Lake Elsinore Municipal Code Ch. 15.04 Building Code

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Prior legislation: Ords. 882, 944 and 1007.

For the purpose of prescribing regulations for erecting, construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, improving, removal, conversion, demolition, occupancy, equipment use, height, and area of buildings and structures, the following construction codes subject to the modifications set forth in this chapter are hereby adopted: the California Building Code, 2025 Edition, based on the 2024 International Building Code as published by the International Code Council; the California Residential Code, 2025 Edition, based on the 2024 International Residential Code as published by the International Code Council; the California Green Building Standards Code, 2025 Edition; the California Plumbing Code, 2024 Edition, based on the 2009 Uniform Plumbing Code as published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials; the California Mechanical Code, 2025 Edition, based on the 2024 Uniform Mechanical Code as published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials; the California Electrical Code, 2025 Edition, based on the 2024 National Electrical Code as published by the National Fire Protection Association. The provisions of these Construction Codes as amended by this chapter shall constitute the Building Regulations of the City of Lake Elsinore. Where the California Code of Regulations and State Building Standards Code of Regulations differ from any sections of the Construction Codes, State regulations shall prevail over the Construction Codes.

One copy of all the above codes and standards therefor are on file in the office of the building official pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 18942(e)(1) and are made available for public inspection.

Notwithstanding the provisions of the above-referenced construction codes, all fees for services provided pursuant to the construction codes shall not take effect until a resolution for such fees is adopted by the City Council pursuant to California Government Code Sections 66016 and 66020.

(Ord. 1051 § 2, 1999; Ord. 1237 §§ 1, 2, 2007; Ord. 1287 § 2, 2010; Ord. 1318 § 2, 2013; Ord. 1365 § 2, 2016; Ord. 1419 § 2, 2019; Ord. 1476 § 2, 2022; Ord. 1521, 11/18/2025)

The 2025 California Building Code as adopted by LEMC § 15.04.010 is hereby adopted with the following local amendments:

Section 109.2 Fees, is hereby amended to include the following as the second and third sentences in the paragraph:

The fees for Plan Check and Permit shall be as set pursuant to Chapter 3.40 of the Lake Elsinore Municipal Code and as adopted in Ordinance 1087.

Said plan check fee shall be 75 percent of the building permit fee as set pursuant to Chapter 3.40 LEMC.

Section 113.3 Appeals, is hereby amended to read as follows:

The Board of Appeals when referenced in any of the Building Standards Codes shall mean the Planning Commission of the City of Lake Elsinore. The Board of Appeals is hereby established for each of the Building Standards Codes. Depending on the subject of the appeal, specialized expertise may be solicited for the purpose of providing input to the Appeals Board.

Section 114.4 Violation Penalties, is hereby amended as follows:

Any person, firm, or corporation violating any of the provisions or failing to comply with any of the mandatory requirements of the Ordinances of Lake Elsinore shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any person convicted of a misdemeanor under the Ordinances of Lake Elsinore shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment not to exceed six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Each such person shall be guilty of a separate offense for each and every day during any portion of which any violation of any provision of the Ordinances of Lake Elsinore is committed, continued, or permitted by any such person, and shall be punished accordingly.

Section 403 is hereby amended as follows:

High-rise buildings having occupied floors located more than 55 feet above the lowest level of Fire Department vehicle access and group I-2 occupancies having occupied floors located more than 75 feet above the lowest level of Fire Department access.

Section 403.1, the first paragraph is hereby amended as follows:

New high-rise buildings having occupied floors located more than 55 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access and new Group I-2 occupancies having occupied floors located more than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access shall comply with Sections 403.2 through 403.6.

Section 403.1.1, definition No. 2 is hereby amended as follows:

Section 403.4.7.2 and 403.4.8.1 are amended by moving item 2. Ventilation and automatic fire detection equipment for smokeproof enclosures from section 403.4.7.2 Standby Power Loads and placing it in 403.4.8.1 Emergency Power Loads. The revised sections are to read as follows:

403.4.7.2 Standby power loads.

The following are classified as standby power loads:

403.4.8.1 Emergency power loads.

The following are classified as emergency power loads:

Section 910.3.2.2 is hereby amended as follows:

Where installed in buildings provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system, smoke and heat vents shall be designed to operate automatically by actuation of a heat-responsive device rated at least 100° F above the operating temperature of the sprinkler, unless otherwise approved.

Section 1505.1 is amended by the deletion of Table 1505.1 and the addition of a new Table 1505.1a thereto, as follows:

TABLE 1505.1 a MINIMUM ROOF COVERING CLASSIFICATIONS TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION

For SI: 1 foot = 304.8 mm, 1 square foot = 0.0929 m 2 .

Section 1505.1.3 is amended as follows:

The entire roof covering of every existing structure where more than 50 percent 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 at least Class B.

Section 1505.5 is amended by the deletion of the entire section.

Section 1505.7 is amended by the deletion of the entire section.

Appendix J is hereby amended by the addition of a new section thereto, to read as follows:

A. Separate plans for temporary drainage and erosion control measures to be used during the rainy season shall be submitted prior to October 1. The control devices shown on said plans shall be installed no later than October 15, and maintained in operable condition until April 15. These plans shall provide the following:

1. Temporary soil stabilization measures shall be installed on graded slopes exceeding a three to one ratio and/or ten feet in height.

2. Desilting facility shall be provided at all drainage outlets from the graded site, designed for the twenty-five-year, six hour storm intensity. They must be detailed on the plans. Design and specific recommendations shall be submitted for the following:

3. The following notes shall be placed on the plans:

4. Indicate on the plan, which streets will be paved and which drainage devices will be completed by October 15.

5. Placement of devices to reduce erosion damage within the tract is left to the discretion of the Engineer. These devices, if any, must be shown on the plan because their presence will affect the required capacity of the desilting basin.

6. Outlet conditions from the desilting basin shall not exceed downstream limitations, with the exception of overflow, which is to be designed to provide capacity of 1.5 times the maximum design flow.

B. Temporary Erosion Control Measures

1. The permittee shall keep a standby crew for emergency work, available at all times during the rainy season. Necessary materials shall be available onsite and stockpiled at convenient locations to facilitate rapid construction of temporary devices or to repair any damaged erosion control measures when rain is imminent.

2. Devices shall not be moved or modified without the approval of the Building Official or, in an emergency by the person responsible for grading operations.

3. All removable protective devices shown shall be in place at the end of each working day when the five-day rain probability forecast exceeds forty percent. Forecasts shall be received from broadcasts provided by the United States Weather Service.

4. After a rainstorm, all silt and debris shall be removed from check berms and desilting basins and the basins pumped dry. Any graded slope surface protection measures damaged during a rainstorm shall also be immediately repaired. Failure to provide effective maintenance may result in penalties as provided per Section 205.

5. Fill slopes at the tract perimeter must drain away from the top of the slope at the conclusion of each working day.

6. At least one guard shall be posted on the site whenever the depth of water in any device exceeds eighteen inches. Additional guards may be required as deemed necessary by the Building Official.

7. After a rainstorm, all silt and debris shall be removed from public drains and pipes, and from drains and pipes of adjacent properties.

C. Subsequent Rainy Seasons

1. For projects extending into subsequent rainy seasons, for temporary drainage and erosion control plans shall be submitted. These plans shall comply with all requirements in Section J110.3 (A) and (B).

(Ord. 1051 § 2, 1999; Ord. 1087 § 2, 2002; Ord. 1237 §§ 1, 2, 2007; Ord. 1287 § 3, 2010; Ord. 1318 § 3, 2013; Ord. 1365 § 3, 2016; Ord. 1419 § 2, 2019; Ord. 1476 § 3, 2022; Ord. 1521, 11/18/2025)

Pursuant to Ordinance No. 2025-1519, the City Council of the City of Lake Elsinore has adopted and designated the Fire Hazard Severity Zones within the City of Lake Elsinore, as recommended by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and presented in the map titled: “City of Lake Elsinore Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map,” which is maintained and published by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. This map is retained on file at the City of Lake Elsinore and is attached as “Exhibit A” to the above-referenced ordinance and shall serve as the official FHSZ designation within the City of Lake Elsinore's Local Responsibility Area.

(Ord. 1286 § 1, 2010; Ord. 1521, 11/18/2025)