Petaluma Municipal Code Ch. 17.33 Woodburning Appliances

The State Air Resources Board (ARB) adopted a particulate matter (PM 10) Ambient Air Quality Standard (AAQS) in

December, 1982. The levels for the PM10 AAQS were selected pursuant to California Code of Regulations Title 17

Section 70200 to protect the health of people who are sensitive to exposure to Zne particles. The State Legislature

in 1988, adopted the California Clean Air Act which requires attainment plans be "...designed to achieve and

maintain the State Standards by the earliest practical date...". This chapter is part of such a plan to deal with

particulate sources and is intended to limit and/or reduce particulate emissions caused by the use of woodburning

appliances. (Ord. 1881 NCS, 1992.)

This chapter shall apply within the city limits to any person who plans to install a new woodburning appliance or

replace an existing woodburning appliance. (Ord. 1881 NCS, 1992.)

A. "E.P.A." means United States Environmental Protection Agency.

B. "E.P.A. certiZed wood heater" means any wood heater that meets the performance and emission standards

set forth in Part 60, Title 40, Subpart AAA, Code of Federal Regulations, February 26, 1988.

C. "E.P.A. Phase II Limits": 7.5 grams particulate per hour for non-catalytic woodburning appliance or 4.1 grams

particulate per hour for catalytic wood-burning appliances.

D. "Catalytic" means a woodburning appliance equipped with a device coated with platinum, palladium or other

rare metal located in the combustion chamber of a woodburning appliance designed to cause relatively complete

combustion at lower than normal temperatures.

E. "Fireplace" means any permanently installed masonry or factory-built device designed to be used with an air-

to-fuel ratio greater than or equal to thirty-Zve to one.

F. "Approved testing laboratory" means laboratories that have been approved by the E.P.A. or other recognized

agencies for the testing of woodburning appliances. A list of approved testing laboratories is on Zle with the city

building division.

G. "Garbage" means all solid, semi-solid and liquid wastes generated from residential, commercial and industrial

sources, including trash, refuse, rubbish, industrial wastes, asphaltic products, manure, vegetable or animal solids

and semi-solid wastes, and other discarded solid and semi-solid wastes.

H. "Gas log Zreplace" means any device designed to burn natural gas having the appearance of a wooden log

and used and vented inside a Zreplace.

I. "Paints" means all exterior and interior house and trim paints, enamels, varnishes, lacquers, stains, primers,

sealers, undercoatings, roof coatings, wood preservatives, shellacs, and other paints or paint-like products.

J. "Paint solvents" means all original solvents sold or used to thin paints or to clean up painting equipment.

K. "Pellet-fueled wood heater" means any wood heater that operates on wood pellets and is certiZed by E.P.A.

or an approved testing laboratory or emits less than or equal to E.P.A. Phase II limits.

L. "Solid fuel" means wood or any other non-gaseous or non-liquid fuel.

M. "Treated wood" means wood of any species that has been chemically impregnated, painted or similarly

modiZed to improve resistance to insects or weathering.

N. "Waste petroleum products" means any petroleum product other than gaseous fuels that has been reZned

from crude oil, and has been used, and as a result of use, has been contaminated with physical or chemical

impurities.

O. "Woodburning appliance" means Zreplace; wood heater; or pellet-Zred wood heater or any similar device

burning any solid fuel used for aesthetic or space-heating purposes.

(Ord. 1881 NCS, 1992.)

An approved woodburning appliance shall meet the following criteria:

A. Emit less than or equal to 7.5 grams particulate per hour for a noncatalytic woodburning appliance or 4.1

grams particulate per hour for a catalytic woodburning appliance.

B. Be E.P.A. certiZed or certiZed by an approved testing laboratory using testing procedures subject to city of

Petaluma approval.

(Ord. 1881 NCS, 1992.)

Only approved woodburning appliances will be allowed within the city limits. (Ord. 1881 NCS, 1992.)

All woodburning appliances installed in new homes or woodburning appliances being added to or replacing

existing woodburning appliances in existing homes must be "approved" as herein deZned. Gas log Zreplaces with

dedicated gas jets and with permanently a\xed artiZcial logs are exempt from this chapter. (Ord. 1881 NCS, 1992.)

A. Only "seasoned" or "dry" wood should be used which has a moisture content of twenty percent or less by

weight.

B. Prohibited Fuels.

1. Garbage

2. Treated wood

3. Plastic products

4. Rubber products

5. Waste petroleum products

6. Paints

7. Paint solvents

8. Coal

(Ord. 1881 NCS, 1992.)

Any person who plans to install or replace a woodburning appliance must submit documentation indicating its

emission level to the building division from a certiZed testing laboratory or the E.P.A.

Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon

conviction shall be punishable as provided by law. (Ord. 1881 NCS, 1992.)

This chapter shall become e]ective on April 2; 1992 and shall apply to all permits issued on or after July 1; 1992.

Except that any phase of a "production or merchant" single-family subdivision; as deZned by the planning director;

for which building permits for one or more houses have been issued prior to the e]ective date of this chapter

shall be exempt from the provisions herein. (Ord. 1881 NCS, 1992.)