The City Council adopts by reference the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, 2025 Edition, as copyrighted by the International Code Council and California Building Standards Commission, as hereinafter amended, modified or altered. Such Codes are adopted by reference, for the purpose of safeguarding the public from the hazards of fire, explosion or dangerous conditions in new and existing buildings, structures and premises. One copy of the code has been and is now on file in the office of the City Clerk, and the code is adopted by reference as if incorporated and set out at length in this chapter. The provisions therein shall be controlling within the limits of the City of Orange and shall be designated, known and referred to as the Orange City Wildland-Urban Interface Code.
(Ord. 17-25, 11/12/2025)
The following sections of the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, 2025 Edition are amended, modified or altered as follows:
101.1 Title. These regulations shall be known as the Orange City Wildland-Urban Interface Code, hereinafter referred to as "this code."
101.3.1 Application. New buildings in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone or Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Fire Area designated by the enforcing agency constructed after the application date shall comply with the provisions of this code and comply with Orange City Fire Department Guideline "Vegetation Management Guideline - Technical Design for New Construction Fuel Modification Plans and Maintenance Program." This shall include all new buildings with residential, commercial, educational, institutional or similar occupancy type use, which shall be referred to in this code as "applicable buildings," as well as new buildings and structures accessory to those applicable buildings.
Exceptions:
1.
Group U occupancy accessory buildings of any size located at least 50 feet from an applicable building on the same lot.
2.
Group U occupancy agricultural buildings, as defined in Section 202 of the California Building Code of any size located at least 50 feet from an applicable building.
3.
Group C occupancy special buildings conforming to the limitations specified in Section 450.4.1 of the Californian Building Code.
4.
New accessory buildings and miscellaneous structures specified in Section 504.11 shall comply only with the requirements of that section.
5.
Additions to and remodels of buildings originally constructed prior to July 1, 2008, where the exterior building elements of the structure are not affected.
103.1 Creation of agency. The Orange City Fire Department is hereby created and the official in charge thereof shall be known as the code official. The function of the agency shall be the implementation, administration of the provisions of this code.
103.2 Appointment. The fire code official shall be appointed by the fire chief and may be removed at any time.
106.5 Fire protection plan. Where required by the code official pursuant to Section 602, a fire protection plan complying with Orange City Fire Department Guideline "Vegetation Management Guideline – Technical Design for new Construction Fuel Modification Plans and Maintenance Program" shall be prepared and shall be submitted to the code official for review and approval as part of the plans required for a permit.
109.3.7 Violation penalties. Persons who shall violate a provision of this code or shall fail to comply with any of the requirements thereof 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 be prosecuted in accordance with Chapter 1.08 of the Orange Municipal Code. Each day that a violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense.
401.1 Scope. Wildland-urban interface areas shall be provided with emergency vehicle access and water supply in accordance with this chapter, the City of Orange Fire Code and Orange City Fire Department Guideline "Fire Master Plan for Commercial & Residential Development."
603.2 Application. All new plantings of vegetation in State Responsibility Areas (SRA) and Local Responsibility Areas (LRA) designated as a Fire Hazard Severity Zone shall comply with Sections 603.3 through 603.4.2.1, and Orange City Fire Department Guideline "Vegetation Management Guideline – Technical Design for New Construction Fuel Modification Plans and Maintenance Program."
603.5 Fuel modification requirements for new construction. All new buildings to be built or installed in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone shall comply with the following:
1.
Preliminary fuel modification plans shall be submitted to and approved by the fire code official prior to or concurrently with the approval of any tentative map.
2.
Final fuel modification plans shall be submitted to and approved by the fire code official prior to the issuance of a grading permit.
3.
The fuel modification plans shall meet the criteria set forth in the Fuel Modification Section of Orange City Fire Department Guideline "Vegetation Management Guideline - Technical Design for New Construction Fuel Modification Plans and Maintenance Program."
4.
The fuel modification plan shall include provisions for the maintenance of the fuel modification in perpetuity.
5.
The fuel modification plan may be altered if conditions change. Any alterations to the fuel modification areas shall have prior approval from the fire code official.
6.
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.
604.3 Requirements. Hazardous vegetation and fuels around all applicable buildings and structure shall be maintained in accordance with the following laws and regulations:
1.
Public Resources Code, Section 4291.
2.
California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 1.5, Chapter 7, Subchapter 3, Section 1299.03.
3.
California Government Code, Section 51182.
4.
California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, Chapter 7, Subchapter 1, Section 3.07.
5.
Orange City Fire Department Guideline "Vegetation Management Guideline - Technical Design for New Construction Fuel Modification Plans and Maintenance Program."
(Ord. 17-25, 11/12/2025)