Angels Camp Municipal Code Art. I General Requirements

A.

"Defensible space"

means the area within the perimeter of a parcel, development, neighborhood or community where basic wildland fire protection practices and measures are implemented, providing the key point of defense from an approaching wildfire or defense against encroaching wildfires or structure fires.

B.

"Driveway"

means a vehicular pathway that serves no more than four residential units and any number of noncommercial or nonindustrial utility or miscellaneous Group U buildings, as defined by the California Building Code, on each parcel. A driveway shall not serve commercial or industrial uses at any size or scale.

C.

"Enforcement officer"

means the fire chief and shall include any official or officials in such department duly appointed by the fire chief or city council to administer the provisions of this chapter. For the purposes of the provisions of this chapter dealing with removal and destruction of weeds and waste, "enforcement officer" shall include any person who, pursuant to contract with the city, is authorized to abate nuisances.

D.

"Fire apparatus"

means a vehicle designed to be used under emergency conditions to transport personnel and equipment or to support emergency response, including but not limited to the suppression of fires.

E.

"Fire chief"

means the city fire chief or any authorized representative.

F.

"Fire hazard"

means any condition which increases or may cause an increase in the degree of danger from fire over that which is customarily recognized as normal by persons in the public service of preventing or extinguishing fire. It shall also mean any condition or any act which may obstruct, delay or hinder, or may become the cause of an obstruction, delay or hindrance, to the prevention, suppression or extinguishment of fire.

G.

"Fire hazard severity zones (FHSZ)"

are designated areas that are assessed based on their susceptibility to wildfires and the potential severity of those fires. These zones are typically identified through risk assessment and mapping processes, taking into account factors such as topography, vegetation types, weather patterns, historical fire data, and infrastructure, and are categorized into three different levels: moderate, high, and very high. Within the city of Angels, vegetation management is undertaken in accordance with this code on all parcels in the city limits regardless of designated FHSZ.

H.

"Fire hydrant"

means a valved connection on a water supply or storage system for the purpose of providing water for fire protection and suppression operations.

I.

"Fuel break"

means a strategically located area where the volume and arrangement of vegetation has been managed to limit fire intensity, fire severity, rate of spread, crown fire potential, and/or ember production.

J.

"Fuel modification area"

shall mean an area where the volume of flammable vegetation has been reduced, decreasing fire intensity and duration.

K.

"Nuisance"

means any condition which is or may become a potential health, safety or fire hazard, including, but not limited to:

"Nuisance"

means any condition or use of premises or of building exterior which is detrimental to the property of others or which poses an immediate or potential health, safety or fire hazard. This includes, but is not limited to, the keeping of, or depositing on, or the scattering over the premises of the following:

Weeds, grass, dead trees, lumber;

Rubbish, refuse, junk, trash, debris, garbage;

Flammable materials;

Abandoned, discarded or unused objects or equipment of any type, including, but not limited to, furniture, stoves, refrigerators, freezers, vehicles, cans, or containers;

Obstructions to ingress or egress during emergencies;

Any condition as defined in Chapter 1.17.

L.

"One-way road"

means a road that provides a minimum of one traffic lane width designed for traffic flow in one direction only.

M.

"Owner"

means as shown on current tax roll, or legal representative parcel, tract, or piece of land.

N.

"Shoulder"

means a vehicular pathway adjacent to the traffic lane.

O.

"Tax collector"

shall mean the person collecting property taxes levied on real property for the city.

P.

"Traffic lane"

means the portion of a road or driveway that provides a single line of vehicle travel.

Q.

"Turnaround"

means an area which allows for a safe opposite change of direction for fire apparatus at the end of a road or driveway.

R.

"Turnout"

means a widening in a road or driveway to allow vehicles to pass.

S.

"Vertical clearance"

means the minimum specified height of a bridge, overhead projection, or vegetation clearance above the road or driveway.

T.

"Very high fire hazard severity zone (VHFHSZ)"

means an area designated as a very high fire hazard severity zone by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to California Government Code Section 51178 that is not a state responsibility area.

U.

"Weeds"

as used in this chapter means any of the following:

Vegetation that is or may become a fire hazard as determined by the enforcement officer;

Accumulation of dry grass, stubble, brush, litter, garden refuse, cuttings, and other combustible trash which endangers the public safety by creating a fire hazard.

V.

"Wildfire"

shall mean a fire burning on lands covered wholly or in part by timber, brush, grass, grain, or other flammable vegetation with such velocity or intensity that it could not be readily controlled with those ordinary tools available to private persons at the fire scene.

W.

"Wildland-urban interface (WUI)"

refers to areas where humanmade structures and development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland vegetation. These areas are particularly susceptible to wildfires because they combine the potential for wildland fire ignition and the presence of structures or communities. The WUI includes both the structures and the surrounding vegetation that can act as fuel for wildfires.

X.

"Zone 0--ember resistant zone"

shall mean the area within zero to five feet around all structures and attached decks and requires the most stringent wildfire fuel reduction.

Y.

"Zone 1--fuel break zone"

shall mean the area between five to thirty feet around all structures and attached decks or to the property line, whichever is closer, in which all flammable vegetation or other combustible growth must be removed. The creation of the fuel break shall not require removal of single specimens of trees or other vegetation that is well-pruned and maintained so as to effectively manage fuels and not form a means of rapidly transmitting fire from other nearby vegetation to any structure.

Z.

"Zone 2--reduced-fuel zone"

shall mean an area between thirty to one hundred feet of all structures and attached decks or to the property line, whichever is closer, in which all brush, flammable vegetation or combustible growth must be removed. The creation of the reduced-fuel zone shall not require removal of single specimens of trees or other vegetation that is well-pruned and maintained so as to effectively manage fuels and not form a means of rapidly transmitting fire from other nearby vegetation to any structure. Grass and other vegetation located more than thirty feet from the structure and less than eighteen inches in height above ground may be maintained where necessary to stabilize the soil and prevent soil erosion, or to be maintained as grazing pasture at the discretion of the fire chief.

(Ord. 546 (Att. A), 2025)

Where land is developed or improved, the land shall conform to the minimum standards set out in this chapter.

A. Fire protection devices shall be provided as set forth and shall be approved by the city fire chief.

B. Fire hydrants, distribution lines and appurtenances to provide adequate fire protection shall be furnished in place by the developer.

C. Fire protection facilities shall be furnished in accordance with the standards of the city and as approved by the fire chief.

D. Fire hydrants are provided for the sole purpose of extinguishing fires and are to be opened and used only by city or authorized personnel.

E. A person authorized to open fire hydrants shall use an approved spanner wrench and shall replace the caps on the outlets when not in use.

F. If temporary service is supplied through a fire hydrant, a permit for the temporary service shall be obtained from the commercial office. The permit shall be exhibited upon the work while water is taken. The city engineer shall approve the permit.

G. Any person who desires the removal or change in location of a fire hydrant shall make a request in writing to the city. If the fire chief approves the proposed removal or relocation, the owner shall cause to be prepared plans to be approved by the city engineer, with design and installation costs to be borne by the project proponent.

H. Lots one acre or less in size for residential use and lots or parcels for commercial use, regardless of size, shall have fire protection water systems complying with the California Fire Code.

(Ord. 546 (Att. A), 2025)

A. Water mains in residential areas shall not be less than six inches in diameter.

B. Water mains in mercantile and manufacturing districts shall not be less than eight inches in diameter.

C. No feeder line, or main, from the water source, or supply, in residential or commercial areas shall be less in diameter size than the main which it serves.

D. Water main, in residential or commercial areas, shall be looped into a gridiron system to avoid deadends, unless otherwise approved by the city engineer.

(Ord. 546 (Att. A), 2025)

A. Shall comply with city standards.

B. Lines connecting residential area hydrants to main water lines shall not be less than six inches in diameter, except as provided in this chapter.

C. Hydrant spacing in residential areas shall comply with the California Fire Code.

D. Gate valves not less than six inches in diameter shall be installed between every residential area fire hydrant and the main line. Where gate valves on main lines will permit mainline or hydrant repairs without eliminating full water flow to more than one hydrant, no valve between the main line and hydrant will be required in accordance with city standards.

E. Water source and/or storage, for residential fire protection, shall provide for an uninterrupted water flow, for a sustained period of at least two hours, of the minimum flow requirements as set forth in the California Fire Code.

(Ord. 546 (Att. A), 2025)

A. Fire hydrants in mercantile and manufacturing districts shall have two two-and-one-half-inch fire hose thread male outlets, with caps and chains, and one four-and-one-half-inch steamer outlet, with cap and chains, and with a full four-and-one-half-inch valve opening, and shall be of dry-barrel, breakaway design.

B. Lines connecting commercial area fire hydrants to main water lines shall not be less than six inches in diameter.

C. Hydrant spacing in commercial areas shall comply with the California Fire Code.

D. Gate valves not less than six inches in diameter shall be installed between every commercial area fire hydrant and the main line. Where gate valves on main lines will permit mainline or hydrant repair without eliminating full water flow to more than one hydrant, no valve between the hydrant and the main line will be required in accordance with city standards.

E. Water source and/or storage for commercial areas shall provide for an uninterrupted water flow, and residual pressure of twenty pounds per square inch, as specified in the California Fire Code. At times of peak demand, residual pressure and minimum gallonage per minute shall be maintained over and above the normal consumptive use for a minimum duration of two hours.

(Ord. 546 (Att. A), 2025)

A. Any sprinkler and fire service installation shall be per NFPA 13 and as approved by the fire chief.

B. Each fire service shall have a detector check valve of a pattern and design approved by the city. A detector check valve is a spring-loaded or weight-loaded swing check valve equipped with a metered bypass.

C. Water furnished through a fire service shall be used only for extinguishing fires or for authorized testing of the firefighting system. If a consumer wishes a test, he shall notify the public works department at least two working days before making the test.

(Ord. 546 (Att. A), 2025)

A. Pursuant to California Residential Code, Title 24, Part 2.5, Chapter 3, Section R319.1, Address identification, buildings shall be provided with approved address identification. The address identification shall be legible and placed in a position that is visible from the street or road fronting the property. Address identification characters shall contrast with their background. Address numbers shall be Arabic numbers or alphabetic letters. Numbers shall not be spelled out. Each character shall be not less than four inches (one hundred and two mm) in height with a stroke width of not less than 0.5 inch (12.7 mm). Where required by the fire code official, address identification shall be provided in additional approved locations to facilitate emergency response. Where access is by means of a private road and the building address cannot be viewed from the public way, a monument, pole or other sign or means shall be used to identify the structure. Address identification shall be maintained.

(Ord. 546 (Att. A), 2025)