§ 13-15. County Fire Code designated—Administration and enforcement—Amendment by local Fire Protection Districts.

(a)

The 2016 California Fire Code as adopted by reference and amended in this article, shall constitute the County Fire Code.

(b)

Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), the administration and enforcement of the county fire code within a local fire protection district shall be the responsibility of the local fire chief. The county fire chief shall be responsible for the administration and enforcement of the county fire code within those portions of the unincorporated area of the county not in a local fire protection district.

(c)

The county fire chief shall be responsible for plan checking and inspection of new construction and alterations subject to the county fire code, Chapter 13 within both those portions of the unincorporated area of the county not in a local fire protection district and those portions of the unincorporated area of the county in a local fire protection district which has adopted the county fire code, unless a local fire protection district notifies the county fire chief in writing that it has elected to have the local fire chief exercise those responsibilities within its jurisdictional area, whether according to the county fire code or the district's amendment of the county fire code adopted per subsection (d). Any such action shall only be effective if it is thereafter approved by the board of directors of the local fire protection district.

Exceptions

(1)

Development applications subject to enforcement of Title 14 of the Natural Resources Code, Division 1.5, Chapter 7, Subchapter 2. Buildings shall receive final approval and inspections by the county fire and emergency services department as delegated by California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

(2)

Residential construction classified as R-3 as delegated by the chief building official to the county fire and emergency services department pursuant to the California Building and California Residential Code.

(3)

Sonoma county fire shall be responsible for record keeping and inspection reports submitted by the local fire protection district to the chief building official.

(d)

Pursuant to Health and Safety Code, Section 13869.7, a local fire protection district may amend all or any part of the county fire code for application within its jurisdictional area. Any such amendment shall first be referred to the county fire prevention officers association for review and recommendation, and shall only be effective if it is thereafter approved by the board of directors of the local fire protection district and ratified by the board of supervisors. The board of supervisors shall not ratify such amendment if it includes provisions that are less restrictive than the provisions of the county fire code.

(Ord. No. 6184 , § I, 11-15-2016; Ord. No. 6049, § I, 11-5-2013; Ord. No. 5905, § I, 11-2-2010; Ord. 5753 § 1(b), 2007: Ord. No. 5373, § 2, 2002; Ord. No. 5166 § 1(v), 1999: Ord. No. 4905, § 1, 1995.)