San Diego County Municipal Code Ch. 4 Wildland-Urban Interface Area Requirements

Section 401.3.2 is added to the California WUI Code to read:

Section 403 of the California WUI Code is revised to read:

Sec. 403.1 General. Fire apparatus access roads shall be provided and maintained in accordance with Sections 403.1.1 through 403.1.3.

Fire apparatus access roads shall be provided and maintained in compliance with this section and the most recent edition and any amendments thereto, of public and private road standards as adopted by the County of San Diego (San Diego County Standards for Private Roads and Public Roads, San Diego County Department of Public Works). The fire code official may modify the requirements of this section if the modification provides equivalent access.

2. Where approved by the fire code official, fire apparatus access roads shall be permitted to be exempted or modified for solar photovoltaic power generation facilities.

The fire code official is authorized to require more than one fire apparatus road when a new subdivision is proposed, and the maximum allowable dead-end road length is exceeded (Sec. 403.2.5.1). In addition, the fire code official may determine additional fire apparatus access roads are required on other proposed projects. This requirement is based on the potential for impairment of a single road by vehicle congestion, condition of terrain, climate conditions or other factors that could limit access. When additional fire apparatus roads are necessary as mitigation for the exceedance of maximum allowable dead-end road length, the additional fire apparatus access road must be remote from the primary fire apparatus road as determined by the fire code official. Remoteness is in Appendix D of 2025 CFC. A subdivision as defined in California WUI is, The division of a tract, lot or parcel of land into two or more lots, plats, sites or other divisions of land.

Fire department vehicle access to buildings used for high-piled combustible storage shall comply with the applicable provisions of Chapter 32 of the CFC.

No person shall install a security gate or security device across a fire apparatus access road without the fire code official's approval.

1. An automatic gate across a fire access road or driveway shall be equipped with an approved emergency key-operated switch overriding all command functions and opening the gate.

2. A gate accessing more than four residences or residential lots or a gate accessing hazardous, institutional, educational or assembly occupancy group structure, shall also be equipped with an approved emergency traffic control-activating strobe light sensor or other device approved by the fire code official, which will activate the gate on the approach of emergency apparatus.

3. An automatic gate shall be provided with a battery back-up or manual mechanical disconnect in case of power failure with "fail open" and "fail secure" options enabled to prevent entrapment.

4. An automatic gate shall meet fire department policies deemed necessary by the fire code official for rapid, reliable access.

5. When required by the fire code official, an automatic gate in existence at the time of adoption of this chapter is required to install an approved emergency key-operated switch or other mechanism approved by the fire code official, at an approved location, which overrides all command functions and opens the gate. A property owner shall comply with this requirement within 90 days of receiving written notice to comply.

6. Where this section requires an approved key-operated switch, it may be dual-keyed or equipped with dual switches provided to facilitate access by law enforcement personnel.

7. All gates providing access from a road to a driveway shall be located a minimum of 30 feet from the nearest edge of the roadway and shall be at least two feet wider than the width of the traffic lane(s) serving the gate.

8. Electric gate openers, where provided, shall be listed in accordance with UL 325. Gates intended for automatic operation shall be designed, constructed and installed to comply with the requirements of ASTM F2200.

(Added by Ord. No. 10977 (N.S.), effective 4-2-26)

Section 404 of the California WUI code is revised to read:

(Added by Ord. No. 10977 (N.S.), effective 4-2-26)

An approved water source shall have an adequate water supply for the use of the fire protection service to protect buildings and structures from exterior fire sources or to suppress structure fires within the wildland-urban interface area of the jurisdiction in accordance with this section.

(Added by Ord. No. 10977 (N.S.), effective 4-2-26)

An approved water supply capable of supplying the required fire flow for structural fire protection and wildland fire exposure shall be provided to the premises on which facilities, buildings or portions of buildings are hereafter constructed or moved into or within the jurisdiction in accordance with Section 507 of the California Fire Code.

(Added by Ord. No. 10977 (N.S.), effective 4-2-26)

Section 404.5 of the California WUI Code is revised to read:

Section 404.6 of the California WUI Code is revised to read:

Code or the standard published by the Insurance Services Office, "Guide for Determination of Required Fire Flow." Consideration should be given to increasing the gallons per minute to protect buildings and structures of extremely large square footage and for such reasons as: poor access roads, grade and canyon rims, hazardous brush and response times greater than five minutes by a recognized fire department or fire suppression company. In hazardous fire areas the main capacity for new subdivisions shall not be less than 2,500 - 3,000 gallons per minute, unless otherwise approved by the fire code official. If fire flow increases are not feasible, the fire code official may require alternative design standards such as: alternative types of construction that provides a higher level of fire resistance, fuel break requirements, which may include required irrigation, modified access road requirements, specified setback distances for building sites addressing canyon rim developments and hazardous brush areas, and other requirements as authorized by this chapter and as required by the fire code official.

(Added by Ord. No. 10977 (N.S.), effective 4-2-26)

Access to water sources required by this code shall be unobstructed at all times. The fire department shall not be deterred or hindered from gaining immediate access to water source equipment, fire protection equipment or hydrants.

(Added by Ord. No. 10977 (N.S.), effective 4-2-26)

Water sources, draft sites, hydrants and fire protection equipment and hydrants shall be clearly identified in a manner approved by the code official to identify location and to prevent obstruction by parking and other obstructions. Each fire hydrant and access to a water supply shall be identified in accordance with one of the following:

1. Where located along a driveway, a reflectorized blue marker, with a minimum dimension of 3 inches (73 mm) shall be located on the driveway address sign and mounted on a fire-retardant post.

2. Where located along an access road:

3. Fire department connections shall be identified by a reflective green marker, with a minimum dimension of 3 inches, in the center of the travel lane adjacent the water source, or by other methods approved by the fire code official.

(Added by Ord. No. 10977 (N.S.), effective 4-2-26)

Water sources, draft sites, hydrants and other fire protection equipment required by this code shall be subject to periodic tests as required by the code official. Such equipment installed under the provisions of this code shall be maintained in an operative condition at all times and shall be repaired or replaced where defective. Additions, repairs, alterations and servicing of such fire protection equipment and resources shall be in accordance with approved standards.

(Added by Ord. No. 10977 (N.S.), effective 4-2-26)

Sec. 404.10 Reliability. Water supply reliability shall comply with Sections 404.10.1 through 404.10.3.

Section 405 of the California WUI Code is revised to read:

New and existing buildings shall be provided with approved address identification. The address identification shall be legible and placed in a position that is visible from the street or road fronting the property.

Address identification characters shall contrast with their background. Address numbers shall be Arabic numbers or alphabetical letters. Numbers shall not be spelled out. Each character shall be not less than 4 inches (102 mm) high with a minimum stroke width of ½-inch (12.7 mm) for residential buildings, 8 inches high with a 1-inch stroke for commercial and multi-family residential buildings, and 12 inches high with a 1-inch stroke for industrial buildings. Where required by the fire code official, address identification shall be provided in additional approved locations to facilitate emergency response. Where access is by means of a private road and the building cannot be viewed from the public way, a monument, pole or other sign or means shall be used to identify the structure. Address identification shall be maintained.

Streets and roads shall be identified with approved signs. Temporary signs shall be installed at each street intersection when construction of new roadways allows passage by vehicles. Signs shall be of an approved size, weather-resistant and be maintained until replaced by permanent signs. All new public roads, all private roads within major subdivisions and all private road easements serving four or more parcels shall be named. Road name signs shall comply with County of San Diego Department of Public Works Design Standard #DS-13.

Sec 405.2.1 Traffic Access Limitations. Signs identifying traffic access limitations shall be placed at the intersection preceding the traffic access limitation, and no more than 100 feet before such traffic access limitation

A road easement which is not named differently from the roadway from which it originates shall have an address sign installed and maintained listing all street numbers occurring on that easement. The sign shall be located where the easement intersects the named roadway. The numbers on the sign shall contrast with the background and have a minimum height of 4 inches and a minimum stroke of ½-inch.

A lighted directory map acceptable to the FAHJ, shall be installed at the driveway entrance to a residential multi-family project or a mobile home park, with more than 15 units.

Any new development which necessitates updating emergency response maps due to new structures, hydrants, roadways or similar features shall be required to provide map updates in a format compatible with current department mapping services and shall be charged a reasonable fee for updating all response maps.

(Added by Ord. No. 10977 (N.S.), effective 4-2-26)

Section 406 is added to the California WUI Code to read:

Sec. 406 Emergency key access.

All central station-monitored fire detection systems and automatic sprinkler systems shall have an approved emergency key access box on site in an approved location. The owner or occupant shall provide and maintain current keys for any structure for fire department placement in the box and shall notify the fire department in writing when the building is re-keyed.

(Added by Ord. No. 10977 (N.S.), effective 4-2-26)