Berkeley Municipal Code Ch. 19.29 Berkeley Residential Code

The California Residential Code, 2025 Edition, as adopted in Title 24 Part 2.5 of the California Code of Regulations, including Appendices BB, BF, BI, BJ, BK and CI is hereby adopted and made a part of this Chapter as though fully set forth herein, subject to the modifications thereto which are set forth in this Chapter. A copy of this Code is on file for use and examination by the public in the office of the City Clerk of the City of Berkeley. (Ord. 7988-NS § 2, 2025)

This Code shall be known as the "Berkeley Residential Code" and may be cited as "this Code". (Ord. 7988-NS § 2, 2025)

All of the administrative provisions contained in Article 1 of Chapter 19.28, the Berkeley Building Code, shall apply to this Code as well and take precedence over any California Residential Code (CRC) administrative provisions that may conflict.

For regulations governing wood burning appliances see BMC 19.28.040. (Ord. 7988-NS § 2, 2025)

Table R301.2. CLIMATIC AND GEOGRAPHIC DESIGN CRITERIA

GROUND SNOW LOAD o	WIND DESIGN	WIND DESIGN	WIND DESIGN	WIND DESIGN	SEISMIC DESIGN CATEGORY f	SUBJECT TO DAMAGE FROM	SUBJECT TO DAMAGE FROM	SUBJECT TO DAMAGE FROM
GROUND SNOW LOAD o	Speed d (mph)	Topographic effects k	Special wind region l	Wind-borne debris zone m	SEISMIC DESIGN CATEGORY f	Weathering a	Frost line depth b	Termite c
ZERO	95	NO	NO	NO	D 2 or E	NEGLIGIBLE	N/A	VERY HEAVY
ICE BARRIER UNDERLAYMENT REQUIRED h	ICE BARRIER UNDERLAYMENT REQUIRED h	FLOOD HAZARDS g	FLOOD HAZARDS g	AIR FREEZING INDEX i	AIR FREEZING INDEX i	MEAN ANNUAL TEMP j	MEAN ANNUAL TEMP j	MEAN ANNUAL TEMP j
NO	NO	See Footnote ‘p’	See Footnote ‘p’	ZERO	ZERO	57.2°F	57.2°F	57.2°F

MANUAL J DESIGN CRITERIAn

Elevation	Altitude correction factor e	Coincident wet bulb	Indoor winter design relative humidity	Indoor winter design dry-bulb temperature	Outdoor winter design dry-bulb temperature	Heating temperature difference
345	N/A	63	N/A	70	40	30
Latitude	Daily range	Indoor summer design relative humidity	Summer Design Grains	Indoor summer design dry-bulb temperature	Outdoor summer design dry-bulb temperature	Cooling temperature difference
38	16	50	-6	75	80	5

For SI: 1 pound per square foot = 0.0479 kPa, 1 mile per hour = 0.447 m/s.

a.Where weathering requires a higher strength concrete or grade of masonry than necessary to satisfy the structural requirements of this code, the frost line depth strength required for weathering shall govern. The weathering column shall be filled in with the weathering index, "negligible," "moderate" or "severe" for concrete as determined from Figure R301.2.(1).The grade of masonry units shall be determined from ASTM C34, ASTM C55, ASTM C62, ASTM C73, ASTM C90, ASTM C129, ASTM C145, ASTM C216 or ASTM C652.

b.Where the frost line depth requires deeper footings than indicated in Figure R403.1(1), the frost line depth strength required for weathering shall govern. The jurisdiction shall fill in the frost line depth column with the minimum depth of footing below finish grade.

c.The jurisdiction shall fill in this part of the table to indicate the need for protection depending on whether there has been a history of local subterranean termite damage.

d.The jurisdiction shall fill in this part of the table with the wind speed from the ultimate design wind speeds map [Figure R301.2(2)]. Wind exposure category shall be determined on a site-specific basis in accordance with Section R301.2.1.4.

e.The jurisdiction shall fill in this section of the table to establish the design criteria using Table 10A from ACCA Manual J or established criteria determined by the jurisdiction.

f.The jurisdiction shall fill in this part of the table with the seismic design category determined from Section R301.2.2.1.

g.The jurisdiction shall fill in this part of the table with: the date of the jurisdiction’s entry into the National Flood Insurance Program (date of adoption of the first code or ordinance for management of flood hazard areas); and the title and date of the currently effective Flood Insurance Study or other flood hazard study and maps adopted by the authority having jurisdiction, as amended.

h.In accordance with Sections R905.1.2, R905.4.3.1, R905.5.3.1, R905.6.3.1, R905.7.3.1 and R905.8.3.1, where there has been a history of local damage from the effects of ice damming, the jurisdiction shall fill in this part of the table with "YES." Otherwise, the jurisdiction shall fill in this part of the table with "NO."

i.The jurisdiction shall fill in this part of the table with the 100-year return period air freezing index (BF-days) from Figure R403.3(2) or from the 100-year (99 percent) value on the National Climatic Data Center data table "Air Freezing Index-USA Method (Base 32°F)."

j.The jurisdiction shall fill in this part of the table with the mean annual temperature from the National Climatic Data Center data table "Air Freezing Index-USA Method (Base 32°F)."

k.In accordance with Section R301.2.1.5, where there is local historical data documenting structural damage to buildings due to topographic wind speed-up effects, the jurisdiction shall fill in this part of the table with "YES." Otherwise, the jurisdiction shall indicate "NO" in this part of the table.

l.In accordance with Figure R301.2(2), where there is local historical data documenting unusual wind conditions, the jurisdiction shall fill in this part of the table with "YES" and identify any specific requirements. Otherwise, the jurisdiction shall indicate "NO" in this part of the table.

m.In accordance with Section R301.2.1.2 the jurisdiction shall indicate the wind-borne debris wind zone(s). Otherwise, the jurisdiction shall indicate "NO" in this part of the table.

n.The jurisdiction shall fill in these sections of the table to establish the design criteria using Table 1a or 1b from ACCA Manual J or established criteria determined by the jurisdiction.

o.The jurisdiction shall fill in this section of the allowable stress design table using the Ground Snow Loads in Figure R301.2(3).

p.Flood Hazard Data for the City of Berkeley:

Date of Jurisdiction’s Entry into the NFIP: December 7, 1973;

Date of adoption of the first code or ordinance for management of flood hazards: Ordinance No. 5085-N.S., July 25, 1978;

Date of Flood Insurance study: Aug 3, 2009;

Panel numbers and dates of all currently effective maps adopted by the AHJ (Ordinance 7108-NS 9/29/09):

•FEMA’s "Use of Digital Flood Hazard Data" establishes that paper and digital maps are equivalent. Policy and related information are available from FEMA. The policy implements section 107 of Public Law 108-264, 118 Stat. 724 (2004).

•Panel 13 (not available in printed form).

•Panel 14 of 725, Map Number 06001C0014G, August 3, 2009.

•Panel 18 of 725, Map Number 06001C0018G, August 3, 2009.

•Panel 19 of 725, Map Number 06001C0019G, August 3, 2009.

•Panel 38 (not available in printed form).

•Panel 51 (not available in printed form).

•Panel 52 of 725, Map Number 06001C0052G, August 3, 2009.

•Panel 53 (not available in printed form).

•Panel 54 of 725, Map Number 06001C0054G, August 3, 2009.

•Panel 56 of 725, Map Number 06001C0056G, August 3, 2009.

•Panel 57 of 725, Map Number 06001C0057G, August 3, 2009.

•Panel 80 of 725, Map Number 06001C0080G, August 3, 2009.

(Ord. 7988-NS § 2, 2025)

Chapter 6 of the 2025 California Residential Code is adopted in its entirety subject to the modifications thereto which are set forth below.

Table R602.10.3(3) BRACING REQUIREMENTS BASED ON SEISMIC DESIGN CATEGORYi, j

Add new footnotes "i" and "j" to the end of Table R602.10.3(3) to read:

i. Methods GB, PBS, HPS and SFB are not permitted in Seismic Design Categories D0, D1, and D2.

j. Method DWB are not permitted in Seismic Design Categories D0, D1, and D2 where S1 is greater than or equal to 0.75.

Add a new Subsection R602.10.4.5, to read:

R602.10.4.5 Limits on methods GB and PCP. In Seismic Design Categories D0, D1, and D2, Method GB is not permitted, but gypsum board is permitted to be placed on the opposite side of the studs from other types of braced wall panel sheathing. In Seismic Design Categories D0, D1, and D2, the use of Method PCP is limited to one-story dwellings and accessory structures.

(Ord. 7988-NS § 2, 2025)