Encinitas Municipal Code Ch. 10.05 Wildland-Urban Interface Code

There is adopted and incorporated by reference herein as the City's Wildland-Urban Interface Code for the purpose of prescribing regulations in the City of Encinitas for the prevention of fire, the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, Part 7, Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, a portion of the 2025 California Building Standards Code, as defined in the California Health and Safety Code, Section 18901 et seq. Except as otherwise provided by this section of the City of Encinitas Municipal Code, all construction of buildings where fire prevention will be enforced and regulated shall be in conformance with 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code and any rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, including the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, 2025 Edition.

(Ord. 2025-21, 12/10/2025)

A. Chapter 3 Wildland-Urban Interface Areas.

1. Section 302 - Definitions.

Added the following new definitions:

Evacuation Route - A route identified by the City of Encinitas, the Fire Department, or other authority having jurisdiction as a primary or secondary path for community evacuation during a wildfire or other emergency.

Roadway Vegetation Clearance Zone - A strip of land measured horizontally from the edge of the paved or improved roadway surface, maintained free of hazardous or flammable vegetation and fuels in accordance with Section 403.3.

B. Chapter 4 Wildland-Urban Interface Area Requirements.

1. Section 403 - Maintenance of Defensible Space and Fuel-Modification Zones.

Added new subsection:

403.3 Roadway Vegetation Clearance.

In all Very High and High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, and along all designated evacuation routes within the City of Encinitas, vegetation shall be removed and maintained for a minimum horizontal distance of 20 feet (6.1 m) from each side of the roadway edge.

Vegetation within this zone shall be maintained to reduce fuel continuity and ladder fuels and to prevent ignition and fire spread along roadways and evacuation corridors. Trees and shrubs retained within this zone shall be limbed and spaced to maintain a vertical clearance of 13 feet 6 inches (4.1m) above the roadway and a minimum horizontal clearance of 10 feet (3.0 m) from the edge of travel way or as otherwise approved by the Fire Code Official.

Exception: Vegetation that is listed as fire-resistant on the City's "Desirable Plant List," does not obstruct sight distance, signage, or fire-apparatus clearance, and is maintained in a healthy and non-combustible condition may be retained when approved by the Fire Code Official.

C. Chapter 5 Special Building Construction Regulations.

1. 503.1 General.

This section revised to read:

Buildings and structures hereafter constructed, modified 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. The vent requirements in Section 504 shall apply to all residential occupancies undergoing remodels, additions or alterations.

2. Section 504.10 Vents.

This section revised to read:

All residential buildings, including new construction, remodels, additions, and alterations including re-roofs, shall be equipped with wildfire flame- and ember-resistant approved vents. Where provided, ventilation openings for enclosed attics, gable ends, ridge ends, under eaves and cornices, enclosed eave soffit spaces, enclosed rafter spaces formed where ceilings are applied directly to the underside of roof rafters, underfloor ventilation, foundations and crawl spaces, or any other opening intended to permit ventilation, either in a horizontal or vertical surface, shall be in accordance with Section 504.10.1 or Section 504.10.2 to resist building ignition from the intrusion of burning embers and flame through the ventilation openings.

D. Appendix A.

This section revised to read:

1. A102.2 Clearance of brush or vegetative growth from roadways.

The code official is authorized to require areas within 20 feet on each side of portions of fire apparatus access roads and driveways to be cleared of non-fire-smart vegetation growth.

Exception: Single specimens of trees, ornamental vegetative fuels or cultivated ground cover, such as green grass, ivy, succulents or similar plants used as ground cover, provided they do not form a means of readily transmitting fire.

(Ord. 2025-21, 12/10/2025)