Berkeley Municipal Code Art. 7 Technical Amendments to Structural Standards

Chapter 17 of the 2025 California Building Code is adopted in its entirety subject to the modifications thereto which are set forth below.

1705.3 Concrete construction. Special inspections and tests of concrete construction shall be performed in accordance with this section and Table 1705.3.

Exception: Special inspections and tests shall not be required for:

1. Isolated spread concrete footings of buildings three stories or less above grade plane that are fully supported on earth or rock, where the structural design of the footing is based on a specified compressive strength, f’c, no greater than 2,500 pounds per square inch (psi) (17.2 MPa).

2. Continuous concrete footings supporting walls of buildings three stories or less above grade plane that are fully supported on earth or rock where:

2.1. The footings support walls of light-frame construction.

2.2. The footings are designed in accordance with Table 1809.7.

2.3. The structural design of the footing is based on a specified compressive strength, f′c, not more than 2,500 pounds per square inch (psi) (17.2 MPa), regardless of the compressive strength specified in the approved construction documents or used in the footing construction.

3. Nonstructural concrete slabs supported directly on the ground, including prestressed slabs on grade, where the effective prestress in the concrete is less than 150 psi (1.03 MPa).

4. Concrete foundation walls constructed in accordance with Table 1807.1.6.2.

5. Concrete patios, driveways and sidewalks, on grade.

Chapter 19 of the 2025 California Building Code is adopted in its entirety subject to the modifications thereto which are set forth below.

1905.6 Structural plain concrete. Structural plain concrete elements shall comply with this section in lieu of Section 14.1.4 of ACI 318.

1905.6.2 Seismic Design Categories C, D, E and F. Structures assigned to Seismic Design Category C, D, E or F shall not have elements of structural plain concrete, except as follows:

1. Reserved Structural plain concrete basement, foundation or other walls below the base as defined in ASCE/SEI 7 are permitted in detached one- and two-family dwellings three stories or less in height constructed with stud-bearing walls. In dwellings assigned to Seismic Design Category D or E, the height of the wall shall not exceed 8 feet (2438 mm), the thickness shall be not less than 7 1/2 inches (190 mm), and the wall shall retain not more than 4 feet (1219 mm) of unbalanced fill. Walls shall have reinforcement in accordance with Section 14.6.1 of ACI 318.

2. Isolated footings of plain concrete supporting pedestals or columns are permitted, provided that the projection of the footing beyond the face of the supported member does not exceed the footing thickness.

Exception: In detached one- and two-family dwellings three stories or less in height, the projection of the footing beyond the face of the supported member is permitted to exceed the footing thickness.

3. Plain concrete footings supporting walls are permitted, provided that the footings have not fewer than two continuous longitudinal reinforcing bars. Bars shall not be smaller than No. 4 and shall have a total area of not less than 0.002 times the gross cross-sectional area of the footing. For footings that exceed 8 inches (203 mm) in thickness, not fewer than A minimum of one bar shall be provided at the top and bottom of the footing. Continuity of reinforcement shall be provided at corners and intersections.

Exceptions:

a. Where assigned to Seismic Design Category C, detached one- and two-family dwellings three stories or less in height constructed with stud-bearing walls are permitted to have plain concrete footings without longitudinal reinforcement.

b. For foundation systems consisting of a plain concrete footing and a plain concrete stemwall, not fewer than one bar shall be provided at the top of the stemwall and at the bottom of the footing.

c. Footings cast monolithically with a slab-on-ground shall have not fewer than one No. 4 bar at the top and bottom of the footing or one No. 5 bar or two No. 4 bars in the middle third of the footing depth.

(Ord. 7988-NS § 1, 2025)