Lake Forest Municipal Code Ch. 8.20 California Mechanical Code

Note: Prior ordinance history: Ords. 103, 130 and 177.

California Mechanical Code, 2025 Edition (California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 4), based on the 2024 Uniform Mechanical Code as published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, including Chapter 1, together with the amendments provided in this chapter, is hereby adopted by reference as the Mechanical Code of the City of Lake Forest, regulating and controlling the design, construction, installation, quality of materials, location, operation and maintenance of heating, ventilating, cooling, refrigeration systems, incinerators and other miscellaneous heat producing appliances, 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 by reference as if set forth at length herein.

(Ord. 231 § 6, 2011; Ord. 258 § 6, 2013; Ord. 291 § 6, 2016; Ord. 326 § 6, 2019; Ord. 360 § 6, 2023; Ord. 382, 11/18/2025)

A. Section 104.5, "Fees," of the Mechanical Code, is hereby amended to read as follows:

104.5 Permit Fees. A fee as established by Resolution of the City Council shall be paid for each permit at the time of issuance. Failure to pay fees and obtain a permit before commencing work shall be deemed a violation of this Code except when it can be proven to the satisfaction of the Building Official that an emergency existed which made it impractical to first obtain the permit. A violation shall result in an assessment of double permit fees for work done prior to permit issuance. Payment of a double fee shall not relieve any person from fully complying with the requirements of this Code nor from any other penalties prescribed herein.

B. Section 104.5.3, "Fee Refunds," of the Mechanical Code, is hereby amended to read as follows:

104.5.3 Fee Refunds.

104.5.3.1 Permit fee refunds will be made in an amount equal to 80 percent where work authorized by said permit has not commenced, except that no refund will be made for less than $30.00, and no refund will be made if one year has elapsed from the date of permit issuance.

104.5.3.2 Plan check fee refunds will be made in an amount equal to 80 percent if the request for such refund is received before the commencement of the first complete plan check, except that no refund will be made for less than $30.00, and no refund will be made if one year has elapsed from the date of plan check fee payment.

104.5.3.3 Permit and plan check fees will be refunded in their entirety when inadvertently paid for a project outside the jurisdiction of the City of Lake Forest or as duplicate fees, except that no refund will be made if one year has elapsed from the date of payment.

(Ord. 231 § 6, 2011; Ord. 258 § 6, 2013; Ord. 291 § 6, 2016; Ord. 326 § 6, 2019; Ord. 360 § 6, 2023; Ord. 382, 11/18/2025)