Larkspur Municipal Code Ch. 15.44 Minimum Building Security Regulations

Sections: 15.44.010 Purpose. 15.44.020 Scope. 15.44.030 Exceptions. 15.44.040 Definitions. 15.44.050 Doors and Openings – All Occupancies. 15.44.060 Residential Security Provisions. 15.44.070 Commercial/Professional Security Provisions.

The purpose of this chapter is to provide specifications and minimum requirements that will promote building security, protect persons and safeguard property, help prevent financial loss by affording resistance to unlawful entry into buildings, and establish crime prevention through building security, pursuant to Section 14051 of the California Penal Code. (Ord. 589 § 1 (part), 1978)

The sections of this chapter shall apply to all new construction of single-family, multifamily, commercial and professional buildings, except for additions or remodel of said buildings. (Ord. 589 § 1 (part), 1978)

Nothing in these regulations shall supersede any local, state or federal laws, regulations or codes relating to life safety. (Ord. 589 § 1 (part), 1978)

The following definitions are in addition to those set forth in the City’s building code:

“Burglary resistant glass or glass-like materials” means glass which is tempered, laminated or imbedded with wire to strengthen such glass against physical attack, or glass-like material which is manufactured under the trade names of “plexiglass,” “lexan” or a similar product that would provide protection against physical attack above that which is experienced with plate glass.

“Commercial building” means a building used by a person for the purpose of conducting, managing, or carrying on a business, including storage of merchandise.

“Cylinder” means a symmetrical subassembly of a lock containing the cylinder core, tumbler mechanism, and a keyway.

“Cylinder guard” means a hardened ring surrounding the exposed portion of the lock cylinder or other device which is so fastened as to protect the cylinder from wrenching, prying, cutting, or pulling by attack tools.

“Dead bolt” means a bolt which has no automatic spring action and operates by a key cylinder, thumb turn, or lever.

“Dead latch” means a latch in which the latch bolt is positively held in a projected position by a guard bolt, plunger, or auxiliary mechanism.

“Flush bolt” means a dead lock normally used on inactive doors that is attached to the top and bottom and/or side of the door and engages in the frame and/or base of the door.

“Insert” means a hardened steel roller inside unhardened bolts to prevent bolt cutting or sawing with common tools.

“Jamb” means the vertical members of the door frame to which the door is secured.

“Latch” means a beveled, spring-activated bolt, which may or may not have a deadlocking device.

“Locking device” means a part of a window assembly which is intended to prevent movement of the movable sash.

“Sash” means a single frame assembly which supports a window or glazing material.

“Striker” means a metal plate attached to or changed into a door jamb to receive and to hold a projected latch bolt and/or dead bolt in order to secure the door to the jamb. (Ord. 589 § 1 (part), 1978)

A. Door jambs for all exterior doors and doors opening directly from garage to house shall be installed in a manner that no voids exist between jambs and opening framing for a vertical distance of twenty-four (24) inches each side of door lock.

There shall be solid blocking at door lock height for a minimum of three (3) stud spaces each side of opening. Trimmers shall be full length from the header to the floor with solid backing against sole plates. End swinging doors shall require rabbetted door jambs.

B. All exterior sliding glass doors shall be equipped with an auxiliary pin-type locking device which will keep the sliding panel of the door from being opened from the outside until the removal of the pin from its secured position from the interior of the building.

C. All exterior sliding glass windows shall be equipped with an auxiliary locking device which will keep the sliding panel of the window from being opened from the outside until the locking device is disengaged from the interior of the building. (Ord. 589 § 1 (part), 1978)

A. Doors – General. A door forming a part of the enclosure of the dwelling unit shall not be of hollow core or single panel construction and shall be installed and secured as set forth in subsections (B) and (C) of this section, when such door is accessible from a street, highway, yard, court, passageway, corridor, balcony, patio, breezeway, private garage, portion of the building which is available for use by the public or other tenants, or similar area. A door enclosing a private garage with an interior opening leading directly to a dwelling unit shall also comply with subsections (B) and (C) of this section. All dwelling unit entrance doors shall also be equipped with a viewing device located so as to enable a person on the inside of the entrance door to view a person immediately.

B. Doors – Swing Doors.

1. A single swing door, the active leaf of a pair of doors and the bottom leaf of Dutch doors shall be
equipped with a dead bolt with a minimum throw of one (1) inch and a deadlocking latch. The lock or locks
shall be key operated from the exterior side of the door and engaged or disengaged from the interior side of
the door by a device not requiring a key or special knowledge or effort.

2. Flush bolts with a minimum throw of five-eighths inch shall be provided at the head and foot (floor and
ceiling) of the inactive leaf of double doors and at the top and bottom of the upper leaf of Dutch doors.

3. Door stops on wooden jambs or in-swing doors shall be of one-piece construction with the jamb or
joined by a rabbet.

4. Nonremovable pins or interlocking stud-type hinges shall be used on at least one (1) hinge in pin-type
hinges which are accessible from the outside when the door is closed.

5. Cylinder guards shall be installed on all mortise or rim-type cylinder locks installed whenever the cylinder
projects beyond the face of the door or is otherwise accessible to gripping tools.

C. Doors – Overhead and Sliding.

1. Metal or wooden overhead and sliding doors shall be secured with a cylinder lock, padlock, with a
hardened steel shackle (three-eighths inch minimum size), metal slide bar, bolt, or equivalent on the inside

when not otherwise locked by electric power operation. In the event this type of door provides the only entrance to a garage, cylinder lock or pad-lock may be on the outside. Overhead garage doors shall not be furnished with bottom bents that are larger than six (6) inches by fourteen (14) inches in size and the bottom vent shall be located at least twenty-four (24) inches away from the locking device that secures the overhead garage door.

2. Cylinder guards shall be installed on all mortise or rim-type cylinder locks which project beyond the face
of the door or as otherwise accessible to gripping tools.

D. Windows – General. A window, skylight, or other light forming a part of the enclosure of a dwelling unit shall be constructed, installed, and secured as set forth in subsections (F) and (G) of this section, when such window, skylight, or light is not more than twelve (12) feet above the grade of a street, highway, yard, court, patio, breezeway, private garage, portion of the building which is available for use by the public or other tenants, or similar area. A window enclosing a private garage with an interior opening leading directly to a dwelling unit shall also comply with said subsections (F) and (G) of this section.

E. Windows – Materials. A window, skylight, or other light forming a part of the enclosure of the dwelling unit, located within twelve (12) inches of a required locking device on a door when in the closed and locked position and openable from the inside without the use of a key, shall be fully tempered glass, approved burglar-resistant material, or guarded by metal bars, screens, or grills in a manner approved by the Chief Building Official.

F. 1. Windows – Locking Devices. Movable panels shall not be rendered easily openable or removable from the frame.

2. Openable windows shall be provided with substantial locking devices which the Chief Building Official
finds render the building as secure as the devices required by this section.

3. Louvered windows shall not be used within eight (8) feet of ground level or adjacent structures unless
approved otherwise by the Chief Building Official.

G. Lighting. Open parking lots (including lots having carports) providing more than ten (10) parking spaces shall be provided with a maintained minimum of three (3) footcandles of light on the parking surface during hours of darkness. (Ord. 1069 § 5, 2023; Ord. 1062 § 14, 2022; Ord. 589 § 1 (part), 1978)

A. Minimum Standards. All exterior doors shall be secured with a locking device that shall meet the approval of the Chief Building Official and police and fire chiefs.

1. Rolling overhead doors, solid overhead swinging, sliding or accordion garage-type doors shall be secured
with a cylinder lock or padlock on the inside when not otherwise controlled or locked by electric power
operation. If a padlock is used, it shall be of hardened steel shackle, with a minimum of five (5) pin tumbler
operation with nonremovable key when it is in an unlocked position.

2. Metal accordion grate or grill-type doors shall be equipped with metal glide track, top and bottom, and a
cylinder lock and/or padlock with hardened steel shackle and minimum five (5) pin tumbler operation with
nonremovable key when in an unlocked position.

3. Nonremovable pins or interlocking stud-type hinges shall be used on at least one (1) hinge in pin-type
hinges which are accessible from the outside when the door is closed.

4. Doors with glass panels and doors that have glass panels adjacent to the door frame shall be secured as
follows:

a. Burglary-resistant glass or glass-like material; or

b. The glass shall be covered with iron bars of at least one-half-inch round or one (1) one-inch (1”) by
one-fourth-inch (¼”) flat steel material mortized, spaced not more than five (5) inches apart, secured on
the inside of the glazing; or

c. Iron or steel grills of at least one-eighth-inch material of two-inch mesh secured on the inside of
glazing.

5. Inswinging doors shall have rabbetted jambs.

6. Wood doors, not of solid core construction, or with panels therein, less than one and three-eights inch (1
3/8”) thick, shall be covered on the inside with at least sixteen-gauge sheet steel or its equivalent attached
with screws on minimum six-inch centers.

7. Jambs for all doors shall be so constructed or protected so as to prevent violation of the function of the
strike.

8. All exterior doors shall have a minimum of sixty (60) watt bulb no more than three (3) feet above the
outside of the door. Such bulb shall be protected with a vapor cover of equal breaking-resistant material.

9. All front entry doors shall be numbered with the establishment’s address, using numbers not less than
two (2) inches high on a contrasting background.

B. Glass Windows.

1. Accessible rear and side windows not viewable from the street shall consist of rated burglary-resistant
glass or glass-like material. (Exception: Window openings required by the building code for access by the fire
department. Protection of these window openings should be by glass which may be broken without
unnecessary delay and the use of specialized equipment).

2. Louvered windows shall not be used within eight (8) feet of ground level, adjacent structures, or fire escapes, unless otherwise approved by the Chief Building Official.

C. Accessible Transoms. All exterior transoms exceeding eight (8) inches by twelve (12) inches on the side and rear of any building or premises used for business purposes shall be protected by one (1) of the following:

1. Rated burglary-resistant glass or glass-like material; or

2. Outside iron bars of at least one-half inch round or one (1) inch by one-fourth inch flat steel material,
spaced no more than five (5) inches apart; or

3. Outside iron or steel grilles of at least one-eighth-inch material but not more than two-inch mesh;

4. The window barrier shall be secured with rounded-head flush bolts on the outside.

D. Roof Openings.

1. All glass skylights on the roof of any building or premises used for business purposes shall be provided
with:

a. Rated burglary-resistant glass or glass-like material meeting building code requirements; or

b. Iron bars of at least one-half-inch round or one-inch by one-fourth-inch flat steel material under the
skylight and securely fastened and meeting building code requirements; or

c. A steel grill of at least one-eighth-inch material of two-inch mesh under the skylight and securely
fastened and meeting building code requirements.

2. All hatchway openings on the roof of any building or premises used for business purposes shall be
secured as follows:

a. If the hatchway is of wooden material, it shall be covered on the inside with at least sixteen-gauge
sheet steel or its equivalent attached with screws.

b. The hatchway to be secured from the inside with a slide bar or slide bolts. The use of crossbar or
padlock must be approved by the fire marshal.

c. Outside hinges on all hatchway openings shall be provided with nonremovable pins when using pin-
type hinges.

3. All air duct or air vent openings exceeding eight (8) inches by twelve (12) inches on the roof or exterior
walls of any building or premises used for business purposes shall be secured by covering the same with
either of the following:

a. A steel grill of at least one-eighth-inch material of two-inch mesh and securely fastened.

b. If the barrier is on the outside, it shall be secured with rounded-head flush bolts on the outside.

4. Perimeter walls, fences, trash storage areas, etc., shall be built as not to give access to the roof, i.e.
height, and nearness to building.

E. Intrusion Detection Devices.

1. If it is determined by the enforcing authority of this chapter that the security measures and locking

devices described in this chapter do not adequately secure the building, they may require the installation and maintenance of an intrusion detection device (burglar alarm system).

F. Lighting. Establishments which are separate building units and are not a part of a major complex or interconnecting building shall be protected with exterior perimeter lighting.

1. Buildings used for public purposes shall have parking lots sufficiently lighted for easy observation of
parked vehicles from main passageways when such public use is during park hours.

2. Buildings including those used for public purposes shall utilize lighting which will provide sufficient light
for observation at any area where the building can be attacked and entry made (exterior doors, etc.). (Ord.
1069 § 5, 2023; Ord. 1062 § 14, 2022; Ord. 589 § 1 (part), 1978)