Sec. 13-0.2. Amendments to the California Fire Code.
Section [A] 101.1 is amended to read as follows:
[A] 101.1 Title. These regulations shall be known as the Fire Code of the City of Monterey hereinafter referred to as “this code”.
Section 305 is amended by adding a Section 305.1.1 to read as follows:
305.1.1 General. Use of equipment, appliances, and open flame devices shall be in accordance with this section.
(a) The use of any fuel burning or consuming apparatus, electrical device or explosives on Municipal Wharves No. 1 and No. 2 shall be prohibited unless specifically approved by the fire code official. Such as, but not limited to:
1. Generators.
2. Oil burning equipment.
3. Liquefied petroleum gas equipment.
4. Lanterns.
5. Stoves.
6. Heaters.
7. Candles.
8. Barbecues.
This section shall not apply to:
1. Motor vehicles.
2. Devices operated or used within buildings located on Municipal Wharves No. 1 and No. 2, and fish pumps.
3. Any repair or construction undertaken by the City of Monterey, its agents, or any public entity.
Section 307.1.1 is amended to read as follows:
Section 307.1.1 Prohibited open burning. Open burning shall be prohibited including outdoor rubbish fires and bonfires, unless (1) the fire is confined to an approved container as defined by the California Mechanical Code and authorized by the Monterey Bay Air Pollution Control District, (2) the open fire is for the explicit purpose of preparation of food, such as in the case of a luau, barbecue, and the like, or (3) a special condition or circumstance exists and written authorization is granted by the Fire Chief.
Section 605.3.1 is added to read as follows:
605.3.1 Spark arrestor. An approved spark arrestor shall be installed on all chimneys, incinerators, smokestacks, or similar devices where the burning of solid fuel conveys smoke, embers, and hot gases to the outer air.
Section 901 is amended by adding a Section 901.1.1 and a Section 901.8.3 to read as follows:
901.1.1 Responsibility. The owner of the protected premises shall be responsible for all fire protection systems within the protected premises, whether existing or installed under this code.
901.8.3 Non-operational equipment. Any non-required fire protection equipment that is no longer in service shall be removed.
Section 903.2 is amended to read as follows:
903.2 Where required. Approved automatic sprinkler systems shall be provided in all new buildings and structures constructed, moved into, or relocated within the jurisdiction.
Exceptions:
1. Structures not classified as Group R occupancies and not more than 500 square feet in total floor area.
2. Detached Group U occupancies (private garages, carports, sheds, and agriculture buildings).
The following sections are amended by changing requirements to 500 square feet for fire sprinkler installation, as follows (the complete text of the section is not provided):
903.2.1.1 Group A-1. Change “12,000 square feet” to “500 square feet”.
903.2.1.2 Group A-2. Change “5,000 square feet” to “500 square feet”.
903.2.1.3 Group A-3. Change “12,000 square feet” to “500 square feet”.
903.2.1.4 Group A-4. Change “12,000 square feet” to “500 square feet”.
903.2.1.5 Group A-5. Change “12,000 square feet” to “500 square feet”.
903.2.3 Group E. Change “12,000 square feet” to “500 square feet”.
903.2.4 Group F-1. Change “12,000 square feet” to “500 square feet”. Change “2,500 square feet” for woodworking operations to “500 square feet”.
903.2.7-1 Group M. Change “12,000 square feet” to “500 square feet”.
903.2.7-3 Group M. Change “24,000 square feet” to “500 square feet”.
903.2.9 Group S-1. Change “12,000 square feet” to “500 square feet”.
903.2.9.1 Repair Garages. Change “10,000 square feet” (2 story buildings) and “12,000 square feet” (1 story buildings) to “500 square feet”.
903.2.9.2 Bulk storage of tires. Change “20,000 cubic feet” to “500 square feet”.
Section 903.2.8 is amended to read as follows:
903.2.8 Group R. An automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3 shall be provided in all buildings with a Group R fire area, including, but not limited to, one- and two-family dwellings, townhomes, and manufactured homes and mobile homes located outside of licensed mobile home parks hereafter constructed, moved into or relocated within the jurisdiction, including all additions to buildings already equipped with automatic fire sprinkler systems.
Section 903.2.22 is added to read as follows:
903.22 Change of use. Automatic fire sprinklers shall be installed when the occupancy changes from a single occupancy to a mixed-use occupancy which would require the installation of an occupancy separation, or when the occupancy changes from any type of occupancy to an Assembly use occupancy.
Section 903.3.1.3 is amended to add the following sections:
903.3.1.3.1 Water system control valve. Each water system supplying both domestic and fire protection systems shall have a single indicating-type control valve, arranged to shut off both the domestic and sprinkler systems. A separate shut-off valve for the domestic system only shall be permitted to be installed. The location of the control valve shall be approved by the fire code official.
903.3.1.3.2 Local water flow alarm. Local water flow alarms shall be provided on all sprinkler systems. Local water flow alarms shall be powered from the main kitchen refrigerator circuit. The local water flow alarm shall be clearly audible from within the master bedroom at an audibility level of not less than 75 dBa. Where no kitchen exists in the building, the water flow alarm shall be powered from the bathroom lighting circuit.
Section 903.6.1 is added to read as follows:
903.6.1 Existing Group R-3 buildings. Additions, alterations, or repairs which involve the removal or replacement of 50 percent or greater of the linear length of walls of the building (exterior plus interior) within a one-year period shall meet the requirements of new construction or this code. To qualify as an alteration or repair under this section, the wall must be physically added, removed, replaced or relocated; removal of wall coverings does not constitute an alteration or repair.
Section 907.6.2 is amended to read as follows:
907.6.2 Zone transmittal. Where required by the fire code official, fire alarm signals shall be transmitted by zone to the supervising station and retransmitted by zone to the public fire service communications center.
Section 907.7.2 is amended to read as follows:
907.7.2 Completion documents. The following documentation shall be provided at the time of acceptance testing for all fire alarm system installations:
1. A record of completion in accordance with NFPA 72.
2. A contractor’s statement verifying that the system has been installed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications, and has been 100 percent tested in accordance with NFPA 72.
3. A contractor’s affidavit of personnel qualifications, indicating that all personnel involved with the installation of the fire alarm system meet the qualification requirements of the fire code official.
Section 4907.1.1 is added to read as follows:
4907.1.1 Standard defensible space requirements. Remove combustible vegetation from within a minimum of 100 feet or to the property line from structures, whichever is closer. Vegetation shall be no taller than four inches (4”) high. Limb trees 6 feet up from the ground. Remove limbs within 10 feet of chimneys. Additional or alternate fire protection approved by the fire code official may be required to provide reasonable fire safety. Environmentally sensitive areas may require alternative fire protection, to be determined by the fire code official and other jurisdictional authorities.
Section 5704.2.9.6.1 is amended to read as follows:
5704.2.9.6.1 Outdoor storage of containers and portable tanks. Storage of Class I and Class II liquids in aboveground tanks outside of buildings is prohibited within the limits established by law as the limits of districts in which such storage is prohibited except as permitted by the Zoning Ordinance.
Exceptions:
1. For marine fueling operations, a maximum of 2000 gallons of diesel fuel may be stored and dispensed from an above ground tank as approved by the Fire Chief.
2. Storage tanks of 500-gallon maximum capacity may be used only in conjunction with emergency generators as approved by the Fire Chief.
(Ord. 3656 §§ 3, 8, 2022)