Skip to content
ChatProjectCodes

Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON OCCUPANCY AND USE

Section 446

California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2022 edition · updated 2026-09-12 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

446.1 Scope.

The use of subterranean space for winery facili- ties in natural or manmade caves shall be in accordance with this section.

446.2 Definitions.

446.3 General.

For definitions of ASSEMBLY, FIRE APPLI- ANCE and NONCOMBUSTIBLE, see Chapter 2.

446.4 Limited application.

For the purpose of Section 446, certain terms are defined as follows:

TYPE 1 WINERY CAVES are natural or manmade caves used solely for storage and/or processing of wine at a win- ery facility. Type 1 winery caves are not accessible to the public.

TYPE 2 WINERY CAVES are natural or manmade caves used for the storage and/or processing of wine at a winery facility. Type 2 winery caves are accessible to the public on guided tours only.

TYPE 3 WINERY CAVES are natural or manmade caves used for the storage and/or processing of wine at a winery facility. Type 3 winery caves are accessible to the public on guided tours and contain assembly use areas.

446.5 Permits.

For permits to operate Type 2 and 3 winery caves, see Section 105.

446.6 Fire apparatus access roads.

Fire apparatus access roads shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with the California Fire Code, Section 503.

446.7 Construction requirements.

446.7.1 Allowable area. The area of winery caves shall not be limited if constructed entirely of noncombustible materials. Winery caves constructed with combustible materials shall be limited in area so that no point is more than 150 feet (45 720 mm) from an exit.

446.7.2 Interior construction. The walls and ceilings of winery caves shall not contain hidden or concealed spaces.

446.8 General requirements.

446.8.1 Public tours. Tours for the public shall be contin- uously guided by staff knowledgeable in the location of exits and the use of emergency notification devices.

446.8.2 Standby personnel. Per the California Fire Code, Section 2404.20, when, in the opinion of the fire chief, it is essential for public safety, the owner, agent or lessee shall employ one or more qualified persons, as required and approved by the chief, to be on duty at such place. Such individuals shall be in uniform or otherwise easily identifi- able.

Standby personnel shall be subject to the fire chief’s orders at all times when so employed and shall remain on duty during the times such places are open to the public or when such activity is being conducted.

Before the start of any activity requiring standby per- sonnel, such individuals shall:

1. Inspect the required fire appliances to ensure they are in the proper place and in good working order.

2. Inspect all exits to verify accessibility and proper operation.

While on duty, such individuals shall not be required or permitted to perform any duties other than those specified by the fire chief.

446.8.3 Open-flame devices. The use of candles and other open-flame devices shall be in accordance with California Fire Code Section 308.1.7.

446.9 Portable fire extinguishers and other fire appliances.

Portable fire extinguishers shall be located to be readily accessible. Its type, location and spacing throughout the facility shall be in accordance with the provisions of Title 19, Chapter 3 and California Fire Code Section 906.1. Other fire appliances shall be maintained at the site as required by the fire chief.

446.10 Fire alarm systems.

An approved manual fire alarm system conforming with the provisions of the California Fire Code, Section 907.2.1 shall be provided in all Type 3 winery caves.

446.11 Exits.

446.11.1 Distribution. Exits shall be located remotely from each other and arranged to minimize any possibility that more than one may be blocked off by any one fire or other emergency condition.

446.11.2 Number. Winery caves shall be provided with a minimum of two exits.

Assembly areas of Type 3 winery caves shall be pro- vided with exits as required by the California Building Code for Group A Occupancies.

446.12 Exit illumination.

446.12.1 General. Exits shall be illuminated to a minimum intensity of not less than 1 foot-candle (10.76 lx) at floor level whenever the winery cave is occupied. Fixtures pro- viding exit illumination shall be supplied from a dedicated circuit or source of power used only for exit illumination.

446.12.2 Separate sources of power. The power supply for exit illumination may be provided by the premises’ wiring system. In the event of its failure, illumination shall be automatically provided from an emergency system in Types 2 and 3 winery caves. Emergency systems shall be supplied from storage batteries or an on-site generator set, and the system shall be installed in accordance with the requirements of the California Electrical Code.

446.13 Exit signs.

Exit signs shall be installed at required exits and where otherwise necessary to clearly indicate the exits from assembly areas in Type 3 winery caves.

446.14 Maximum occupant load.

Occupant load require- ments in the assembly areas of Type 3 winery caves shall be in accordance with Section 1004.

4-62 2022 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE

Copyright © 2022 by, or licensed to, International Code Council, Inc. (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED); licensed to California Building Standards Commission pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions is authorized. Any unauthorized reproduction or distribution is a violation of the federal copyright act and the license agreement, and subject to civil and criminal penalties thereunder.

SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON OCCUPANCY AND USE

446.15 Seating arrangements.

Seating arrangements in the assembly areas of Type 3 winery caves shall be in accor- dance with California Fire Code, Section 1028.9.

Get a plain-English answer with a citation back to this text.

Ask AI about this code
Export this section
▸Contents — California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
  1. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
  2. Appendix G — FLOOD-RESISTANT
  3. Appendix L — EARTHQUAKE RECORDING
  4. Appendix M — TSUNAMI-GENERATED
  5. Appendix N — REPLICABLE
  6. Appendix O — PERFORMANCE-BASED
  7. Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION
  8. Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
  9. ▸Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON OCCUPANCY A…
    Overview
    1. Section 401
    2. Section 402
    3. Section 403
    4. Section 404
    5. Section 405
    6. Section 406
    7. Section 407
    8. Section 408
    9. Section 409
    10. Section 410
    11. Section 412
    12. Section 411
    13. Section 413
    14. Section 414
    15. Section 415
    16. Section 416
    17. Section 417
    18. Section 418
    19. Section 419
    20. Section 420
    21. Section 422
    22. Section 421
    23. Section 423
    24. Section 424
    25. Section 425
    26. Section 427
    27. Section 435
    28. Section 436
    29. Section 437
    30. Section 438
    31. Section 440
    32. Section 441
    33. Section 442
    34. Section 443
    35. Section 444
    36. Section 445
    37. Section 446
    38. Section 447
    39. Section 448
    40. Section 449
    41. Section 450
    42. Section 451
    43. Section 452
    44. Section 453
    45. Section 454
    46. Section 455
  10. Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
  11. Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
  12. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  13. Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION
  14. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
  15. Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  16. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  17. Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
  18. Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
  19. Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
  20. Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
  21. Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
  22. Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  23. Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  24. Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  25. Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  26. Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
  27. Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
  28. Chapter 21 — MASONRY
  29. Chapter 22 — STEEL
  30. Chapter 23 — WOOD
  31. Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
  32. Chapter 25 — GYPSUM BOARD, GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
  33. Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
  34. Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
  35. Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  36. Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
  37. Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
  38. Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
  39. Chapter 31C — RADIATION
  40. Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
  41. Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
  42. Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
  43. Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
  44. Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  45. Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
  46. Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
  47. Appendix C — GROUP U – AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
  48. Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
  49. Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
  50. Appendix H — SIGNS
  51. Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
  52. Appendix J — GRADING
  53. Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES
  54. Appendix P — EMERGENCY HOUSING

GoCodebook provides public access, search, citation, multilingual explanation, and practical interpretation of legally adopted building regulations. It is not a substitute for the official ICC or California code publications.