HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04211987 - T.3 T.3
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Adopted this Order on April 21, 1987, by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisors Powers, Fanden, Schroder, Torlakson, McPeak
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
------------------------------------------------------------------
SUBJECT: Hearing on Proposed Ordinance Adopting by Reference the
1985 Uniform Building Code
The Board on April 7, 1987, continued to this time its
hearing on the proposed ordinance adopting by reference the 1985
Uniform Building Code.
The Chair invited testimony from the audience, and the
following persons appeared.
Nels Carlson, representative of the Building Industry
Association of Northern California Industrial Council, and a licensed
contractor in the State of California, spoke in favor of the Uniform
Building Code of 1985 and against the amendments proposed by the
Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, commenting that the
Code as written was prepared by professionals and the technical
issues were addressed and that issues developed locally seem to be
excessive and there is not supportive documentation for the need for
them.
Supervisor Torlakson inquired if the Board had time
constraints in adopting the ordinance and could it adopt the Uniform
Building Code without the amendments proposed by the Fire District.
County Counsel advised that the amendments were integrated into the
proposed ordinance as the Board members have it before them,
and the ordinance would have to be rewritten.
Supervisor Powers commented that the Board had adopted a
Committee Report from its Internal Operations Committee which
indicated its intent to strengthen its wood shingle position to
prohibit those in certain circumstances unless treated. Supervisor
Powers also inquired of the County Building Inspector if these
variations in the 1985 code are being adopted in other jurisdictions
within the County.
Robert Giese, County Building Inspector, advised that there
has been some adoption of wood shake and shingle changes, but not
exactly like the one being presented to the Board, but that he was
not aware of any sprinkler issue. Mr. Giese advised that there was
no emergency from the Building Inspection Department' s standpoint to
adopt the 1985 Uniform Building Code today.
Darrell Harguth, Chief Assistant Fire Marshal for Contra
Costa County Fire Protection District, responded to the concerns
raised by Mr. Carlson and Supervisor Powers, advising that the Cities
of Concord, Walnut Creek, and Pleasant Hill have adopted the proposed
amendments to the Code, but that Pleasant Hill does not include the
smoke management package, but is more restrictive than what the
District has proposed. Mr. Harguth urged adoption of the code with
the proposed amendments.
Robert Burns, Fire Loss Management Systems, 1667 Springer
Road, Mountain View, CA 94040, advised that he was the coordinator
for the Ryland Study. Mr. Burns responded to several comments on the
proposed ordinance.
Wallace Norum, District Manager, National Forest Products
Association, commented that he was involved in developing the Uniform
Building Code and was supportive of the latest edition of the code
being adopted. He commented that the amendments would be costly
revisions.
Harry Abney, Field Representative for the Wood Roofing
Industry asked the Board to consider the cost to homeowners for the
fire retardant roofs, commenting that the money spent will cover only
6. 4% of the fires and 80 of the fire losses, and none of the cost is
recoverable, it just goes into more expensive building costs. He
suggested the Board appoint a committee consisting of a local
architect, a realtor, a school teacher (or someone on a fixed
income) , a building tradesman and someone from the Building
Inspection Department of the County, and give them 90 days to gather
information on fire incidents, fire losses, costs of reroofing from
local contractors, and other pertinent data.
Ed Lucas, Chief of the Moraga Fire Protection District,
discussed the accuracy of the report before the Board and the cost of
fireproof roofs per home.
Supervisor Schroder commented that he certainly could not
argue with the intent of the recommendation of the fire services
but that issue before the Board is the adoption of an ordinance with
local variances to the Uniform Building Code and to justify those
changes relative to local conditions. He requested some time to
study the amendments relative to local conditions, and suggested
sending the matter to the Internal Operations Committee for review.
Supervisor Torlakson agreed with the referral, and
requested that the Board also ask the County Administrator and
Building Inspector to work with the fire departments and those
testifying today to organize the material for presentation to the
Committee.
IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED THAT the proposed ordinance
adopting the 1985 Uniform Building Code is REFERRED to the Internal
Operations Committee, and the County Administrator and the Building
Inspector are REQUESTED to meet with interested parties prior to the
Internal Operations Committee meeting on the matter.
I hereby certify that this Is a true and correct copy of
an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: (,[ �- o7/r Z l''7
PHIL SATC LOR, C1,;k-
of the Board
of Supervisors and County administrator
By ,Deputy.
cc: County Administrator
County Building Inspector
Internal Operations Committee Members