CC RESOLUTION 5574RESOLUTION NO. 5574
A RESOLUTION MAKING EXPRESS FINDINGS AND
DETERMINATIONS SUPPORTING CITY MODIFICATIONS TO THE
CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE BECAUSE OF LOCAL CLIMATIC,
GEOLOGICAL OR TOPOGRAPHICAL CONDITIONS.
The City Council of the city of El Segundo does resolve as follows:
SECTIObJ 1. Findings. The City Council finds and declares as follows:
A. Certain building standards and other related model codes are adopted by the
State of California in the California Building Standards Code and become
applicable unless amended by the City pursuant to Health and Safety Code §
17958;
B. The City of El Segundo ("City") may adopt model codes by reference pursuant
to Government Code § 50022.2 et seq.;
C. Health and Safety Code § 17958.5 authorizes the City Council to make
reasonably necessary changes or modifications to the state -adopted building
codes, including the California Building Standards Code, based on certain local
conditions;
D. Pursuant to Health and Safety Code § 17958.7, it is in the public interest to
adopt the California Building Standards Code with the changes set forth in this
Ordinance,
E. The City's staff has determined and recommended that the modifications to the
California Building Standards Code, 2025 Edition, contained herein, are
reasonably necessary due to local conditions; and
F. Health and Safety Code § 17958.7 requires the City Council to make express
findings of the necessity for modifications to the building standards contained in
the California Building Standards Code, 2025 Edition.
�CTIQN. Z. Legislative Findings. The City further finds and declares as follows:
A. Pursuant to Health and Safety Code § 17958.7, the City Council expressly finds
that the amendments and modifications to building standards contained in the
2025 California Fire Code, as adopted by the City are reasonably necessary due
to the following local climatic, geological or topographical conditions:
1. Climatic Conditions: The City is located in an area climatically classified as
"semi- arid" and prone to hot and dry Santa Ana winds of high velocity.
Moreover, due to the arid nature of the area, the weather during the windy
period tends to be very warm and dry. Furthermore, the City is a densely
populated area having buildings and structures constructed within a climate
system capable of producing major winds, fire and rain related disasters,
including but not limited to those caused by the Santa Ana winds and El Nino
Resolution No. 5574
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(or La Nina) subtropical -like weather. Because of the described climatic
conditions, the City and the surrounding cities have historically suffered from
occasional structural fires. These have often been difficult to control due to the
dry winds carrying sparks and cinders to surrounding structures. These winds
constitute a contributing factor, which causes small fires originating in high -
density development presently being constructed in the City, which spread
quickly and create the need for an increased level of fire protection. This
added protection, including, but not limited to on -site protection, will
supplement normal Fire Department response available in new development,
and provide immediate fire protection for life and safety of multiple -occupancy
occupants during fire occurrence.
2. Topographical Conditions: The City is a densely populated area having
buildings and structures constructed within relatively flat and hilly topography
causing structures close to develop heat island conditions due to urban
development and therefore needs to be incorporated into the code to assure
that new buildings and structures and additions or alterations to existing
building or structures are designed and constructed in accordance with the
scope and objectives of the California Codes. Traffic and circulation
congested in urban areas often place Fire Department response time to
emergencies at risk. This condition makes the need for enhanced on -site
protection for property occupants necessary. The dry weather conditions,
combined with the relatively hilly topography of the City is very hazardous to
the surrounding highly populated areas in as far as flame spread is concerned.
Because of the above -described topographic conditions, the City and the
surrounding cities have historically suffered from occasional structural fires.
These have often been difficult to control due to the dry winds carrying sparks
and cinders to surrounding structures.
3. Geological Conditions: The City is a densely populated area located in the
greater Los Angeles/Long Beach region having buildings constructed over and
near a vast array of fault systems capable of producing major earthquakes,
including but not limited to the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. During a major
earthquake, emergency resources would be extremely taxed, and the ability
to respond to such emergencies would be complicated. Local standards in
excess of statewide minimums will assist in reducing risks associated with
earthquakes and the consequent disruption of traffic flow. Due to the large
number of tall buildings in this region as well as the increased fire -life safety
associated with such a seismic failure, the proposed modification to have a
higher minimum base seismic shear consistent with previous editions of the
building codes need to be incorporated into the code to assure that new
buildings and additions or alterations to existing buildings are designed and
constructed in accordance with the scope and objectives of the International
Codes.
B. The City Council finds that the following table sets forth the 2025 California
Building Standards Code provisions constituting building standards that have
been modified pursuant to Ordinance No. 1680, and the associated local climatic,
topographical, and/or geological conditions described in Section 2(A) above:
Resolution No. 5574
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__........._ .......... ........ _.... .�.�...�.
2025 California Fire Code
......... ...... .....
Section added or
Specific Finding-- ....
S climatic,
amended:
topographical and/or geological
conditions (Section 2(A)):
Appendix B, C,
P, BB and CC
Administrative, Climatic,
To o raphical, and Geo�cal
1.11.4.1
Amended
Administrative
104.1.1 ................
....... _
Added _..._dministrati.._ve
.......
104.1.2
Added
Administrative
104.1.4
........._.
Added
dministrat .. _ ........
_.....
104.11.4
...........
_._.._.
Added
....
Administrative
105.2
......�, �
_
Amended ......��dministrative
_.....�.....
108.4
_...........
.........__......
Amended
......
dlministrative
108 7
Added
dministrative
�._
109.2.1
_...........
................
Amended
_.....�........_._.u......
dministrative
m
112.5
......
Added
... _._ _ �_..._.........
Administrative
113.4
Amended
dministrative
202
Added
Climatic, Toporaphical
311.5
Deleted
Administrative
503.6.1
Added
Climatic, Topographical _.
507.2.1
........
....... ......._.. _
Amended
— ......
Climatic, Topographical
510.4.2.10
Added
Climatic, To o raphlcal
511
Added
Climatic, Topographic..
901 4 8
Added
Climatic, Topographical
901.11
...._
......_.
Added
_ —
Climatic, Topographical
901.12
�__ .......
Added
Climatic,To, ...... l
Topographical
903.2
_ww
_ _.......
Amended
Climatic, To�raphical
903 2.22
Added
Climatic, Topographical
903.3.5.3
........�
Added .._
Climatic, Topo raphical _.
903.3.8
Amended IT
Climatic, Topographical
903.3.10
Amended
+Climatic, Topoq raphical
909.11
_
Amended
Climatic, Topographical
_....
1-3
_
Amended
......� ........_....
Climatic, Topographical
1207 11.4
Amended
Cmm_� limatic, Topographical
12 77. 11.6
Deleted
"Climatic, Topographical
5601.1.3
_.
.._.l _
Amended
...... ._
Climatic, Topographical
5601.7
Amended
Administrative
.......
5601.7.1
_.
_..._ ....._._.
Added
�.........................
Administrative
5801 1 1
Added -
opo raphical
B105.2
Amended ......
Climatic, topographical
SECTION 3. Severability. If any part of this Resolution or its application is deemed invalid
by a court of competent jurisdiction, the City Council intends that such invalidity will not
affect the effectiveness of the remaining provisions or applications and, to this end, the
provisions of this Resolution are severable.
Resolution No. 5574
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SECTION 4. Electronic Signatures. This Resolution may be executed with electronic
signatures in accordance with Government Code §16.5. Such electronic signatures will
be treated in all respects as having the same effect as an original signature.
SECTION 5. Signature Authority. The Mayor, or presiding officer, is hereby authorized to
affix his signature to this Resolution signifying its adoption by the City Council of the City
of El Segundo, and the City Clerk, or her duly appointed deputy, is directed to attest
thereto.
SECTION 6. Effective Date. This Resolution will take effect upon the effective date of
Ordinance No. 1681 and remain effective unless repealed or superseded.
SECTION 7. City Clerk Direction; Transmittal to State. The City Clerk will certify to the
passage and adoption of this Resolution, enter it in the City's book of original Resolutions,
and make a record of this action in the meeting's minutes. The City Clerk is directed to
transmit a certified copy of this Resolution to the California Building Standards
Commission.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 3rd day of December, 2025.
Chris Pimentel, Mayor
ATTEST:
Susan Truax,
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Mark D. Hensley, City Attorney
Resolution No. 5574
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CERTIFICATION
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) SS
CITY OF EL SEGUNDO )
I, Susan Truax, City Clerk of the City of El Segundo, California, do hereby certify that the
whole number of members of the City Council of said City is five; that the foregoing
Resolution No. 5574 was duly passed, approved, and adopted by said City Council at a
regular meeting held on the 3rd day of December, 2025, approved and signed by the Mayor,
and attested to by the City Clerk, by the following vote:
AYES: Mayor Pimentel , Mayor Pro Tern Baldino, Council Member Giroux, and
Council Member Keldorf
NOES: None
ABSENT: Council Member Boyles
ABSTAIN: None
WITNESS MY HAND THE OFFICIAL SEAL OF SAID CITY this 3rd day of December, 2025.
Sus Tru City Clerk
the City of�r-
Ofl Segundo,
California
Resolution No. 5574
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