This chapter shall apply within the limits of the city of South San Francisco.
All woodburning appliances installed in new commercial buildings or new residential units or woodburning appliances being added to or replacing woodburning appliances in existing commercial buildings or residential units shall comply with this chapter. “Commercial buildings” include, but are not limited to, hotels and restaurants.
Gas fireplaces shall be exempt from this chapter. However, the conversion of a gas fireplace to burn wood shall constitute the installation of a woodburning appliance and shall be subject to the requirements of this chapter.
A woodburning appliance shall comply with this chapter if (1) it is reconstructed, (2) additions, alterations, or repairs are made to the appliance that require opening up immediately adjacent walls, or (3) the residential unit or commercial building in which the appliance is located is renovated, and the renovation includes opening up walls immediately adjacent to the appliance.
(Ord. 1327 § 1, 2003)
For purposes of this chapter, certain terms used in this chapter are defined as follows:
“Bay Area Air Quality Management District”
means the air quality agency for the San Francisco Bay Area as defined in California Health and Safety Code section 40200.
“E.P.A.”
means the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
“E.P.A. certified wood heater”
means any wood heater that meets the standards in Title 40, Part 60, Subpart AAA, Code of Federal Regulations in effect at the time of installation and is certified as labeled pursuant to those regulations.
“Fireplace”
means any permanently installed masonry or factory-built woodburning appliance, except a pellet-fueled wood heater, designed to be used with an air-to-fuel ratio greater than or equal to thirty-five to one.
“Garbage”
means all solid, semi-solid and liquid wastes generated from residential, commercial and industrial sources, including trash, refuse, rubbish, industrial wastes, asphaltic products, manure, vegetable or animal solids and semi-solid wastes, and other discarded solid and semi-solid wastes.
“Gas fireplace”
means any device designed to burn natural gas in a manner that simulates the appearance of a woodburning fireplace.
“Paint(s)”
means all exterior and interior house and trim paints, enamels, varnishes, lacquers, stains, primers, sealers, undercoatings, roof coatings, wood preservatives, shellacs, and other paints or paint-like products.
“Paint solvent(s)”
means all original solvents sold or used to thin paints or to clean up painting equipment.
“Pellet-fueled wood heater”
means any woodburning appliance that operates exclusively on wood pellets.
“Solid fuel”
means wood or any other non-gaseous or non-liquid fuel.
“Treated wood”
means wood of any species that has been chemically impregnated, painted or similarly modified to improve resistance to insects or weathering.
“Waste petroleum product(s)”
means any petroleum product other than gaseous fuels that has been refined from crude oil, and has been used, and as a result of use, has been contaminated with physical or chemical impurities.
“Woodburning appliance”
means fireplace, wood heater, or pellet-fired wood heater or any similar device burning any solid fuel used for aesthetic or space heating purposes.
(Ord. 1327 § 1, 2003)
It shall be unlawful to:
(a) 
Install a woodburning appliance that is not one of the following: (1) a pellet-fueled wood heater; (2) an E.P.A. certified wood heater; or (3) a fireplace certified by E.P.A. should E.P.A. develop a fireplace certification program.
(b) 
Use any of the following prohibited fuels in a woodburning appliance:
(1) 
Garbage;
(2) 
Treated wood;
(3) 
Plastic products;
(4) 
Rubber products;
(5) 
Waste petroleum products;
(6) 
Paints;
(7) 
Paint solvents;
(8) 
Coal;
(9) 
Glossy or colored papers;
(10) 
Particle board;
(11) 
Salt water driftwood.
(Ord. 1327 § 1, 2003)
Any person who plans to install a woodburning appliance must submit documentation to the city of South San Francisco building division demonstrating that the appliance is a pellet-fueled wood heater, an E.P.A. certified wood heater, or a fireplace certified by E.P.A. should E.P.A. develop a fireplace certification program. Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punishable as provided by law.
(Ord. 1327 § 1, 2003)