The purpose of Title 16 is to provide minimum standards to safeguard life, health, property, and the public welfare by regulating and controlling the design, construction, quality of materials, use and occupancy, location, and maintenance of all buildings and structures within the unincorporated areas of the county; to encourage and instruct people to build safely and economically, rather than to discourage building; and to provide a minimum of restrictive enforcement and a maximum of good building information and encouragement.
(Ord. CS 625 §2, 1996)
The provisions of this title are to operate in conjunction with the provisions of the California Building Code, 2025 Edition Part 2, Volumes 1 and 2; the California Building Code Appendices as adopted; the California Residential Code, 2025 Edition Part 2.5; the California Residential Code Appendices as adopted; the California Plumbing Code, 2025 Edition Part 5; the California Electrical Code, 2025 Edition Part 3; the California Mechanical Code, 2025 Edition Part 4; the California Energy Code, 2025 Edition Part 6; California Historical Building Code, 2025 Edition Part 8; the California Existing Building Code, 2025 Edition Part 10; the California Green Building Standards Code, 2025 Edition Part 11; the California Referenced Standards Code, 2025 Edition Part 12 and the International Property Maintenance Code, 2021 Edition. Whenever any provision of this chapter is in conflict with the provisions of the California Building Code, 2025 Edition; the California Building Code Appendices as adopted; the California Residential Code, 2025 Edition; the California Residential Code Appendices as adopted; the California Plumbing Code, 2025 Edition; the California Electrical Code, 2025 Edition; or the California Mechanical Code, 2025 Edition, the provisions of this title shall govern.
(Ord. CS 1333 §1, 2022; Ord. CS 1402, 11/18/2025)
Whenever the following words appear in the California Building Code, they shall be deemed to mean as follows:
A. 
"Chief of the fire department" means the county fire warden.
B. 
"City" means the unincorporated portions of the county.
C. 
"City attorney" means district attorney, save and except where the duties provided to be performed are those of the county counsel, in which event the words city attorney means county counsel.
D. 
"City council" means board of supervisors.
E. 
"Mayor" means chair of the board of supervisors.
F. 
"Municipality" means county.
G. 
"State" means the state of California.
(Ord. CS 625 §2, 1996; Ord. CS 1017 §2, 2007)
The chief building official is authorized and directed to enforce all the provisions of this title in accordance with the provisions of 2025 California Building Code Chapter 1, Scope and Administration, Division I, California Administration, Section 1.8.3 and Division II, Scope and Administration Section 104.
(Ord. CS 1333 §2, 2022; Ord. CS 1402, 11/18/2025)
A. 
The fee for each permit shall be as established by resolution of the board of supervisors.
B. 
The determination of value or valuation under any of the provisions of this chapter shall be established by resolution of the board of supervisors. The value to be used in computing the building permit and building plan review fees shall be the total value of all construction work for which the permit is issued as well as all finished work, painting, roofing, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, elevators, fire extinguishing systems, and other permanent equipment.
(Ord. CS 625 §2, 1996)
Any person, firm, or corporation, whether as principal, agent, employee, or otherwise, violating or causing the violation of any of the provisions of this title, shall be guilty of misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished as provided by Section 1.36.010. Pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 17995.1, any person who is convicted for a second or subsequent time within a five-year period for violations at the same property shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars or by imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both such fine and imprisonment.
(Ord. CS 625 §2, 1996; Ord. CS 705 §25, 1999)
Any building or structure set up, erected, constructed, altered, enlarged, converted, moved, or maintained contrary to the provisions of this title, and any use of land, building, or premises established, conducted, operated, or maintained contrary to the provisions of this title, shall be and the same is declared to be unlawful and a public nuisance and may be enjoined, abated and prevented in the manner provided for the abatement of a public nuisance by the laws of the state or by local ordinance.
(Ord. CS 625 §2, 1996; Ord. CS 705 §26, 1999)