Lake Forest Municipal Code Ch. 8.06 California Residential Code

The California Residential Code, 2025 Edition (California Code of Regulations Title 24, Part 2.5), based on the 2024 International Residential Code as published by the International Code Council, together with the amendments provided in this chapter, is hereby adopted by reference as the Residential Code of the City of Lake Forest, regulating the construction of one- and two-family residential dwellings within the City, of which Code not less than one copy has been made and is now filed in the office of the City Clerk; and the same is adopted and incorporated as fully as if set forth at length herein.

(Ord. 231 § 3, 2011; Ord. 258 § 3, 2013; Ord. 291 § 3, 2016; Ord. 326 § 3, 2019; Ord. 360 § 3, 2023; Ord. 382, 11/18/2025)

A. Chapter 1 Division II Section R105.2, "Work Exempt from Permit," Building Item 2, of the California Residential Code shall be amended to read as follows:

B. Chapter 1 Division II Section R108.1, "Payment of Fees," of the California Residential Code is amended to read as follows:

R108.1 Payment of Fees. A fee as established by Resolution of the City Council shall be paid for each permit at time of issuance.

C. Chapter 1 Division II Section R108.2, "Schedule of Permit Fees," is amended to read as follows:

R108.2 Schedule of Permit Fees. The determination of value or valuation under any of the provision of this Code shall be made by the Building Official. The value to be used in computing the building permit and building plan review fees shall be the total value of all construction work for which the permit is issued, as well as all finish work, painting, roofing, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, elevators, fire-extinguishing systems and any other permanent equipment.

D. Chapter 1 Division II Section R108.5, "Refunds," is amended to read as follows:

R108.5 Fee Refunds. The Building Official may authorize refunding of any fee paid hereunder which was erroneously paid or collected.

The Building Official may authorize refunding of not more than 80 percent of the permit fee paid when no work has been done under a permit issued in accordance with this code.

The Building Official may authorize refunding of not more than 80 percent of the plan review fee paid when an application for a permit for which a plan review fee has been paid is withdrawn or canceled before any plan reviewing is done.

The Building Official shall not authorize refunding of any fee paid except on written application filed by the original permittee not later than 180 days after the date of fee payment. No refund will be made for less than $30.00. Permit and plan check fees will be refunded in their entirety when collected in error.

E. Chapter 1 Division II Section R108.7, "Plan Review Fees," is added to read as follows:

R108.7 Plan Review Fees. When submittal documents are required by Section R106.1, a plan review fee shall be paid at the time of submitting the submittal documents for plan review. Said plan review fee shall be established by Resolution of the City Council.

The plan review fees specified in this subsection are separate fees from the permit fees specified in Section 109.1 and are in addition to the permit fees.

When submittal documents are incomplete or changed so as to require additional plan review or when the project involves deferred submittal items as defined in Section 107.3.4.1, an additional plan review fee shall be charged at the rate shown in the fee schedule.

F. Chapter 1 Division II Section R108.8, "Investigation Fees: Work Without a Permit," is added to read as follows:

R108.8 Investigation Fees: Work Without a Permit.

R108.8.1 Investigation. Whenever any work for which a permit is required by this code has been commenced without first obtaining said permit, a special investigation shall be made before a permit may be issued for such work.

R108.8.2 Fee. An investigation fee, in addition to the permit fee, shall be collected whether or not a permit is then or subsequently issued. The investigation fee shall be equal to the amount of the permit fee required by this code. The minimum investigation fee shall be the same as the minimum fee set forth in the fee schedule. The payment of such investigation fee shall not exempt any person from compliance with all other provisions of this code nor from any penalty prescribed by law.

G. Section R109.5, "Reinspections," is hereby added to the California Residential Code is to read as follows:

R109.5 Reinspections. A reinspection fee may be assessed for each inspection or reinspection when such portion of work for which inspection is called is not complete or when corrections called for are not made.

This subsection is not to be interpreted as requiring reinspection fees the first time a job is rejected for failure to comply with the requirements of this code, but as controlling the practice of calling for inspections before the job is ready for such inspection or reinspection.

Reinspection fees may be assessed when the inspection record card is not posted or otherwise made available on the work site; the approved plans are not readily available to the inspector, for failure to provide access on the date for which inspection is requested, or for deviating from plans requiring the approval of the Building Official.

To obtain a reinspection, the applicant shall file an application therefor in writing upon a form furnished for that purpose and pay the reinspection fee as established by the City Council.

In instances where reinspection fees have been assessed, no additional inspection of the work will be performed until the required fees have been paid.

H. Section R110.3, "Temporary Occupancy," of the California Residential Code is amended to read as follows:

R110.3 Temporary Certificate. If the Building Official finds that no substantial hazard will result from occupancy of any building or portion thereof before the same is completed, he or she may issue a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy for the use of a portion or portions of a building or structure prior to the completion of the entire building or structure. The application fee for such Temporary Certificate shall be as established by the City Council. The Temporary Certificate of Occupancy may be subject to such conditions as deemed necessary by the Building Official. The violation or failure of any such condition imposed shall be grounds for revocation of such Temporary Certificate of Occupancy.

I. Section R112.1, "General," of the California Residential Code is amended to read as follows:

R112.1 General. The City Council shall be the Board of Appeals.

J. Section R113.4, "Violation Penalties," of the California Residential Code is amended to read as follows:

R113.4 Violations.

It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish, equip, use, occupy, or maintain any building or structure, or cause or permit the same to be done in violation of this Code.

Any person, firms, or corporation violating any of the provisions of this Code shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and each such person shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and each such person shall be deemed guilty of a separate offense for each and every day or portion thereof during which any violation of any of the provisions of this Code is committed, continued, or permitted, and upon conviction of any such violation such person shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000.00 or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(Ord. 231 § 3, 2011; Ord. 258 § 3, 2013; Ord. 291 § 3, 2016; Ord. 326 § 3, 2019; Ord. 360 § 3, 2023; Ord. 382, 11/18/2025)