A. 
The city adopts by reference, except as provided in this chapter, those certain codes known and designated as the 2025 California Building Code (Title 26 Building Code of the Los Angeles County Code, 2026 Edition), the 2025 California Electrical Code (Title 27 Electrical Code of the Los Angeles County Code, 2026 Edition), the 2025 California Plumbing Code (Title 28 Plumbing Code of the Los Angeles County Code, 2026 Edition), the 2025 California Mechanical Code (Title 29 Mechanical Code of the Los Angeles County Code, 2026 Edition), the 2025 California Residential Code (Title 30 Residential Code of the Los Angeles County Code, 2026 Edition), as adopted by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on November 25, 2025 and the 2025 California Green Building Code (Title 24 Part II of the California Building Standards Code), the 2025 California Fire Code including Appendices Chapters 4, B, C, D, and I (Title 24 Part 7 of the California Building Standards Code) 2025 the Wildland Urban Interface Code including Appendices Chapters A, B, C, D, F, G, H and I (Title 24 Part 7 of the California Building Standards Code), and such codes, as amended, shall be the uniform building laws of the city.
B. 
One copy of the county of Los Angeles Building, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Residential codes, and the California Green Building Code has been deposited in the office of the building official and shall be at all times maintained by the building official for use and examination by the public.
C. 
The editions of the county of Los Angeles codes referenced in this section shall supersede and replace editions previously adopted. The codes adopted by reference by this section shall take effect on January 1, 2026, and shall apply to all projects submitted for plan check on or after that date.
D. 
See Section 15.32.010 for adopted Fire Code by the city of La Verne.
(Prior code § 9920; Ord. 636 § 1, 1981; Ord. 695 § 2, 1985; Ord. 783 § 1, 1989; Ord. 812 § 1, 1990; Ord. 835 § 1, 1991; Ord. 845 § 1, 1992; Ord. 878 § 1, 1996; Ord. 936 § 1, 1999; Ord. 961 § 1, 2002; Ord. 1000 § 1, 2007; Ord. 1020 § 1, 2010; Ord. 1042 § 1, 2013; Ord. 1075 § 1, 2016; Ord. 1088 §§ 1, 2, 2019; Ord. 1114 § 2, 2022; Ord. 25-1137, 12/15/2025; Ord. 26-1139, 1/20/2026)
Whenever any of the following names or terms is used in the Los Angeles County Codes delineated in Section 15.04.010, each such name or term shall be deemed and construed to have the meaning ascribed to it in this section as follows:
"Board of appeals"
means the city council of the city of La Verne.
"Board of supervisors of the county of Los Angeles"
means the city council of the city of La Verne.
"Building official"
means the community development director.
"Building rehabilitation appeals board"
means the city council of the city of La Verne.
"City"
means the city of La Verne, except in Section 103 of the Building Code.
"County," "county of Los Angeles" or "unincorporated territory of the county of Los Angeles"
means the city council of the city of La Verne, or the city of La Verne, as the text shall require.
"General fund"
means the city treasury of the city of La Verne.
"Health officer"
means the health officer of the city of La Verne.
"Sanitation, sewage and industrial waste ordinance"
means Chapter 13.16 of this code.
For purposes of Chapter 99 of the county of Los Angeles Building Code, "county engineer" means the city of La Verne director of community development.
For purposes of Appendix J, Grading, building official means the city engineer of the city of La Verne.
"Zoning code"
means the zoning code of the city of La Verne.
"Los Angeles County Subdivision Ordinance"
means the subdivision ordinance of the city of La Verne.
"County forces"
means the forces of the city of La Verne.
(Prior code § 9921; Ord. 695 § 3, 1985; Ord. 808 §§ 1 and 2, 1990; Ord. 1000 § 3, 2007; Ord. 1020 § 3, 2010)
Prohibited structures shall include the further provisions of this code as outlined in Chapter 99 of the Los Angeles County Building Code and in Chapter 15.16 of this code.
(Prior code § 9921; Ord. 695 § 3, 1985; Ord. 1000 § 4, 2007)
Chapter 69 of the Los Angeles County Building Code shall be governed by Chapter 15.12 of this code.
(Prior code § 9921; Ord. 695 § 3, 1985; Ord. 1000 § 5, 2007)
The fees collectible by the city for the issuance of building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, sewer and grading permits and plan checking fees for building and structures shall be established at two times the prevailing Los Angeles County fee, as amended from time to time by ordinance of the city council, of permit and plan checking fees for buildings and structures set forth in the Los Angeles County Building, Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Codes and amendments thereto, as adopted by the city.
(Prior code § 9920.02; Ord. 880 § 1, 1996)
Every person violating any provision of the 2025 California Building Code as amended by Title 26 Building Code of the Los Angeles Code, the 2025 California Electrical Code as amended by Title 27 Electrical Code of the Los Angeles County Code, the 2025 California Plumbing Code as amended by Title 28 Electrical Code of the Los Angeles County Code, or the 2025 California Mechanical Code as amended by Title 29 Los Angeles County Mechanical Code, or the California Residential Code as amended by Title 30 Residential Code of the Los Angeles County Code, the 2025 California Fire Code of Title 24 Part 9 of the California Building Standards Code Including Appendices Chapter 4, B, C, D and I, the 2025 Wildland-Urban Interface Code of Title 24 Part 7 of the California Building Standards Code Including Appendices Chapters A, B, C, D, F, G, H and I, and the California Green Building Code of Title 24 Part 11 of the California Building Standards Code adopted by reference by Section 15.04.010 or violating any provision of any permit or license granted thereunder, or any rules or regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, is guilty of a misdemeanor. Upon conviction thereof he or she shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars or imprisonment not to exceed six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. The imposition of such penalty for any violation shall not excuse the violation or permit it to continue. Each day that a violation occurs shall constitute a separate offense.
(Ord. 936 § 3, 1999; Ord. 961 § 3, 2002; Ord. 1000 § 6, 2007; Ord. 1020 § 4, 2010; Ord. 1042 § 3, 2013; Ord. 1075 § 3, 2016; Ord. 1088 §§ 2, 3, 2019; Ord. 1114 § 4, 2022; Ord. 25-1137, 12/15/2025; Ord. 26-1139, 1/20/2026)
There is excluded from the building code of the Los Angeles County Code the following:
A. 
Compliance with Code. As Title 1 of this code provides for compliance with the code and penalties for failure to comply, there is excluded from the Los Angeles County Code Section 103.3.
(Prior code § 9924.01; Ord. 812 § 4, 1990; Ord. 1000 § 7, 2007)
A. 
Section 903.2 of the Los Angeles County Building Code, and the California Fire Code (2025 Edition) as adopted by the city, is hereby amended to add the following:
Except for Group U occupancy groups, a fire sprinkler system is required in the following locations:
In all new institutional, educational, commercial, industrial buildings, or other uses as determined by the Fire Marshal, and in additions to existing institutional, commercial, industrial buildings, or other uses as determined by the fire marshal where the addition brings the total floor area to five thousand square feet or more. The total floor area of buildings shall be computed without regard to separation walls and floors of less than four-hour construction without openings. In the even that an automatic fire-extinguishing system is required by the particular occupancy of the building, the five thousand square foot threshold for additions shall be inapplicable.
In all new residential construction and every existing building or structure relocated or moved onto a property, every building or structure which as a result of remodeling, fire, earthquake, or another disaster requires demolition and reconstruction, in its entirety, or every existing building or structure that is receiving or has received an addition(s) in which exceeding fifty percent of the original area is exceeded, shall have an approved automatic sprinkler system installed throughout therein. This requirement shall not apply to project which:
1. 
Have been approved prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section; and
2. 
Have specific fire suppression requirements imposed as conditions of approval.
B. 
Enforcement of the provision of this section is hereby delegated to the fire chief or his or her authorized representative.
(Ord. 869 §§ 2, 3, 1995; Ord. 878 § 2, 1996; Ord. 1000 § 8, 2007; Ord. 1042 § 7, 2013; Ord. 1058 § 2, 2015; Ord. 1075 § 7, 2016; Ord. 1088 §§ 2, 4, 2019; Ord. 1114 § 5, 2022; Ord. 25-1137, 12/15/2025; Ord. 26-1139, 1/20/2026)
Section 1809.4 of the California Building Code is amended to read as follows:
1809.4 Foundations on expansive soil. Unless otherwise specified by a registered geotechnical engineer, foundation systems within the City of La Verne are considered to be on expansive soil and shall be constructed in a manner that will minimize damage to the structure from movement of the soil. Slab-on-grade and mat-type footings for buildings located on expansive soils may be designed in accordance with the provisions of Section 1808.6.2 or such other engineering design based upon geotechnical recommendation as approved by the Building Official. Where such an approved method of construction is not provided, foundations and floor slabs shall comply with the following requirements:
(i) 
Depth of foundations below the natural and finish grades shall be not less than 24 inches for exterior and 18 inches for interior foundations.
(ii) 
Exterior walls and interior bearing walls shall be supported on continuous foundation.
(iii) 
Foundations shall be reinforced with at least two continuous one-half-inch diameter deformed reinforcing bars top and bottom. Two bars shall be placed within four inches of the bottom of the foundation and two within four inches of the top of the foundation.
(iv) 
Concrete floor slabs on grade shall be cast on a four-inch fill of coarse aggregate or on a moisture barrier membrane. The slabs shall be at least three and one-half inches thick and shall be reinforced with welded wire mesh or deformed reinforcing bars. Welded wire mesh shall have a cross-sectional area of not less than five-hundredths square inch per foot each way. Reinforcing bars shall have a diameter of not less than three-eighths inch and be spaced at intervals not exceeding 24 inches each way.
(v) 
The soil below an interior concrete slab shall be saturated with moisture to a depth of 18 inches prior to casting the concrete.
(Ord. 1042 § 8, 2013; Ord. 1075 § 8, 2016)