Berkeley Municipal Code Art. 5 Special Building Construction Regulations

Chapter 5 of the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code is partially adopted with adopted sections below. (Sections adopted by the State Fire Marshal remain unless modified below.)

501.1 Scope. New Buildings and structures, additions, alterations, repairs and re-roofs constructed in a wildland-urban interface area shall be constructed in accordance with the California Building Code, California Fire Code and this code.

Exceptions:

1. Group U accessory buildings or structures not exceeding 120 square feet (11 m2) in floor area where located not less than 50 feet (15240 mm) from applicable buildings on the same lot*.*

2. Group U agricultural buildings or structures not less than 50 feet (15 240 mm) from applicable buildings.

501.1.1 Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to establish minimum standards for the protection of life and property by increasing the ability of a building located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone within a State Responsibility Area (SRA) or Local Responsibility Areas (LRA) or any building or structure in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) areas as specified in Section 302.3 to resist the intrusion of flames or burning embers projected by a vegetation fire and contributes to a systematic reduction in conflagration losses.

501.1.2 Application. Construction of new buildings and structures, additions, alterations, repairs, and re-roofs located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone or new buildings and structures, additions, alterations, repairs and re-roofs located in any wildland-urban interface (WUI) area designated by the enforcing agency constructed after the application date shall comply with the provisions of this chapter. This shall include all new buildings and structures, additions, alterations, repairs and re-roofs with residential, commercial, educational, institutional or similar occupancy type uses, which shall be referred to in this chapter as "applicable building(s)" (see definition in Chapter 2), as well as new buildings and structures, additions, alterations, repairs and re­roofs accessory to those applicable buildings.

501.2.1 Construction methods and requirements within established limits.

Within the limits established by law, construction methods intended to mitigate wildfire exposure shall comply with the wildfire protection building construction requirements contained in this code, the Berkeley Fire Code, and the Berkeley Building Standards whichever is most restrictive.

503.1 General. Buildings and structures hereafter constructed, added to, modified, repaired, re-roofed or relocated into or within wildland-urban interface areas shall meet the construction requirements in accordance with Chapter 5. Materials required to be ignition-resistant building materials shall comply with the requirements of Section 503.2.

Exceptions:

1. New accessory buildings and miscellaneous structures complying with Section 504.11.

2. Additions to and remodels of buildings originally constructed prior to July 1, 2008.

2. Group C occupancy special buildings conforming to the limitations specified in Section 450.4.1 of the California Building Code.

504.2 Roof assembly. Roofs shall have a roof assembly that complies with a Class A fire classification when tested in accordance with ASTM E108 or UL 790. For additional compliance see California Building Code Chapter 15, Section 1505.2 for Class A roof assemblies. The roof assembly shall be installed in accordance with its listing and the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

Wooden shakes and shingles are prohibited roof coverings regardless of the assembly rating of the roof system.

Exceptions: The following assemblies are exempt from testing and shall be considered as equivalent to the Class A fire classification:

1. Roof assemblies with coverings of brick, masonry or an exposed concrete roof deck.

2. Roof assemblies with ferrous or copper shingles or sheets, metal sheets and shingles, clay or concrete roof tile or slate installed on noncombustible decks or ferrous, copper or metal sheets installed without a roof deck on noncombustible framing.

3. Roof assemblies with minimum 16 oz/sq ft (0.0416 kg/m2) copper sheets installed over combustible roof decks.

4. Roof assemblies of slate roof covering installed over ASTM D226, Type II underlayment over combustible decks.

505 – RESERVED REPLACEMENT OF EXTERIOR WALL COVERING

505.1 Replacement of Exterior Wall Covering. Materials for replacement of existing exterior wall covering shall meet or exceed the standards set forth in Section 504.5 of this code.

Exception: Where less than 50% of any wall surface is being replaced or repaired, and the matching of the new plane to the existing plane on that wall is not possible.

506 – RESERVED UNDERGROUND UTILITY CONNECTIONS

506.1 Underground utility connections. For new construction, provisions shall be made for the undergrounding of all utilities serving the property, including but not limited to electrical, telephone and cable television, by the installation of appropriately sized underground conduits extending from the parcel.

SECTION 507—REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR OF ROOF COVERINGS

507.1 General. The roof covering on buildings or structures in existence prior to the adoption of this code that are entirely replaced or have 50 percent or more replaced in a 12-month period shall be replaced with a roof covering as required for new construction in accordance with Sections 504.2 and 504.2.1. All portions of a roof covering applied during an addition, alteration or repair to an existing structure shall meet at least a Class A fire classification in accordance with Sections 504.2 and 504.2.1.

The entire roof covering of every existing building or structure where more than 50 percent of the total roof area is replaced within any 5-year period shall be replaced with a fire-retardant roof covering in accordance with Sections 504.2 and 504.2.1.

**SECTION 508—ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS IN THE PANORAMIC MITIGATION

ass A fire classification* in accordance with Sections 504.2 and 504.2.1.

The entire roof covering of every existing building or structure where more than 50 percent of the total roof area is replaced within any 5-year period shall be replaced with a fire-retardant roof covering in accordance with Sections 504.2 and 504.2.1.

SECTION 508—ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS IN THE PANORAMIC MITIGATION AREA.

508.1 General. In addition to meeting the other requirements of this code, buildings or structures hereinafter erected, constructed, moved, altered, added, or repaired within the Panoramic Mitigation Area shall comply with the following requirements for buildings and structures.

508.1.2 Fire warning system. All residential units shall be equipped with a Fire Warning System as specified by the residential smoke alarm requirements in the most recently adopted California Building Code and/or California Residential Code and with an audible exterior alarm. The exterior alarm must meet the requirements of NFPA 72 or equivalent and generate 45 decibels ten feet from the alarm, or more.

508.1.3 Automatic fire sprinkler systems. Automatic fire sprinkler system requirements shall be as set forth in Berkeley Fire Code Section 903.2.24.

508.1.4 Utilities. Utilities, pipes, furnaces, water heaters or other mechanical devices located in an exposed underfloor area of a building or structure shall be enclosed with material as required for exterior one hour fire resistive construction. Adequate covered access openings for servicing and ventilation of such facilities shall be provided as required by the applicable code.

508.1.5 Water Service. The water service to the site shall be installed with a 3/4" hose bib connection prior to beginning any construction involving any wood forming or framing. The person responsible for the construction shall have at the site a 75 ft 3/4" hose available at all times.

(Ord. 7991-NS § 1, 2025)