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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10032006 - C.21 Contra i_ Costa TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS County FROM: CARLOS BALTODANO, DIRECTOR sTq�evN- BUILDING INSPECTION DEPARTMENT DATE: OCTOBER 3, 2006 SUBJECT: AMENDMENTS TO GAS SHUT-OFF DEVICES ORDINANCE SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS 1. ADOPT Ordinance No. 2006-44 requiring the installation of approved gas shut-off devices in existing residential, commercial, and industrial buildings prior to the sale of those buildings orwhen additions or alterations valued at more than $15,000 are made to those buildings. 2. ADOPT findings of local conditions to justify construction standards stricter than those imposed by Health and Safety Code section 19180 et. seq. 3. FIND that adoption of the ordinance is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3). 4. DIRECT staff to file a Notice of Exemption with the County Cie CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE 14 RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR _RECOMMENDATIOITOF BOARD COMMITTEE :/APPROV OTHER r SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOA D N 6G7'3 acro G APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED _O R VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE _UNANIMOUS(ABSENT JZ ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE ABSENT: ABSTAIN: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Contact: Carlos Baltodano(925/335-1108) / ATTESTED: cc: County Administrator John Cullen,Clerk of the Board of Supervisors County Counsel and County Administrator Building Inspection Community Development B PUTY CB:lg \bdord\Cados\Gas Valves\Board Order 09-06 FISCAL IMPACT None. BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS On March 21, 2000 the Board of Supervisors adopted Ordinance NO. 2000-11 which requires gas shut-off devices at gas utility meters. The ordinance allows the homeowner or developer to choose from two different types of devices that are on the market. One is known as the "seismic gas.shut off device" or Earthquake Gas Shut-Off Valve (EQGSV). This device shuts off the gas at the meter when activated by a seismic event of 5.1 or greater on the Richter scale. The other type of device, known as a low pressure Excess Flow Valve (EXFV) controls and shuts off the flow of gas into all the pipes in the house in the event of a pipe break on any gas pipe in the structure. These valves provide twenty- four hour protection and automatically reset after a gas line has been repaired. Both of these valves are designed to be installed between the gas meter and the gas entering into the structure. On July 20, 2004 the Board of Supervisors adopted Ordinance NO. 2004-27 which requires excess flow valves at each appliance. On May 9, 2006 the Board of Supervisors directed the Director of the Building Inspection Department(BID)to draft an ordinance to require gas shut-off devices on all buildings prior to close of escrow when an escrow agreement has been executed in connection with a sale and to amend the Contra Costa County Gas Shut-off Devices Ordinance 2004-27 to require gas shut-off devices for alterations or additions valued at more than $15,000 instead of$50,000. Ordinance NO. 2006-44 requires the installation of approved gas shut off devices in existing residential, commercial, and industrial buildings priorto the sale of those buildings, or when additions or alterations valued at more than $15,000 are made to existing residential, commercial, and industrial buildings when fuel gas piping is not involved in the addition or alteration. The amended Ordinance 2006-44(Appendix A) and the corresponding findings(Appendix B) are attached. There are presently eight (8) cities within Contra Costa County and two (2) other Bay Area counties that have approved gas shut off valve ordinances (Appendix C). Natural gas explosions in apartments or homes are not unusual occurrences. A Housing and Urban Development(HUD) report in October 2001 states that on average 400 homes per year are destroyed due to natural gas explosions and fires. The National Fire Protection Agency, in its "U.S. Home Report— 1993-1997'determined that natural gas accounts for an annual average of 5,700 home fires, including 385 casualties, and up to $50 million in property damage. It is estimated that natural gas is used by at least 80% of the California population, especially in urban areas. If we add the additional fact that the United States Geological Society(USGS) predicts a 70% chance of at least one earthquake of 6.7 or greater in the \\Bifs01\bi\BID\home\Ig1ass\My Documents\CARLOS\Gas Valves\Board Order-10-03-06.doc 2 Bay Area before 2030, then the issue of potential explosions and fires caused by disconnected or broken gas lines becomes an even greater problem. Educational Component The Board of Supervisors also requested the Director of the Building Inspection Department to develop an education component. The educational component will be used to educate Real Estate professionals on the new Ordinance, and to promote the installation of gas shut-off devices by property owners, as a safety measure, even if there is not an impending sale of the property. As a part of this educational component the Building Inspection Department has developed the following: • a brochure for distribution at County offices and home improvement stores(Appendix D) • a script for an educational video to be shown on the local cable station • a speakers bureau on the safety and installation of gas shut-off valves for community groups. • a handout for Real. Estate professionals to distribute to prospective sellers and buyers ( Appendix E) It is envisioned that the Building Inspection Department will work closelywith area Realtors and Real Estate Organizations to ensure compliance with the ordinance. The BID will coordinate with financial and real estate professionals to develop a checklist of items that need to be completed prior to the close of escrow, including the installation of gas shut-off valves. Properties Affected In Contra Costa County for the year of 2005 approximately 22,000 properties were sold. Out of the 22,000 properties that were sold;it is estimated that 45%or 9,900 of these were existing properties as opposed to new properties. That would be almost 10,000 properties that would be better prepared for an earthquake. California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Staff has determined that adoption of the attached ordinance is exempt from of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Section 15061 (b)(3) of the State CEQA guidelines. This ordinance can be seen with certainty to have no effect on the environment. The ordinance will require the installation of devices inside certain structures, which will not result in physical changes to the environment. \\Bifs01N BID\hom091assWy Documents\CARLOS\Gas Valves\Board Order-10-03-06.doc 3 ORDINANCE NO. 2006-44 GAS SHUT-OFF DEVICES The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors ordains as follows (omitting the parenthetical footnotes from the official text of the enacted or amended provisions of the County Ordinance Code): SECTION L SUMMARY. This ordinance amends Section 718-8.204 of the County Ordinance Code to require the installation of approved gas shut-off devices in existing residential, commercial, and industrial buildings prior to the sale of those buildings, or when additions or alterations valued at more than $10,000 are made to existing residential, commercial, and industrial buildings when fuel gas piping is not involved in the addition or alteration. SECTION H. Section 718-8.204 of the County Ordinance Code is amended to read: 718-8.204 Scope. (a) The following devices shall be installed at the following locations in the buildings specified in subsection(b): (1) An approved seismic gas shut-off device(motion sensitive) or an approved excess flow gas shut-off device(non-motion sensitive) shall be installed downstream of the gas utility meter at the beginning of each rigid gas piping system that serves any of the buildings specified in subsection(b); and (2) An approved excess flow gas shut-off device (non-motion sensitive) shall be installed at each connection of a gas appliance to a gas line within any of the buildings specified in subsection (b). (b) The devices specified in subsection (a) shall be installed in the following buildings and structures: (1) In any new building construction (commercial, industrial or residential) containing fuel gas piping for which a building permit is first issued on or after the effective date of this ordinance. (2) In any existing residential building that is altered or added to; and (A) The building has fuel gas piping supplying the existing building or the addition to the building; and ORDINANCE NO. 2006-44 1 l M (B) A building permit for the work is first issued on or after the effective date of this ordinance; and (C) The value of the alteration/addition is either: (i) More than $5,000 where fuel gas piping is involved in the alteration or addition. Alterations or additions to individual condominium or apartment units shall require an approved gas shut-off device to be installed for all gas piping serving the building and a device at each connection of a gas appliance to a gas line in each individual unit that is being altered or added to; or (ii) More than $15,000 where fuel gas piping is not involved in the alteration or addition. Alterations or additions to individual condominium or apartment units shall require an approved gas shut-off device to be installed for all gas piping serving the building and a device at each connection of a gas appliance to a gas line in each individual unit that is being altered or added to. (3) In any existing commercial or industrial building that is altered or added to; and (A) The building has fuel gas piping supplying the existing building or the addition to the building; and (B) A building permit for the work is first issued on or after the effective date of this ordinance;and (C) The value of the alteration/addition is either: (i) More than $5,000 where fuel gas piping is involved in the alteration or addition. Alterations or additions to individual units or tenant spaces shall require an approved gas shut-off device to be installed for all gas piping serving the building and a device at each connection of a gas appliance to a gas Iine in each individual unit that is being altered or added to; or (ii) More than $15,000 where fuel gas piping is not involved in the alteration or addition. Alterations or additions to individual units or tenant spaces shall require an approved gas shut-off device to be installed for all gas piping serving the building and a device at each connection of a gas appliance to a gas line in each individual unit that is being altered or added to. ORDINANCE NO, 2006-44 2 (4) In any existing residential building that has fuel gas piping supplying the building and the building is sold on or after December 1, 2006. The devices specified in subsection (a) shall be installed before the parties to the sale enter into an agreement for sale, or before the close of escrow when an escrow agreement has been executed in connection with the sale. The sale of an individual condominium unit in a building requires the installation of the devices specified in subsection (a) only on the piping serving that individual unit. (5) In any existing commercial or industrial building that has fuel gas piping supplying the building and the building is sold on or after December 1, 2006. The devices specified in subsection (a) shall be installed before the parties to the sale enter into an agreement for sale, or before the close of escrow when an escrow agreement has been executed in connection with the sale. (Ords. 2006-44 §2, 2004-27 § 2, 2000-11 §2.) SECTION M. EFFECTIVE DATE. This ordinance becomes effective 30 days after passage, and within 15 days after passage shall be published once with the names of supervisors voting for or against it in the Contra Costa Times, a newspaper published in this County. PASSED on October 3 2006 by the following vote: AYES: Uilkema, Piepho, DeSaulnier and Gioia NOES: None ABSENT: Glover ABSTAIN: None ATTEST: JOHN CULLEN, Clerk of the Board of SupervisorsBoard Chair and County Administrator By: [SEAL] uty TLG: HA2006\Building Inspection\gas shutoff ord-sale-frnal2.wpd ORDINANCE NO. 2006-44 3 Appendix B ADDITIONAL FINDING OF NEED FOR STRICTER CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS DUE TO LOCAL CONDITIONS I. Geological and Topographical A. Seismicitv 1. Conditions Contra Costa County is located in Seismic Risk Zone 4, which is the worst earthquake area in the United States. Buildings and other structures in Zone 4 can experience major seismic damage. Contra Costa County is in close proximity to numerous earthquake faults including the San Andreas Fault and contains all or portions of the Hayward, Calaveras, Concord, Antioch, Mt. Diablo, and other lesser faults. A 4.1 earthquake with its epicenter in Concord occurred in 1958, and a 5.4 earthquake with its epicenter also in Concord occurred in 1955. The Concord and Antioch faults have a potential for a Richter 6 earthquake and the Hayward and Calaveras faults have the potential for a Richter 7 earthquake. Minor tremblers from seismic activity are not uncommon in the area. A study released in 1990 by the United States Geological Survey says that there is a 67% chance of another earthquake the size of Loma Prieta during the next 30 years, and that the quake could strike at any time, including today. Scientists, therefore, believe that an earthquake of a magnitude 7 or larger is now twice as likely to happen as to not happen. Interstates 680, 80, 580 and State Route 4 run the length throughout Contra Costa County. These interstates and state routes divide the County into a west, south, north and east. An overpass or undercrossing collapse would significantly alter the response route and time for responding emergency equipment. This is due to limited crossings of the interstate and that in some areas there is only one surface street, which runs parallel to the interstate, which would be congested during a significant emergency. Earthquakes of the magnitude experienced locally can cause major damage to electrical transmission facilities and to gas lines in buildings, which in turn start fires throughout the Appendix B County. The occurrence of multiple fires will quickly deplete existing fire department resources; thereby reducing and/or delaying their response to any given fire. Fires following earthquakes can add substantially to the community wide destruction initiated by strong earthquakes and the associated after shocks. Fire loss directly attributable to the earthquake begins immediately following the earthquake and can continue for days afterward. One cause of post earthquake fires is overturned gas appliances, such as dryers, unstrapped water heaters, furnaces and gas ranges. Contra Costa County currently requires that a motion sensitive or excess flow valve be installed downstream of the gas meter and an excess flow valve at the point of the appliance in new construction or under certain conditions when a building is altered. This leaves other structures vulnerable to explosions and fires after an earthquake. Requiring gas shut-off valves to be installed on all buildings prior to close of escrow when an escrow agreement has been executed in connection with a sale in Contra Costa County would further reduce the risk of explosion and fire, thereby reducing property damage and injury to humans. (a) Impact A major earthquake could severely restrict the response of all Contra Costa County Fire Districts and their capability to control fires involving buildings of wood frame construction, with ordinary roofing materials and flammable exteriors, or with large interior areas not provided with automatic smoke and fire control systems. Also, when buildings not equipped with earthquake structural support move off their foundations, gas pipes may rupture. Fires develop from line ruptures and spread from house to house, causing an extreme demand for fire protection resources. 2. Soils (a) Conditions Appendix B The area is replete with various soils, which are unstable, clay loam and alluvial fans being predominant. These soil conditions are moderately to severely prone to swelling and shrinking, are plastic, and tend to liquefy. Throughout Contra Costa County, the topography and development growth has created a network of older, narrow roads. These roads vary from gravel to asphalt surface and vary in percent of slope, many exceeding twenty (20) percent. Several of these roads extend up through the winding passageways in the hills providing access to remote, affluent housing subdivisions. The majority of these roads are private with no established maintenance program. During inclement weather, these roads are subject to rock and mudslides, as well as down trees, obstructing all vehicle traffic. It is anticipated that during an earthquake, several of these roads would be unpassable so as to prevent fire protection resources from reaching fires cause by gas line ruptures or other sources. 3. Topographic (a) Conditions i. Vegetation Highly combustible dry grass, weeds, and brush are common in the hilly and open space areas adjacent to built-up locations six (6) to eight (8) months of each year. Many of these areas frequently experience wildland fires, which threaten nearby buildings, particularly those with wood roofs, or sidings. This condition can be found throughout Contra Costa County, especially in those developed and developing areas of the County. Earthquake gas fires due to gas line ruptures can ignite grasslands and stress fire district resources. (b) Impact The above local geological and topographical conditions increase the magnitude, exposure, Appendix B accessibility problems, and fire hazards presented to the County fire resources. Fire following an earthquake has the potential of causing greater loss of life and damage than the earthquake itself. Most earthquake fires are created by natural gas developed from gas line ruptures. Hazardous materials, particularly toxic gases, could pose the greatest threat to the largest number, should a significant seismic event occur. Public safety resources would have to be prioritized to mitigate the greatest threat, and may likely be unavailable for smaller single dwellings that were caused by broken gas lines. Other variables may tend to intensify the situation: 1. The extent of damage to the water system 2. The ,extent of isolation due to bridge and/or freeway overpass collapse. 3. The extent of roadway damage and/or amount of debris blocking the roadways. 4. Climatic condition (hot, dry weather with high winds). 5. Time of day will influence the amount of traffic on roadways and could intensify the risk to life during normal business hours. 6. The availability of timely mutual aid or military assistance. 7. The large portion of dwellings with wood shake or shingle coverings could result in conflagrations. 8. The large number of dwellings that slip off their foundations and rupture gas lines resulting in further conflagrations. A. Climatic 1. Precipitation and Relative Humidity (a) Conditions Precipitation ranges from 15 to 24 inches per year with an average of approximately 20 inches per year. Ninety-six (96) percent falls during the months of October through April and four (4) percent from May through September. This is a dry period of at least five (5) months each year. Additionally, the area is Appendix B subject to occasional drought. Relative humidity remains in the middle range most of the time. It ranges from forty-five (45) to sixty-five (65) percent during spring, summer, fall, and from sixty (60) to ninety (90) percent in the winter. It occasionally falls as low as fifteen (15) percent. (b) Impact Locally experienced dry periods cause extreme dryness of untreated wood shakes and shingles on buildings and non-irrigated grass, brush and weeds, which are often near buildings with wood roofs and sidings. Such dryness causes these materials to ignite very readily and burn rapidly and intensely. Gas fires due to gas line ruptures can also spark and engulf a single family residence during these dry periods. Because of dryness, a rapidly burning gas fire or exterior building fire can quickly transfer to other buildings by means of radiation or flying brands, sparks or embers. A small fire can rapidly grow to a magnitude beyond the control capabilities of the Fire District resulting in an excessive fire loss. 2. Temperature (a) Conditions Temperatures have been recorded as high as 114° F. Average summer highs are in the 750 - 900 range, with average maximums of 105° F in some areas of unincorporated Contra Costa County. (b) Impact High temperatures cause rapid fatigue and heat exhaustion of firefighters, thereby reducing their effectiveness and ability to control large building, wildland fires, and fires caused by gas line ruptures. Another impact from high temperatures is that combustible building material and non-irrigated weeds, grass and brush are preheated, thus causing these materials to ignite more readily and burn more Appendix B rapidly and intensely. Additionally, the resultant higher temperature of the atmosphere surrounding the materials reduces the effectiveness of the water being applied to the burning materials. This requires that more water be applied, which in turn requires more fire resources in order to control a fire on a hot day. High temperatures directly contribute to the rapid growth of fires to an intensity and magnitude beyond the control capabilities of the Fire Districts in Contra Costa County. 1. Winds (a) Conditions Prevailing winds in many parts of Contra Costa County are form the north or northwest in the afternoons. However, winds are experienced from virtually every direction at one time or another. Velocities can reach fourteen (14) mph to twenty- three (23) mph ranges, gusting to twenty-five (25) to thirty-five (35) mph. Forty (40) mph winds are experienced occasionally and winds up to fifty-five (55) mph have been registered locally. During the winter half of the year, strong, dry, gusty winds from the north move through the area for several days, creating extremely dry conditions. (b) Impact Winds such as those experienced locally can and do exacerbate fires, both interior and exterior, to burn and spread rapidly. Fires involving non-irrigated weeds, grass, brush, and fires caused by gas line ruptures can grow to a magnitude and be fanned to an intensity beyond the control capabilities of the fire services very quickly even by relatively moderate winds. When such fires are not controlled; they can extend to nearby buildings, particularly those with untreated wood shakes or shingles. Winds of the type experienced locally also reduce the effectiveness of exterior water streams used by all Contra Costa County Fire Districts on fires involving large interior areas of buildings, fires which have vented through windows and roofs due to inadequate Appendix B built-in fire protection and fires involving wood shake and shingle building exteriors. Local winds will continue to be a definite factor toward causing major fire losses to buildings not provided with fire resistive roof and siding materials and buildings with inadequately separated interior areas, or lacking automatic fire protection systems, or lacking proper gas shut-off devices to shut off gas when pipes are ruptured. National statistics frequently cite wind conditions, such as those experienced locally, as a major factor where conflagrations have occurred. 2. Summary These local climatic conditions affect the acceleration, intensity, and size of fire in the unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County. Times of little or no rainfall, of low humidity, and high temperatures create extremely hazardous conditions, particularly as they relate to wood shake and shingle roof fires and conflagrations. The winds experienced in Contra Costa County can have a tremendous impact upon structure fires. During wood shake and shingle roof fires, or exposure fires, or gas fires, winds can carry sparks and burning brands to other structures, thus spreading the fire and causing conflagrations. In building fires, winds can literally force fires back into the building and can create a blow torch effect, in addition to preventing "natural' ventilation and cross-ventilation efforts. B. Automatic Gas Shut-Off Devices to Prevent Gas Fires Caused by Pipeline Ruptures and Breaks 1. Devices (a) Types of Devices Two types of automatic shut-off devices are available to prevent gas from escaping from broken or ruptured pipes caused by earthquakes or other manmade reasons. (1) Seismic Gas Shut-off devices operate by motion created by earthquakes. In the event of gas pipe ruptures caused by earthquakes, these devices can stop gas from escaping into buildings, thus preventing fires and explosions. Appendix B Earthquake seismic valves are those valves approved by the Department of the State Architect of California (DSA) as devices capable of preventing the release of gas due to gas line ruptures caused by earthquakes. Seismic valves to be used in California must pass a certification program administered by the DSA. (2) Excess flow valves are devices operated by pressure or excess flow. In the event of a gas line rupture due to an earthquake, these devices can stop the flow of gas from escaping into buildings, thus preventing fires. The design of the device shall provide a proven method to provide automatically for expedient and safe gas shutoff in an emergency. The design of the device provides a capability for ease of consumer or owner resetting in a safe manner. The device can be certified by the State Architect or the operational and functional design of the device meets or exceeds the device certified by the Office of the State Architect. The determination of whether the operational and functional design of the device is at least equal to the device certified by the State Architect may be made by one of the following: the Independent Laboratory of the International Approval Services (IAS), Underwriter's laboratory (UL), International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), or other recognized listing and testing agency. (b) Need for Maximum Protection - (1) Since there are many devices having different means of preventing gas escape which are on the private market, all of which can potentially protect buildings from fires and explosions due to gas line ruptures, it is important to provide as many options to the public for their use and protection. Devices which prevent gas escape from gas line breaks and ruptures should be approved by public or private non-profit Appendix B agencies regarded as credible in their fields, as the above. 2. Fire Protection Resources Preserved (a) By requiring automatic gas shut-off valves in all new building construction and in certain remodeled buildings, the likelihood of fire and explosion will be reduced, thus not taxing fire resources of County Fire Districts. 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C G II) O LL U ; R.MMa APPENDIX D ' 8011 !m ff Now a- as L"7- Qom . HARD PIPE SYSTEM Th ( (I) 11 11111 1 cssT srsrEM L , IGlirlu SbTsl Tohfoljf 69 APPWNCES TOGGAASS DOWNH ..t Vatves Manuel Seismic Excess APRURees rPRLWmNY PRniCtnOa � - �- ALLff2NSAIPLwIM3 - APPI.WXE VAYES ' I SmCDRnECT To TRE Operation Use wrench senses quake senses gas vATYEs wEn aTS a4RED SVETrLaM IWIDDLD IRAII[C ISM INMEDIATELYAiTER� :o.0 7 H, YILMIUM FIHSiALLEtI IIATAEDLVEIY AFTER Benefits Can shut off automatically St DFI ,� "' I IDOA7T87RFJAI OPy THE gas incase shuts off gas in automatically gas yr' -► of quake or case of quake shuts off �r tEE too much in case gas excess gas ° Drawbacks Someone will only shut off will only.shut f V-i� .__ RUN needs to be if above a 5.1 off If above present Richter quake excessievel - 1 p •GAS REX CelIRECT LIRE AP'PUARcESMEEYVALVES RAE nISTRLt.ERWMFAf TNEHMDPIPECGAIIECTS TO THE APPLIANCE GAS FLfXLINIS Da-r1 -0 03 T v -I -no) 32rwr =r 0) r m o s a 00 0 0 00 0) 0 0 0 �a Ln I' 3 oa" RtoTOi = asaCX L11IV ..Con mo, LLn= o^i mLD0 Di ^ fin '*, moi aim .r as n �m0 � .* �( N � o oco * 3 0) mom _ L OJ ^ O O O O r4 rr O f F+3 ^ n N L03 i 00 � 7 L^O Co0 i „m 7 N A 7 V►:' / + o � Oa� n° m v3o � �a Do F WLo a D LOQ AAa N D W d N D3 � d O a� W �rt01 ° na V.. � o � � rt o g �aYAo3 .C) o I ` ? Lo O a o Ln IA 0 N � avo � <.o o � Ln< ono �� waM Ln 0 WNC N OCp d a co_7 O 0 3 0 a CZ W N O d T 3 '7 . � D 4 opo U) `dao 0oO paa 3 TO � 3D m Baa x�FL` r O O Crr -n =r 0 0 a c m (D w O O a v 3 aa 3 - m .r' l�/CJ e ' 1 i r I. h �~ r Appendix E sE-_L CONTRA COSTA COUNTY 71 ' BUILDING INSPECTION DEPARTMENT a s 651 Pine Street, N. Wing-3Id Floor .. -_ Martinez, CA 94553 Telephone: 646-4108 Fax: 646-1219 GAS SHUT-OFF VALVE REQUIREMENTS Contra Costa County Ordinance Code chapter 718-8 requires gas shut-off valves be installed downstream of the meter and at the point of appliance on designated building with in the County. Gas shut-off valves are designed to automatically shut off the power supply of natural gas to a building to prevent a fire or explosion due to accumulation of gas in the building in the event of a major earthquake. The provisions of this Ordinance apply to: 1. All new buildings constructed after April 21, 2000. 2. Commercial building performing additions, alterations or repairs with a building permit issued after April 24, 2000 and a valuation of greater than $10, 000. 3. Residential building performing additions, alterations or repairs with a building permit issued after April 24, 2000 and a valuation of greater than $10, 000. 4. All buildings sold in the County after December 1, 2006. Gash shut-off valves must be installed downstream of the meter and at the point of appliance prior to entering into an agreement for sale, or prior to close of escrow when an escrow agreement has been executed in connection with the sale. 5. Alterations or additions to the fuel gas piping system when involve the replacement of the gas meter. Provisions of the ordinance allow for the installation the valves to an individual unit or tenant space in a condominium or commercial building when that unit is served by separate gas meters for buildings that are altered, added to or sold. A plumbing permit from the Building Inspection Department is required for the installation. The cost of a plumbing permit is $62,25. To request a permit application or schedule an inspection of installed valves, call (925) 646- 4108. v Appendix E CONTRA COSTA COUNTY %' - BUILDING INSPECTION DEPARTMENT 651 Pine Street, N. Wing—3rd Floor Martinez, CA 94553 Telephone: 646-4108 Fax: 646-1219 APPROVED GAS SHUT-OFF VALVES For a list of the approved Gas shut-off valves,please see the California Division of the State Architect website at: llttp://www.dsa.dgs.ca.gov/gas shutof£htm The Division of the State Architect(DSA) is certifying two different types of gas shut off valves for residential use: 1) earthquake sensitive gas shut off valves (ESV) and 2) excess flow automatic gas shut off valves (EFV). DSA derives its authority to certify these valves from the Health and Safety Code. For questions regarding the state certification program for gas shutoff valves, contact Paul Vetter, (916)324-1280, paul.vetterndgs.ca.gov. ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q. Where can valves be purchased? A. From supply retailers plumbing contractors, or the valve manufacturers listed on the California Division of the State Architect website. Q. What if I buy a condominimium in a building with multiple units? A. The ordinances requires that all gas piping serving that unit be protected by a gas shut-off valve and gas shut off valves at the point of appliance be installed prior to close of escrow when an escrow agreement has been executed in connection with the sale after November 1, 2006. Q. What do I do if my building does not have a natural gas piping system? A. This ordinance only applies to buildings with natural gas piping systems. Q. My property went into escrow because of a refinance but there no change in ownership. Are gas shut-off valves still required? A. No, they are not required, but you might like to have them installed for added protection in the event of an earthquake.