Belmont Municipal Code Art. I In General

(a) The city building official is authorized and responsible for administration and enforcement of the California Building Standards Codes as adopted and amended by the City.

(b) The San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department (SMCFD), exercising the powers of the Belmont Fire Protection District in accordance with the joint exercise of powers agreement between the City of San Mateo, the City of Foster City/Estero Municipal Improvement District and the Belmont Fire Protection District, is designated the fire authority for the City of Belmont. The enforcement of the fire and panic safety regulations for all occupancies in the California Fire Code as adopted with local amendments by SMCFD and ratified by the City of Belmont is delegated to the chief of SMCFD. The chief and building official are to coordinate administration and enforcement of the codes as appropriate.

(Ord. No. 2025-1191, § 4, 11-25-25)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 2025-1191, § 4, adopted Nov. 25, 2025, repealed former § 7-1, which pertained to the definition of the zoning ordinance and derived from Code 1961, § 6.5. Section 5 of said ordinance enacted a new § 7-1, as set out herein.

Any building or structure set up, erected, constructed, altered, enlarged, repaired, removed, demolished, equipped, occupied, converted, moved or maintained contrary to the provisions of this chapter and of any land, building or premises established, conducted, operated or maintained contrary to the provisions of this chapter shall be and the same is hereby declared to be unlawful and a public nuisance; and the city attorney shall, upon order of the city manager, immediately commence action or proceedings for the abatement and removal and enjoinment thereof in the manner provided by law, and shall take such steps and shall apply to such courts as may have jurisdiction to grant such relief as will abate and remove such building or structure and restrain and enjoin any person, firm or corporation from setting up, erecting, building, maintaining or using any such building, or using any premises contrary to the provisions of this article.

(Code 1961, § 6.6; Ord. No. 943, § 1, 4-13-99; Ord. No. 945, § 1, 6-22-00; Ord. No. 981, § 1, 10-22-02)

(a) It is unlawful for any person to violate, cause or permit a violation of any provision of any code adopted or made applicable in the city by article IV.

(b) A violation of a code adopted or made applicable as provided in subsection (a) is a misdemeanor that may be charged and prosecuted as an infraction at the discretion of the city attorney.

(c) Any building or structure erected, constructed, altered, enlarged, converted, moved or maintained contrary to the provisions of this chapter or any of the regulations adopted by reference by this chapter, and any land, building or premises established, conducted, operated or maintained contrary to the provisions of this chapter are declared unlawful and a public nuisance.

(d) A violation of a code adopted or made applicable as provided in subsection (a) may be remedied by the city by any means provided in section 1-8 and chapter 30 as well as by any other means available in law or equity.

(Code 1961, § 6.7; Ord. No. 2025-1191, § 6, 11-25-25)

Where the provisions of article IV provide for a board of appeals, the board shall be the Belmont City Council.

(Ord. No. 1073, § 2, 11-12-13)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 1073, adopted Nov. 12, 2013, repealed § 7-4 and enacted a new section as set out herein. The former § 7-4 pertained to adoption of the administrative code and purpose for exceptions, and derived from Ord. No. 754, § 2, adopted Nov. 12, 1986; Ord. No. 838, § 2, adopted Jan. 8, 1991; Ord. No. 899, § 1, adopted Dec. 18, 1995; Ord. No. 943, § 1, adopted April 13, 1999; Ord. No. 945, § 1, adopted June 22, 2000; and Ord. No. 981, § 1, adopted Oct. 22, 2002.