Berkeley Municipal Code Ch. 19.80 Minimum Security in the City of Berkeley

The purpose of this chapter is to set forth minimum standards of door security devices in rental dwelling units and designated hotel and apartment house common areas to protect persons and property or to reduce the likelihood of crimes occurring against persons and property by preventing unauthorized entry through exterior access openings. (Ord. 6591-NS § 1)

Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the provisions of this section shall apply to Group Occupancies R-I, R-3 and M, except for enclosed Group M Occupancies not used for dwelling or lodging purposes. (Ord. 6591-NS § 1)

A. All exterior doors in existing and future rental dwelling units in the City of Berkeley forming a part of the enclosure of a dwelling unit or of an area occupied by one tenant of a building shall be secured as provided herein when such door is directly accessible to or capable of being reached from a street, yard, court, passageway, corridor, balcony, patio, breezeway, private garage, portion of the building available for use by the public or other tenants or similar area. A door enclosing a private garage with an interior opening leading directly to a dwelling unit shall comply with the provisions hereof.

B. The provisions of this section shall apply to temporary lodging facilities, including but not limited to, hotels, motels, and boarding and lodging houses. (Ord. 6591-NS § 1)

For the purpose of this chapter, certain terms are defined as follows:

A. Cylinder guard is a hardened ring surrounding the exposed portion of the lock cylinder or other device which is so fastened as to protect the cylinder from wrenching, prying, cutting, or pulling by attack tools.

B. Deadlocking latch is a latch in which the latch bolt is positively held in the projected position by a guard bolt, plunger, or auxiliary mechanism.

C. Deadbolt is a bolt which has no automatic spring action and which is operated by a U-key cylinder, thumbturn, or lever and is positively held fast when in the projected position.

D. Latch is a device for automatically retaining the door in a closed position upon its closing.

E. Apartment house is any building, or portion thereof, which is designed, built, rented, leased, let or hired out to be occupied, or which is occupied, as the home or residence of three or more families living independently of each other and doing their own cooking in the said building and shall include flats and apartments.

F. Hotel is any building containing six or more guest rooms intended or designed to be used, or which are used, rented or hired out to be occupied, or which are occupied for sleeping purposes by guests. (Ord. 6591-NS § 1)

A. All doors described in Section 19.80.030 and subject to the provisions hereof shall be equipped with a one (1) inch, single cylinder deadlock with hardened cylinder guard which unlocks from the outside with a key and inside by turnpiece, handle or knob. Doors shall also be equipped with a deadlocking latch having a guarded bolt which unlocks from the outside by key and inside by turnpiece, handle or knob.

B. Deadbolts shall contain hardened inserts or equivalent, so as to repel cutting tool attack. The lock or locks shall be key operated from the exterior side of the door and shall be openable from the inside without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort.

C. Outside hinges on all doors described herein shall be provided with nonremovable pins. Such hinge pins may be either welded, flanged, or secured by a screw.

D. The striker plates shall be attached to the door jamb with screws having a minimum length of two and one-half (2-1/2) inches, except that when the door has a steel jamb, or where a wood jamb is installed in a concrete or masonry wall, the fasteners may be shorter than two and one-half (2-1/2) inches, provided that the striker plate is securely attached to the jamb. (Ord. 6591-NS § 1)

A. The following requirements shall apply to all residential hotels and apartment houses two or more stories in height or containing more than four rental units, where the following interior areas of the building are accessible by exterior access doors: corridors; stairways; foyers; lobbies; enclosed parking garages; laundry or utility rooms or similar areas; and where such door(s) provide(s) access to or can be reached from a street, yard, court, passageway, corridor, balcony, patio, breezeway, private garage or similar area.

B. All existing or future exterior access doors to areas and buildings, specified in this section shall be secured from unauthorized entry by means of a locking device meeting the following specifications:

1. All doors described in this chapter and subject to the provisions hereof shall be equipped with a one (1) inch, single cylinder deadlock with hardened cylinder guard which unlocks from the outside with a key and inside by a handle or knob. Such doors shall also be equipped with a deadlocking latch having a guarded bolt which unlocks from the outside by key and inside by a handle or knob.

2. Deadbolts shall contain hardened inserts or equivalent, so as to repel cutting tool attack. The lock or locks shall be key operated from the exterior side of the door and shall be openable from the inside without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort. Both deadbolt and latch must be able to be retracted from the inside by a single turn of the interior knob on all main tenant exit doors.

3. Outside hinges on all doors described herein shall be provided with nonremoval pins. Such hinge pins may be either welded, flanged, or secured by a screw.

4. The striker plates shall be attached to the door jamb with screws having a minimum length of two and one-half (2-1/2) inches, except when the door has a steel jamb, or where a wood jamb is installed in a concrete or masonry wall, the fasteners may be shorter than two and one-half (2-1/2) inches, provided that the striker plate is securely attached to the jamb. (Ord. 6591-NS § 1)

A. The provisions of this chapter shall not prevent the use or installation of any security device or method not specifically prescribed herein when such alternative provides equivalent security and is approved by the building official prior to installation.

B. Security locking devices installed prior to December 9, 1973, which are in substantial compliance with the provisions herein may be accepted by the building official if it is determined that the locking devices provide equivalent safety and effectiveness to those prescribed herein.

C. The building official may require persons requesting approval of alternate devices to provide supporting evidence that the devices provide equivalent security. Such evidence may be oral or written and may include a demonstration that such alternate security devices provide equivalent security. The decision of the building official may be appealed as provided in Section 19.44.020 of this code. (Ord. 6591-NS § 1)

Owners of dwelling units subject to this chapter, or the owners’ authorized representatives, shall be responsible for compliance with this chapter. (Ord. 6591-NS § 1)

Nothing in the provisions of this section shall be construed to require any agency of the City of Berkeley to conduct any inspection of the locking devices herein required nor shall any actual inspections made imply a duty to inspect other locking devices. Furthermore, this section shall not be construed to hold the City of Berkeley or any officer, employee, or representative of the City responsible for any damage to persons or property by reason of any failure to make an inspection or reinspection. (Ord. 6591-NS § 1)