Alameda Municipal Code § 15-1 Alameda Fire Code

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. 3083 N.S., § 4, adopted November 19, 2013, repealed the former 15-1 enacted a new 15-1 as set out herein. The former 15-1 pertained to similar subject matter and derived from Ord. No. 2975 N.S and Ord. No. 3028 N.S., § 3, adopted April 5, 2011.

Except as hereinafter provided, the 2025 Edition of the California Fire Code, including Appendix Chapters 4, B, BB, C, CC, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L, N and P, and the International Fire Code published by the International Code Council, being particularly the 2022 Edition thereof and the whole thereof, is adopted by reference and made a part hereof as if fully herein at length, and shall be known as the Alameda Fire Code.

(Ord. No. 3083 N.S., § 4, 11-19-2013; Ord. No. 3265 N.S., § 2, 3-3-2020; Ord. No. 3338 N.S., § 2[4], 12-20-2022; Ord. No. 3389 N.S., § 4, 10-21-2025)

Notwithstanding any provisions of the California Fire Code, California Building Standards Code, State Housing Law or other codes adopted by any Chapter in Article VIII of the Municipal Code to the contrary, the following local amendments shall apply.

a. California Fire Code, 2025 Edition, Section 1103.8.5.1 is amended to read as follows:

Additions to Existing R-3 Occupancies. Notwithstanding the provisions of the California Residential Code, additions to R-3 occupancies performed within a 5-year cumulative period shall be required to provide an automatic fire extinguishing system (AFES) throughout the entire building if the proposed project includes the addition of 50% percent or more of the structure's floor area for purposes other than damage repair or reinforcement as defined in California Existing Building Code Section 202. For clarification, an addition shall be defined as the act of increasing the residence's square footage and does not include the conversion of existing non-conditioned, non-habitable space into habitable space. Additionally, for purposes of floor area calculations, the conversion of Group U (attached private garages, basements or similar) occupancies shall not be included in the floor area calculation.

b. Section 108 is amended to add the following new section:

New section 108.1.1- Fees for other services and excessive false alarm responses. Fees listed in the Fire Department section of the City of Alameda's Master Fee Schedule—inclusive of fees for permits, inspections, excessive false alarm responses, and all other listed fees—shall be levied against and paid by the owner of the property. All fees shall be based on the actual cost of the service provided. A false alarm response occurs when the Fire Department responds to a false alarm or nuisance alarm, as defined by the Fire Code. False alarm responses impose substantial costs on the City of Alameda. The Fire Chief or the Fire Chief's designee is therefore authorized to impose fees for excessive false alarm responses ("False Alarm Fees") based on the Master Fee Schedule. False Alarm Fees shall be imposed starting with the second false alarm response and each subsequent false alarm response made to a property during the same calendar year. The Fire Chief or the Fire Chief's designee shall issue a monthly invoice for all unpaid fees accrued during the prior month and all prior periods. Such invoices shall be due and payable within thirty days of the billing date. All remedies for unpaid fees shall be cumulative, and the use of one or more remedies by the City shall not bar the use of any other remedy for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this Chapter. The amount of any fee shall be deemed a debt to the City. An action may be commenced in the name of the City in any court of competent jurisdiction for the amount of any delinquent debt thirty days after it becomes due and payable. Payment of any fee shall not prohibit criminal prosecution for the violation of any of the provisions of this Chapter.

(Ord. No. 3083 N.S., § 4, 11-19-2013; Ord. No. 3265 N.S., § 2, 3-3-2020; Ord. No. 3338 N.S., § 2[4], 12-20-2022; Ord. No. 3389 N.S., § 4, 10-21-2025)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 3338 N.S., § 2[4], adopted December 20, 2022, repealed § 15-1.3, which pertained to findings and derived from Ord. No. 3083 N.S., adopted November 19, 2013 and Ord. No. 3265 N.S., adopted March 3, 2020.

A true copy of the California Fire Code, Current Edition, has been deposited in the Fire Administrative Offices and Preventative Services Division of the City and shall be maintained by the Fire Department for use and examination of the public.

(Ord. No. 3083 N.S., § 4, 11-19-2013)

Any Chief, Assistant Chief or other Fire Department personnel assigned to the Fire Preventative Services Division of the City Fire Department shall be an enforcement officer.

(Ord. No. 3083 N.S., § 4, 11-19-2013)

a. The Alameda Fire Code shall be enforced by the Preventative Services in the Fire Department of the City of Alameda which is established and which shall be operated under the supervision of the Chief of the Fire Department.

b. The Chief in charge of Preventative Services shall be appointed by the Chief of the Fire Department.

c. The Chief of the Fire Department may detail such members of the Fire Department as inspectors as shall from time to time be necessary. The Chief of the Fire Department shall recommend to the City Manager the employment of technical inspectors, who, when such authorization is made, shall be selected through an examination to determine their fitness for the position. The examination shall be open to members and nonmembers of the Fire Department, and appointments made after examination shall be for an indefinite term with removal only for cause.

(Ord. No. 3083 N.S., § 4, 11-19-2013)

The Building Official, the Chief of the Fire Department, and the Chief of Preventative Services shall act as a committee to determine and specify, after giving affected persons an opportunity to be heard, any new materials, processes or occupancies for which permits are required, in addition to those now enumerated in said Code. The Chief of Preventative Services shall post such list in a conspicuous place in his office, and distribute copies thereof to interested persons.

(Ord. No. 3083 N.S., § 4, 11-19-2013)

Whenever the Chief disapproves an application or refuses to grant a permit applied for, or when it is claimed that the provisions of the Alameda Fire Code do not apply or that the true intent and meaning of the Alameda Fire Code have been misconstrued or wrongly interpreted, the applicant may appeal from the decision of the Chief to the Housing and Building Code Hearings and Appeals Board, within thirty (30) days from the date of the decision of the Chief.

(Ord. No. 3083 N.S., § 4, 11-19-2013)