINGS WITH RESPECT TO LOCAL CONDITIONS WITHIN THE CITY OF ORANGE WHICH MAKE CERTAIN MODIFICATIONS AND CHANGES TO THE CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE. WHEREAS, Health & Safety Code Section 17958 mandates that the City of Orange shall adopt ordinances or regulations imposing the same requirements as are contained in the uniform code regulations adopted by the State of California pursuant to Health & Safety Code Section 17922; and WHEREAS, the State is mandated by Health & Safety Code Section 17922 to impose the same requirements contained in the uniform codes, including the 2010 California Fire Code, hereinafter referred to collectively as the Fire Code; and WHEREAS, Health & Safety Code Section 17958.7 permits the City to make such changes or modifications to the uniform code regulations as are reasonably necessary because of local conditions; and WHEREAS, Health & Safety Code Section 17958.7 requires that the City Council, before making any changes or modifications pursuant to Section 17958.5, make express findings that such changes or modifications are needed due to climatic, geographic, or topographic conditions; and WHEREAS, the Fire Chief has recommended that amendments to the 2010 California Fire Code are reasonably necessary due to the following local climatic, geographical and topographical conditions: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Orange as follows: SECTION 1. Changes and modifications to the 2010 Edition of the California Fire Code are recommended by the Fire Chief and are hereby found to be reasonably necessary due to the following local conditions: FINDINGS. I. Climatic Conditions A. The jurisdiction of Orange is located in a semi-arid Mediterranean type climate. It annually experiences extended periods of high temperatures with little or no precipitation. Hot, dry (Santa Ana) winds, which may reach speeds of 70 M.P.H. or greater, are also common to the area. These climatic conditions cause extreme drying of vegetation and common building materials. Frequent periods of drought and low humidity add to the fire danger. This predisposes the area to large destructive fires conflagration). In addition to directly damaging or destroying buildings,these fires are also prone to disrupt utility services throughout the City.Obstacles generated by a strong wind, such as fallen trees, street lights and utility poles, and the requirement to climb 75 feet vertically up flights of stairs will greatly impact the response time to reach an incident scene.Additionally, there is a significant increase in the amount of wind force at 60 feet above the ground. Use of aerial type fire fighting apparatus above this height would place rescue personnel at increased risk of injury.B. The climate alternates between extended periods of drought and brief flooding conditions. Flood conditions may affect the Orange City Fire Department's ability to respond to a fire or emergency condition. Floods also disrupt utility services to buildings and facilities within the City.C. Water demand in this densely populated area far exceeds the quantity supplied by natural precipitation; and although the population continues to grow, the already-taxed water supply does not. California is projected to increase in population by nearly 10 million over the next quarter of a century with 50 percent of that growth centered in Southern California.Due to storage capacities and consumption, and a limited amount of rainfall future water allocation is not fully dependable. This necessitates the need for additional and on-site fire protection features. It would also leave tall buildings vulnerable to uncontrolled fires due to a lack of available water and an inability to pump sufficient quantities of available water to floors in a fire.D. These dry climatic conditions and winds contribute to the rapid spread of even small fires originating in high-density housing or vegetation. These fires spread very quickly and create a need for increased levels of fire protection. The added protection of fire sprinkler systems and other fire protection features will supplement normal fire department response by providing immediate protection for the building occupants and by containing and controlling the fire spread to the area of origin. Fire sprinkler systems will also reduce the use of water for firefighting by as much as 50 II. Topographical conditions A. Natural; slopes of 15 percent or greater generally occur throughout the foothills of the city of Orange. The elevation change caused by the hills creates the geological foundation on which the community of Orange is built and will continue to build. With much of the populated flatlands already built upon, future growth will occur on steeper slopes and greater constraints in terrain. B. Traffic and circulation congestion is an artificially created, obstructive topographical condition, which is common throughout Orange. C. These topographical conditions combine to create a situation, which places fire department response time to fire occurrences at risk, and makes it necessary to provide automatic on-site fire-extinguishing systems and other protection measures to protect occupants and property.III. Geological Conditions The city of Orange, in the Orange County region, is a densely populated area that has buildings constructed over and near a vast and complex network of faults that are believed to be capable of producing future earthquakes similar or greater in size that the 1994 Northridge and the 1971 Sylmar earthquakes. Earthquake faults run along the northern, eastern and central areas of the City. The Newport-Inglewood Fault,located within Orange County was the source of the destructive 1933 LongBeach earthquake (6.3 magnitude) which took 120 lives and damaged buildings in an area from Laguna Beach to Marina Del Rey to Whittier. In December 1989, another earthquake occurred in the jurisdiction of Orange at an unknown fault line. Regional planning for reoccurrence of earthquakes is recommended by the state of California, Department of Conservation.A. Previous earthquakes have been accompanied by disruption of traffic flow and fires. A severe seismic event has the potential to negatively impact any rescue or fire suppression activities because it is likely to create obstacles similar to those indicated under the high wind section above.With the probability of strong aftershocks there exists a need to provide increased protection for anyone on upper floors of buildings. The October 17, 1989, Santa Cruz earthquake resulted in one major fire in the Marina District (San Francisco). When combined with the 34 other fires locally and over 500 responses, the department was taxed to its fullest capabilities. The Marina Fire was difficult to contain because mains supplying water to the district burst during the earthquake. This situation creates the need for both additional fire protection and automatic on-site fire protection for building occupants. State Department of Conservation noted in their 1988 report (Planning Scenario on a the Newport-Inglewood Fault Zone, page 59), "unfortunately, barely meeting the minimum earthquake standards of building codes places a building on the verge of being legally unsafe."B. Road circulation features located throughout Orange also make amendments reasonably necessary. Located within the City are major roadways, highways and flood control channels that create barriers and slow response times. Hills, slopes, street and storm drain design accompanied with occasional heavy rainfall, cause roadway flooding and landslides and at times may make an emergency access route impassable.There are areas in Orange that naturally have extended emergency response times that exceed the 5 minute goal.C. Soils throughout the City possess corrosive properties that reduce the expected usable life of water services when metallic pipes in contact with soils are utilized.D. Portions so of the City contain active or former flammable gas and/ or liquid production fields. These areas contain a variety of naturally occurring gasses, liquids and vapors. These compounds present toxicity or flammability hazards to building occupants. Evaluation of these hazards and the risks they pose to development is necessary implement appropriate mitigation.IV. Summary.Due to the topographical conditions of sprawling development separated by waterways and narrow and congested streets and the expected infrastructure damage inherent in seismic zone described above, it is prudent to rely on automatic fire sprinkler systems to mitigate extended fire department response time and keep fires manageable with reduced fire flow (water) requirements for a given structures.Additional fire protection is also justified to match the current resources of firefighting equipment and personnel within the Orange City Fire Department.SECTION 2. The City Council of the City of Orange hereby adopts the 2010 California Fire Code in its entirety, subject to following local amendments attached hereto in Exhibit A", as though fully set forth herein.ADOPTED this 9t" day of November, 2010 i P Mayor, City of Orange A'I"TES'T: Mary E~ ~~ City Clerk, City ange I, MARY E. MURPHY, City Clerk of the City of Orange, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly adopted by the City Council of the City of Orange at a regular meeting thereof held on the 9th day of November, 2010, by the following vote: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Smith, Murphy, Cavecche, Bilodeau NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: Dumitru ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ry Mary E. y, City Clerk, City Orange 5