Note: For fires on beach—See Chapter 18.24 of this code.
Statutory provisions—See California Government Code § 38600 et seq.
Pursuant to the provisions of Sections 50022.1 through 50022.5 of the Government Code of the state of California, there is adopted by reference by the city council, for the purpose of prescribing regulations governing conditions hazardous to life and property from fire or explosion, that certain code known as the California Fire Code, 2022 Edition, based on the 2021 International Fire Code, in its entirety, including Chapters 1-80 and Appendix Chapter 4, and Appendices B, BB, C, CC, D, H, and K, save and except such portions as are hereinafter deleted, modified, added or amended by Chapter 15.01 of this municipal code.
(Ord. 1640 § 1, 2019; Ord. 1682, § 1, 2023)
Chapter 1 Scope and Administration is adopted in its entirety with the following amendments and additions:
Section 103.2 Appointment is hereby revised as follows:
Section 103.2 Appointment. The fire code official shall be appointed by the chief appointing authority of the jurisdiction.
Section 111.1 Board of appeals established is hereby revised as follows:
Section 111.1 Board of appeals. Whenever the Chief 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 to the City Council by filing a written notice of appeal within 30 days from the date of the decision appealed.
Section 111.2 Limitations on authority is hereby deleted in its entirety.
Section 111.3 Qualifications is hereby deleted in its entirety.
Section 112.4 Violation penalties is hereby revised as follows:
Section 112.4 Violation penalties. Persons who shall violate a provision of this code or shall fail to comply with any of the requirements thereof or shall fail to comply with any issued orders or notices or who shall erect, install, alter, repair or do work in violation of the approved construction documents or directive of the fire code official, or, of a permit or certificate used under provisions of this code, shall result in penalties assessed as prescribed in the Fire Department Fee Schedule. Each day that a violation continues after due notice has been served shall be deemed a separate offense.
Section 112.4.2 Infraction and misdemeanor is hereby added as follows:
Section 112.4.2 Infraction and misdemeanor. Persons operating or maintaining any occupancy, premises or vehicle subject to this code that shall permit any fire or life safety hazard to exist on premises under their control shall be guilty of an infraction. Persons who fail to take immediate action to abate a fire or life safety hazard when ordered or notified to do so by the chief or a duly authorized representative are guilty of a misdemeanor.
Section 113.4 Failure to comply is hereby revised as follows:
Section 113.4 Failure to comply. Any person who shall continue any work after having been served with a stop work order, except such work as that person is directed to perform to remove a violation or unsafe condition, shall be liable to penalties assessed as prescribed in the Fire Department Fee Schedule. Each day that a violation continues after due notice has been served shall be deemed a separate offense.
(Ord. 1640 § 1, 2019; Ord. 1682, § 1, 2023)
Chapter 2 Definitions is adopted in its entirety with the following amendments:
Section 202 General Definitions is hereby revised by adding the following definitions:
202 General Definitions
FLOW-LINE. The lowest continuous elevation on a curb defined by the path traced by a particle in a moving body of water at the bottom of the rolled curb.
LBFD. Laguna Beach Fire Department, fire authority having jurisdiction.
HAZARDOUS FIRE AREA. Includes all areas identified within Section 4906.2 and other areas as determined by the Fire Code Official due to the presence of combustible vegetation or the proximity of the property to an area that contains combustible vegetation.
SPARK ARRESTER. A listed device constructed of noncombustible material specifically for the purpose of meeting one of the following conditions:
1. 
Removing and retaining carbon and other flammable particles/debris from the exhaust flow of an internal combustion engine in accordance with California Vehicle Code Section 38366.
2. 
Fireplaces that burn solid fuel in accordance with California Building Code Chapter 28.
(Ord. 1640 § 1, 2019; Ord. 1682, § 1, 2023)
(Ord. 1640 § 1, 2019; Ord. 1664 § 1, 2021; Ord. 1682, § 1, 2023; Ord. 1699, 5/28/2024)
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Editor's Note: The amendments to Chapter 3 of the Fire Code are included as an attachment to this title.
(Ord. 1640 § 1, 2019; Ord. 1682, § 1, 2023)
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Editor's Note: The amendments to Chapter 9 of the Fire Code are included as an attachment to this title.
Chapter 11 Construction Requirements for Existing Buildings is adopted in its entirety with the following amendments:
Section 1117 Required access for Fire Department resources is hereby added as follows:
Section 1117 Required access for Fire Department resources. Approved Fire Department vehicle access for firefighting shall be provided to all construction or demolition sites. Vehicle access shall be provided to within 100 feet of temporary or permanent fire department connections. Vehicle access shall be provided by either temporary or permanent roads, capable of supporting vehicle loading of 74,000 pounds under all weather conditions. Vehicle access shall be maintained until permanent fire apparatus access roads are available. Approved key boxes shall be provided as required by Chapter 5.
The Fire Code Official or Building Code Official may determine further restrictions are necessary for construction staging areas of building supplies and equipment so that Fire Department vehicle access is not delayed.
(Ord. 1640 § 1, 2019; Ord. 1682, § 1, 2023)
Chapter 49 Requirements for Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Areas is adopted in its entirety with the following amendments:
Section 4903.2 is deleted entirely including its subsection 4903.2.1 and its subsections 4903.2.1.1 and 4903.2.1.2.
Section 4903.2 Contents is hereby added as follows:
Section 4903.2 Contents. The Fire Protection Plan shall contain the requirements set forth in the 2019 City of Laguna Beach Fire Department Landscape/Fuel Modification Standards and Maintenance Program document as amended from time to time by City Council and pursuant to Resolutions 89.104, 1640, and 1641.
Section 4906.3.1 is hereby deleted in its entirety.
Section 4906.3.1 Contents is hereby added as follows:
Section 4906.3.1. Contents. The Landscape Plan shall contain the requirements set forth in the 2019 City of Laguna Beach Fire Department Landscape/Fuel Modification Standards and Maintenance Program document as amended from time to time by City Council and pursuant to Resolutions 89.104, 1640, and 1641.
Section 4906.4 Vegetation is hereby revised by adding Section "(4)" as follows:
(4) Does not contain target species listed in the 2019 City of Laguna Beach Fire Department Landscape/Fuel Modification Standards and Maintenance Program document as amended from time to time by City Council and pursuant to Resolutions 89.104, 1640, and 1641.
Section 4907.1.1 Defensible Space Guideline is hereby added as follows:
4907.1.1 Defensible Space Guideline. All existing habitable buildings and structures within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone shall maintain defensible space in accordance with the requirements in the Defensible Space Guideline for Existing Structures in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, dated August 2021, as amended from time to time by Resolution of the City Council.
Exceptions:
1. New construction or major remodels, as defined by local ordinance, to be built or installed in areas containing City of Laguna Beach Fuel Modification designation, shall comply with Section 4911.
2. Existing structures built in compliance with the Fuel Modification Guidelines pursuant to Resolution 89.104 shall be maintained in accordance with the approved plan.
Section 4907.1.2 Documentation of Compliance is hereby added as follows:
4907.1.2 Documentation of Compliance. Property owners required to comply with the Defensible Space Guideline for Existing Structures in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, or the Fuel Modification Guidelines pursuant to Resolution 89.104, shall obtain documentation of compliance from the fire code official upon inspection verification.
Section 4911 Fuel Modification requirements for new construction or major remodel is hereby added as follows:
Section 4911 Fuel modification requirements for new construction or major remodel. All new buildings or major remodels, as defined by local ordinance, to be built or installed in areas containing City of Laguna Beach Fuel Modification designation shall comply with the following:
5.
Preliminary fuel modification plans shall be submitted to and approved by the fire code official concurrent with the submittal for approval of any tentative map.
6.
Final fuel modification plans shall be submitted to and approved by the fire code official prior to the issuance of a building permit.
7.
The fuel modification plans shall meet the criteria set forth in the 2019 City of Laguna Beach Fire Department Landscape/Fuel Modification Standards and Maintenance Program document as amended from time to time by City Council and pursuant to Resolutions 89.104, 1640, and 1641.
8.
The fuel modification plan may be altered if conditions change. Any alterations to the fuel modification areas shall have prior approval by the fire code official.
9.
All elements of the fuel modification plan shall be maintained in accordance with the approved plan and are subject to the enforcement process outlined in the Fire Code.
Section 4912 Explosives and blasting is hereby added as follows:
4912 Explosives and blasting. Explosives shall not be possessed, kept, stored, sold, offered for sale, given away, used, discharged, transported or disposed of within wildland-urban interface areas, or hazardous fire areas.
Section 4912 Explosives and blasting is hereby added as follows:
Section 4912 Explosives and blasting. Explosives shall not be possessed, kept, stored, sold, offered for sale, given away, used, discharged, transported or disposed of within wildland-urban interface areas, or hazardous fire areas.
(Ord. 1640 § 1, 2019; Ord. 1664 § 2, 2021; Ord. 1682, § 1, 2023)
Chapter 50 Hazardous Materials — General Provisions is adopted in its entirety with the following amendments:
Section 5003.1.1.1 Extremely Hazardous Substances is hereby added as follows:
Section 5303.1.1.1 Extremely hazardous substances. No person shall use or store any amount of extremely hazardous substances (EHS) in excess of the disclosable amounts (see Health and Safety Code Section 25500 et al.) in a residential zoned or any residentially developed property.
(Ord. 1640 § 1, 2019; Ord. 1682, § 1, 2023)
Chapter 56 Explosives and Fireworks is adopted in its entirety with the following amendments:
Section 5601.2.2 Sale and retail display is hereby revised as follows:
Section 5601.2.2 Sale and retail display. The storage, use, sale, possession, and handling of all fireworks, including fireworks 1.4G (commonly referred to as Safe & Sane) and fireworks 1.3G is prohibited.
Exception:
Fireworks 1.4G and fireworks 1.3G may be part of an electrically fired public display when permitted by the fire code official and conducted by a licensed pyrotechnic operator.
Section 5601.2.3 Permit restrictions is hereby revised as follows:
Section 5601.2.3 Permit restrictions. The fire code official is authorized to limit the quantity of explosives, explosive materials or fireworks permitted at a given location. Persons possessing a permit for storage of explosives at any place, shall not keep or store an amount greater than authorized in such permit. Only the kind of explosive specified in such a permit shall be kept or stored.
Section 5601.2.5 Seizure of fireworks is hereby added as follows:
Section 5601.2.5 Seizure of fireworks. The fire code official and fire arson investigators shall have the authority to seize, take, remove all fireworks stored, sold, offered for sale, used or handled in violation of the provisions of Title 19 CCR, Chapter 6. Any seizure or removal pursuant to this section shall be in compliance with all applicable statutory, constitutional, and decisional law.
Section 5601.3.2 Explosives — Wildland urban interface is hereby added as follows:
Section 5601.3.2 Explosives — Wildland urban interface. Explosives shall not be possessed, kept, stored, sold, offered for sale, given away, used, discharged, transported or disposed of within wildland-urban interface areas, or hazardous fire areas except by permit from the fire code official.
Section 5608.1 General is hereby revised as follows:
Section 5608.1 General. Outdoor fireworks displays, use of pyrotechnics before a proximate audience and pyrotechnic special effects in motion picture, television, theatrical and group entertainment productions shall comply with California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, Chapter 6 Firework, this section and the conditions of the permit as approved by the fire code official.
Section 5608.2 Firing is hereby added as follows:
Section 5608.2 Firing. All fireworks displays shall be electrically fired. Manually fired firework displays maybe permitted at the fire code officials discretion.
Section 5608.3 Application for permit is hereby added as follows:
Section 5608.3 Application for permit. A diagram of the grounds on which the display is to be held showing the point at which the fireworks are to be discharged, the fallout area based on 70 feet per inch of shell size, the location of all buildings, roads, and other means of transportation, the lines behind which the audience will be restrained, the location of all nearby trees, telegraph or telephone line, or other overhead obstructions shall be provided to Laguna Beach Fire Department.
(Ord. 1640 § 1, 2019; Ord. 1682, § 1, 2023)
Chapter 57 Flammable and Combustible Liquids is adopted in its entirety with the following amendments:
Section 5707 On-Demand Mobile Fueling Operations, including subsections 5707.1 through 5707.6.3, is deleted in its entirety.
(Ord. 1640 § 1, 2019; Ord. 1682, § 1, 2023)
Chapter 61 Liquified Petroleum Gases is adopted in its entirety with the following amendments:
Section 6104.2 Maximum capacity within established limits is hereby revised as follows:
Section 6104.2 Maximum capacity within established limits. Within the limits established by law restricting the storage of liquefied petroleum gas for the protection of heavily populated or congested areas, the aggregate capacity of any one installation shall not exceed a water capacity of 2,000 gallons.
(Ord. 1640 § 1, 2019; Ord. 1682, § 1, 2023
(Ord. 1640 § 1, 2019; Ord. 1682, § 1, 2023)
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Editor's Note: The amendments to Chapter 80 of the Fire Code are included as an attachment to this title.
2022 California Fire Code Appendix Adoption
Appendix Chapter 4 is adopted in its entirety without amendments.
Appendix B is adopted in its entirety without amendments.
Appendix BB is adopted in its entirety without amendments.
Appendix C is adopted in its entirety without amendments.
Appendix CC is adopted in its entirety without amendments.
Appendix D is adopted in its entirety without amendments.
Appendix H is adopted in its entirety without amendments.
Appendix K is adopted in its entirety without amendments.
(Ord. 1640 § 1, 2019; Ord. 1682, § 1, 2023)
As used in this chapter:
“Basic life support service”
means a noncritical call characterized as not a life-threatening situation where immediate hospital care is not required. Such calls shall include the response of an engine/truck company to a location for the evaluation and treatment of a patient requiring emergency medical technician level training.
“Advanced life support service”
means a critical care call characterized as a life-threatening situation where hospitalization is required. Such calls shall include the response of a paramedic unit to a location for the evaluation and treatment of a patient requiring paramedic level training.
(Ord. 1267 § 1, 1993)
Nonresidents of the city shall be charged for the provision of basic life support and advanced life support services by the city. The fees for such services shall be established by resolution of the city council.
(Ord. 1267 § 1, 1993)