Rohnert Park Municipal Code Ch. 15.08 Building Code

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. 989, § 3, adopted Oct. 28, 2025, repealed former Ch. 15.08, §§ 15.08.010—15.08.030, and enacted a new Ch. 15.08 as set out herein. The former Ch. 15.08 pertained to similar subject matter, and derived from Ord. No. 971, § 3, adopted Nov. 22, 2022.

The 2025 Edition of the California Building Standards Code, known as the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 2, incorporating the International Building Code, 2024 Edition, published by the International Code Council, one copy of which has been filed for use and examination by the public in the office of the building official, is adopted by reference, subject to the following additions and amendments to certain sections thereof which shall read and provide as set forth in this chapter.

Section 105.2 is amended, for the second exemption on the list of exemptions for Buildings to read, in relevant, part as follows:

Section 105.2 - Work exempt from permits.

Buildings:

(2) Fences not over 7 feet (2134 mm) high or fences totaling 8 feet in height consisting of solid 6 foot section with 2 foot of lattice on top.

Section 107.2.9 is added to read:

Section 107.2.9 - Additional Documentation.

The Building Official may require photographic evidence, a physical inspection or similar documentation of existing conditions at time of building permit application for residential alterations and repairs.

Section 110.7 is added to read:

Section 110.7 - Concealed construction.

Any and all portions of work covered or concealed without authorization by the building official shall be uncovered or unconcealed to allow for inspections set forth in Sections 110.3.1—110.3.12. The Building Official shall prepare and promulgate guidelines to assist with implementation of this section.

Section 420.17 is added to read:

Section 420.17 - Splash Protection.

All buildings of Group R Occupancy shall include a concrete landing at the exterior of garage side doors. The landing area shall be a minimum of nine sq. ft. (3'x3').

Section 502 is amended to read:

Section 502 - Address Numbers.

Address numbers shall meet the requirements specified in Fire Code section 505.1.1—505.1.3, as amended under Rohnert Park Municipal Code section 15.28.020.

Section 1503.6 is added to read:

Section 1503.6 - Splash Protection.

Group R and U structures shall include rain gutters, downspouts, rain leaders and splash blocks.

Section 1705.13.10 is added to read:

Section 1705.13.10 - Special seismic inspector.

Third-Party Inspection. All new structures consisting of Group R Occupancies or Group A, B, E, F, H, I, L, or M Occupancies with an occupant load of fifty or greater, shall employ a third-party inspector for the purpose of inspecting the components of the lateral load system. Third-party inspectors, similar to special inspectors as required elsewhere in Chapter 17, shall be approved by the building official. All costs associated with the special seismic inspection process shall be borne by the developer.

Section 1808.6.2.1 is added to read:

Section 1808.6.2.1 - Slab-on-grade foundations.

Unless conforming to Section 1808 in its entirety and other than pre- or post-tensioned slabs and engineered pier and grade beam foundations systems, buildings utilizing slab on grade construction shall be constructed on a building pad consisting of a minimum of thirty inches of engineered non-expansive fill material meeting the requirements of Table 1 below. The building pad area to receive the engineered non-expansive fill shall include an area at least five feet beyond the outside edge of the building foundation. The building pad area shall be over excavated to the proper depth and the grade scarified to a minimum depth of eight inches and shall be moisture conditioned and re-compacted to a minimum of ninety percent over optimum. The engineered non-expansive fill shall be placed in lifts not exceeding eight inches, brought to near optimum moisture content and compacted to a minimum of ninety percent of maximum dry density at or within two percent of the optimum moisture content. The depth of the engineered non-expansive fill shall be increased as necessary to maintain a minimum of twelve inches of the engineered non-expansive fill material under all footings, unless determined otherwise by the soils report/geotechnical engineer and approved by the building official. Lime treatment is an acceptable alternative to engineered non-expansive fill, providing that it is described within the project geotechnical report as an allowable alternative.

Table 1. Non-expansive Fill Requirements

Section 1907.2 is added to read:

Section 1907.2 - Nonstructural concrete minimum reinforcement.

All nonstructural concrete slabs within the building the building envelope are subject to the following.

1. All slabs shall have a minimum reinforcement of #3 rebar placed eighteen inches on center, each way. Reinforcement shall be placed on suitably sized supports, concrete cubes, or similar material approved by the building official, so as to suspend the reinforcement to mid plane in the slab. All exterior concrete slabs shall have weakened plane joints at a maximum of ten feet intervals each way.

2. All slabs shall have a minimum sand or approved rock base cushion of not less than four inches in thickness placed immediately below the slab.

Exception: Sidewalks and surfaces required under Section 1503. 6 - Splash Protection.

(Ord. No. 989, § 3, 10-28-2025)

Fire protection systems must comply with the requirements specified in Chapter 15.28 of this title. To the extent there is any conflict between the provisions of Chapter 15.28 of this title and the provisions of Chapter 9 of the 2025 California Building Standards Code, the provisions of Chapter 15.28 of this title shall govern.

(Ord. No. 989, § 3, 10-28-2025)

Appendix Chapters I (Patio Covers) and J (Grading) shall apply to all structures and shall be considered as part of the body of the code as adopted in Section 15.08.010 and shall apply to all structures.

(Ord. No. 989, § 3, 10-28-2025)