Code Overview

At approximately 3:35 p.m. Acting California State Fire Marshal Tonya Hoover and Acting Division Chief Kevin Reinertson, (Regulations Unit) brought the 2010 California Residential Code (Title-24, Part 2.5) before the Building Standards Commission. Following a short presentation by both, the hearing was opened to anyone wishing to speak in favor or
opposition to the proposal. Those speaking in favor of the adoption were Technical
Director Robert “Bob” Raymer/California Building Industry Association (CBIA); followed by
Patricia Mieszala, R.N, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA); and former California
State Fire Marshal Kate Dargan in support of the process California had gone through to
get to this point. No one spoke against the adoption. At approximately 3:45 p.m. the
Chairman called for a motion to approve, obtained a second, and the motion to approve
the 2010 California Residential Code was history by a vote of 10-0.

Those in attendance and in support of the proposal included Regional Manager Bruce
Lecair, NFSA, Consultant Steve Hart, NAS-IP, former CA State Fire Marshal Ronny J.
Coleman, Fire Chief Joe Perry, University of California Davis Campus F.D; Fire Marshal
Laura Blaul, Orange County F.D, Fire Marshal Dennis Mathisen, City of Roseville F.D,
Fire Marshal Darren Drake, City of Napa F.D and members of the Office of the State Fire
Marshal staff and Chief Officers.

The Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), and Office of the State
Fire Marshal (OSFM) have been working to adopt the 2009 ICC-International Residential
Code (ICC-IRC) for many years and under several State Fire Marshals. Those stakehol-
ders who participated in the 18-month planning process included members of the California
FireService, Building Industry; California Building Officials Association, Water Purveyors,
American Water Works Association, California Public Health Officials, various state
agencies, National Fire Protection Association, National Fire Sprinkler Association,
American Fire Sprinkler Association, California Sprinkler Fitters and the California,
League of Cities. The information compiled by these stakeholders served as information
and background used in the final action report to adopt the 2010 California Residential
Code.

Following Tuesday’s vote by the BSC, the final document(s) will be submitted to
International Code Council for publication by February 9, 2010. The publication period is
to be completed no later than July 4, 2010. Then under statutory requirements (State Law)
a period of 180-days is granted for local enforcing agencies (cities, counties, and cities and counties) to become educated and trained in the new provisions, and to make any local amendments and filings when appropriate. The new code will serve as the “MINIMUM
Building Standard” and a local enforcing agency may not “opt-out” of the residential fire
sprinkler requirements. It is state mandated and as such a local agency cannot be “less restrictive.”

And finally, it would not be complete unless and until we acknowledge then Fire Chief
Ronny J. Coleman who back in 1975 adopted the “FIRST” Residential Fire Sprinkler
Ordinance while he was with the City of San Clemente in Southern California. That was 35-years ago. That was the same year that the first edition of NFPA-13D (Standard for
the Installation of Sprinklers in One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Mobile Homes
was adopted by NFPA.

Special Note: Following 2-1/2 hours of public testimony, the 2010 California Green
Building Standards Code (CAL-GREEN) was approved and became the nations first comprehensive Green Building Standard Code (for both residential and commercial
buildings), and includes an APPENDICES which allows the local agency to adopt the
level of CAL-GREEN Compliance they wish to attain through local amendment