Laguna Niguel Municipal Code Art. 9 California Residential Code—amendments

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. 2025-237, § 3, adopted Dec. 2, 2025, repealed the former Art. 9, §§ 8-1-900—8-1-905, and enacted a new Art. 9 as set out herein. The former Art. 9 pertained to similar subject matter and derived from Ord. No. 2022-219, § 3, 11-15-22.

Section R202, "Definitions," is hereby amended by adding, in alphabetical order, "OCFA" and "Spark Arrester" as follows:

OCFA. The Orange County Fire Authority which is the fire department/authority having jurisdiction.

SPARK ARRESTER. A listed device constructed of noncombustible material specifically for the purpose of meeting one of the following conditions:

1. Removing and retaining carbon and other flammable particles/debris from the exhaust flow of an internal combustion engine in accordance with California Vehicle Code Section 38366.

2. Fireplaces that burn solid fuel in accordance with California Building Code Chapter 28.

(Ord. No. 2025-237, § 3, 12-2-25)

Chapter 3 "Building Planning" is adopted in its entirety with the following amendments and additions:

Table R301.2 "Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria" is amended as follows:

TABLE R301.2(1) CLIMATIC AND GEOGRAPHIC DESIGN CRITERIA

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

a Weathering may require a higher strength concrete or grade of masonry than necessary to satisfy the structural requirements of this code. The weathering column shall be filled in with the weathering index (i.e., "negligible," "moderate" or "severe") for concrete as determined from the Weathering Probability Map [Figure R301.2(3)]. The grade of masonry units shall be determined from ASTM C 34, C 55, C 62, C 73, C 90, C 129, C 145, C 216 or C 652.

b The frost line depth may require deeper footings than indicated in Figure R403.1(1). 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 basic wind speed map [Figure R30l.2(4)]. Wind exposure category shall be determined on a site-specific basis in accordance with Section R301.2.1.4.

e Temperatures shall be permitted to reflect local climates or local weather experience as determined by the Building Official.

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 (a) 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), (b) the date(s) of the Flood Insurance Study and (c) the panel numbers and dates of all currently effective FIRMs and FBFMs or other flood hazard map adopted by the authority having jurisdiction, as amended.

h In accordance with Sections R905.2.7.1, 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%) value on the National Climatic Data Center data table "Air Freezing Index-USA Method (Base 32°)" at www.ncdc.noaa.gov/fpsf.html.

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)" at www.ncdc.noaa.gov/fpsf.html.

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.

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Section R301.9, "Fuel modification requirements for new construction," is hereby added as follows:

R301.9 Fuel modification requirements for new construction. All new structures and facilities adjoining land containing hazardous combustible vegetation shall be approved and in accordance with the requirements of OCFA Guideline C-05 "Vegetation Management Guideline - Technical Design for new Construction Fuel Modification Plans and Maintenance Program."

Section R3017.5.1, "Fire sprinkler attached garages, and carports with habitable space above," is hereby amended by modifying the exception to read as follows:

Exception: An automatic residential fire sprinkler system shall not be required when additions or alterations are made to existing carports and/or garages that do not have an automatic fire sprinkler system installed unless a sprinkler system is required in accordance with California Fire Code Section 903.2.8.

Section R309.1, "Townhouse automatic fire sprinkler systems," is hereby amended by modifying the exception to read as follows:

Exception: An automatic residential fire sprinkler system shall not be required when additions or alterations are made to existing townhouses that do not have an automatic fire sprinkler system installed unless a sprinkler system is required in accordance with California Fire Code Section 903.2.8.

Section R309.2, "One- and two-family dwellings automatic fire sprinkler systems," is hereby amended by modifying exception No. 1 to read as follows:

1. An automatic residential fire sprinkler system shall not be required for additions or alterations to existing buildings that are not already provided with an automatic sprinkler system unless a sprinkler system is required in accordance with California Fire Code, OCFA Local Amendments, Section 903.2.8.

Section R309.3.6.2.2, "Calculation procedure," is hereby amended as follows:

Section R313.3.6.2.2 Calculation procedure. Determination of the required size for water distribution piping shall be in accordance with the following procedure and California Fire Code Section 903:3.5.

(Ord. No. 2025-237, § 3, 12-2-25)

Section R405.1, "Concrete or masonry foundations," is amended as follows:

Section R405.1 Concrete or masonry foundations is amended by deleting the "Exception" from the end of this section for foundations installed on well-drained ground or sand-gravel mixture soils.

(Ord. No. 2025-237, § 3, 12-2-25)

Section R902.1, "Roof assemblies," is amended as follows:

R902.1 Roof assemblies. Roofs shall be covered with materials as set forth in Sections R904 and R905. A minimum Class A roofing shall be installed in areas designated by this section. Class A roofing required by this section to be listed shall be tested in accordance with UL 790 or ASTM E 108.

Exceptions:

1. Class A roof assemblies include those with coverings of brick, masonry, and exposed concrete roof deck.

2. Class A roof assemblies also include ferrous or copper shingles or sheets, metal sheets, clay or concrete roof tile, or slate installed on noncombustible decks.

Section R902.1.2, "Roof coverings in all other areas other than Fire Hazard Severity Zones or a Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) area," is amended as follows:

R902.1.2 Roof coverings in all other areas other than Fire Hazard Severity Zones or a Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) area. The entire roof covering of every existing structure where more than 50% of the total roof area is replaced within any one-year period, the entire roof covering of every new structure, and any roof covering applied in the alteration, repair or replacement of the roof of every existing structure, shall be a fire-retardant roof covering that is a Class A.

Section R902.2, "Fire-retardant-treated shingles and shakes," is amended as follows:

R902.2 Fire-retardant-treated shingles and shakes. Wood shakes and shingles are not allowed within the City of Laguna Niguel.

(Ord. No. 2025-237, § 3, 12-2-25)

Section R1001.14, "Outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, fire rings, or similar devices," is hereby added as follows:

R1001.14 Outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, fire rings, or similar devices. Outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, fire rings, or similar exterior devices shall comply with this section.

Exception: Barbeques, grills, and other portable devices intended solely for cooking.

Section R1001.14.1, "Gas-fueled devices," is hereby added as follows:

R1001.14.1 Gas-fueled devices. Outdoor fireplaces, fire pits and similar devices fueled by natural gas or liquefied-petroleum gas are allowed when approved by the Building Department and the device is designed to only burn a gas flame and not wood or other solid fuel. At R-3 occupancies, combustible construction shall not be located within three feet of an atmospheric column that extends vertically from the perimeter of the device. Where a permanent Building Department approved hood and vent is installed, combustible construction may encroach upon this column between the bottom of the hood and the vent opening. Where chimneys or vents are installed, they shall have a spark arrester in accordance with Section R1003.9.2.

Section R1001.14.2, "Devices using wood or fuels other than natural gas or liquefied-petroleum gas," is hereby added as follows:

R1001.14.2 Devices using wood or fuels other than natural gas or liquefied-petroleum gas. Fireplaces burning wood or other solid fuel shall be constructed in accordance with Section R1001. Fires in a fireplace shall be contained within a firebox with an attached chimney. The opening in the face of the firebox shall have an installed and maintained method of arresting sparks. The burning of wood or other solid fuel in a device is not allowed within 15 feet of combustible structures, unless within a permanent or portable fireplace.

Section R1001.14.3, "Where prohibited," is hereby added as follows:

R1001.14.3 Where prohibited. The burning of wood and other solid fuels shall not be conducted within a fuel modification zone. Wood and other solid fuel burning fires in devices other than permanent fireplaces are not allowed within Wildfire Risk Areas (WRA) and adopted Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) or in locations where conditions could cause the spread of fire to the WRA or FHSZ, unless determined by the Fire Code Official that the location or design of the device should reasonably prevent the start of a wildfire."

(Ord. No. 2025-237, § 3, 12-2-25)