San Jose Municipal Code Part 13 Adoption of Appendices

Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, the following appendices to the 2025 California Fire Code are adopted and incorporated by reference and made a part hereof as if fully set forth herein: Appendix B, Appendix C, Appendix D, Appendix K, Appendix L, Appendix N, and Appendix P.

Appendix B, Section B105.1 of the 2025 California Fire Code is amended to read as follows:

B105.1 One- and two-family dwellings, Group R-3 and R-4 buildings and townhouses. The minimum fire-flow and flow duration requirements for one- and two-family dwellings, Group R-3 and R-4 buildings and townhouses shall be as specified in Table B105.1(3).

Appendix B, Section B105.2 of the 2025 California Fire Code is amended to read as follows:

B105.2 Buildings other than one- and two-family dwellings, Group R-3 and R-4 buildings and townhouses. The minimum fire-flow and flow duration for buildings other than one- and two-family dwellings, Group R-3 and R-4 buildings and townhouses shall be as specified in Table B105.1(3).

Table B105.1(3) San José Fire Flow and Hydrant Policy

Building Area (square feet)	Building Area (square feet)	Building Area (square feet)	Building Area (square feet)	Building Area (square feet)	Fire Flow (gpm) g f and Duration	Fire Flow (gpm) g f and Duration	Fire Flow (gpm) g f and Duration	Fire Flow (gpm) g f and Duration	Required Number and Spacing of Fire Hydrants e	Required Number and Spacing of Fire Hydrants e	Required Number and Spacing of Fire Hydrants e
Type IA and IB*	Type IIA and IIIA*	Type IV and VA*	Type IIB and IIIB*	Type VB*	Light Hazard Occ.+	Ordinary or Extra Hazard Groups 1 and 2 Occ.+	Non-Sprinklered	Flow Duration (hours) f	Min. # of Hydrants	Average Spacing between Hydrants (feet) a b c	Max. Distance from Any Point on Street or Road Frontage to a Hydrant (feet) d
0 - 22,700	0 - 12,700	0 - 8,200	0 - 5,900	0 - 3,600	1,500	1,500	1,500	2	1	500	250
22,701 - 30,200	12,701 - 17,000	8,201 - 10,900	5,901 - 7,900	3,601 - 4,800	1,500	1,500	1,750	2	1	500	250
30,201 - 38,700	17,001 - 21,800	10,901 - 12,900	7,901 - 9,800	4,801 - 6,200	1,500	1,500	2,000	2	2	450	225
38,701 - 48,300	21,801 - 24,200	12,901 - 17,400	9,801 - 12,600	6,201 - 7,700	1,500	1,688	2,250	2	2	450	225
48,301 - 59,000	24,201 - 33,200	17,401 - 21,300	12,601 - 15,400	7,701 - 9,400	1,500	1,875	2,500	2	3	450	225
59,001 - 70,900	33,201 - 39,700	21,301 - 25,500	15,401 - 18,400	9,401 - 11,300	1,500	2,063	2,750	2	3	450	225
70,901 - 83,700	39,701 - 47,100	25,501 - 30,100	18,401 - 21,800	11,301 - 13,400	1,500	2,250	3,000	3	3	400	225
83,701 - 97,700	47,101 - 54,900	30,101 - 35,200	21,801 - 25,900	13,401 - 15,600	1,625	2,438	3,250	3	3	400	225
97,701 - 112,700	54,901 - 63,400	35,201 - 40,600	25,901 - 29,300	15,601 - 18,000	1,750	2,625	3,500	3	4	350	210
112,701 - 128,700	63,401 - 72,400	40,601 - 46,400	29,301 - 33,500	18,001 - 20,600	1,875	2,818	3,750	3	4	350	210
128,701 - 145,900	72,401 - 82,100	46,401 - 52,500	33,501 - 37,900	20,601 - 23,300	2,000	3,000	4,000	4	4	350	210
145,901 - 164,200	82,101 - 92,400	52,501 - 59,100	37,901 - 42,700	23,301 - 26,300	2,150	3,188	4,250	4	5	300	180
164,201 - 183,400	92,401 - 103,100	59,101 - 66,000	42,701 - 47,700	26,301 - 29,300	2,250	3,375	4,500	4	5	300	180
183,401 - 203,700	103,101 - 114,600	66,001 - 73,300	47,701 - 53,000	29,301 - 32,600	2,375	3,563	4,750	4	5	300	180
203,701 - 225,200	114,601 - 126,700	73,301 - 81,100	53,001 - 58,600	32,601 - 36,000	2,500	3,750	5,000	4	5	300	180
225,201 - 247,700	126,701 - 139,400	81,101 - 89,200	58,601 - 65,400	36,001 - 39,600	2,625	3,938	5,250	4	6	300	180
247,701 - 271,200	139,401 - 152,600	89,201 - 97,700	65,401 - 70,600	39,601 - 43,400	2,750	4,125	5,500	4	6	300	180
271,201 - 295,900	152,601 - 166,500	97,701 - 106,500	70,601 - 77,000	43,401 - 47,400	2,875	4,313	5,750	4	6	250	150
295,901 - Greater	166,501 - Greater	106,501 - 115,800	77,001 - 83,700	47,401 - 51,500	3,000	4,500	6,000	4	6	250	150
-	-	115,801 - 125,500	83,701 - 90,600	51,501 - 55,700	3,125	4,688	6,250	4	7	250	150
-	-	125,501 - 135,500	90,601 - 97,900	55,701 - 60,200	3,250	4,875	6,500	4	7	250	150
-	-	135,501 - 145,800	97,901 - 106,800	60,201 - 64,800	3,375	5,063	6,750	4	7	250	150
-	-	145,801 - 156,700	106,801 - 113,200	64,801 - 69,600	3,500	5,250	7,000	4	7	250	150
-	-	156,701 - 167,900	113,201 - 121,300	69,601 - 74,600	3,625	5,438	7,250	4	8	200	120
-	-	167,901 - 179,400	121,301 - 129,600	74,601 - 79,800	3,750	5,625	7,500	4	8	200	120
-	-	179,401 - 191,400	129,601 - 138,300	79,801 - 85,100	3,875	5,813	7,750	4	8	200	120
-	-	191,401 - Greater	138,301 - Greater	85,101 - Greater	4,000	6,000	8,000	4	8	200	120

Occ. = Occupancy Classification = Non-Sprinklered

*Types of construction are based on the California Building Code.

Types of Hazard are based on NFPA 13.

g Measured at 20 psi residual pressure.

a Reduce by 100 feet for dead-end streets or roads.

b Where streets are provided with median dividers that cannot be crossed by fire fighters pulling hose lines, or where arterial streets are provided with four or more traffic lanes and have a traffic count of more than 30,000 vehicles per day, hydrant spacing shall average 500 feet on each side of the street and be arranged on an alternating basis up to a fire-flow requirement of 7,000 gallons per minute and 400 feet for higher fire-flow requirements.

c Where new water mains are extended along streets where hydrants are not needed for protection of structures or similar fire problems, fire hydrants shall be provided at spacing not to exceed 500 feet to provide for transportation hazards.

d Reduce by 50 feet for dead-end streets or roads.

e The fire code official is authorized to modify the location, number and distribution of fire hydrants based on site-specific constraints and hazards.

f For one- and two- family dwellings; the minimum fire-flow and flow duration requirements for one- and two-family dwellings having a fire-flow calculation area that does not exceed 3,600 square feet shall be 1,000 gallons per minute for a duration of 1 hour.

Appendix C, Section C102.1 of the 2025 California Fire Code is amended to read as follows:

C102.1. Minimum number of fire hydrants for a building. The number of fire hydrants available to a building shall not be less than the minimum specified in Table B105.1 (3)

Appendix D, Section D103.3 of the 2025 California Fire Code is amended to read as follows:

D103.3. Turing radius. The minimum required inner turning radius shall be 30 feet and the minimum required outer turning radius shall be 50 feet.

Section D105.1 of the 2025 California Fire Code is amended to read as follows:

D103.5 Fire apparatus access road gates. Gates securing the fire apparatus access roads shall comply with all of the following criteria:
Where a single gate is provided, the gate width shall be not less than 14 feet (4267 mm). The minimum required roadway width is not reduced. Gates shall not be located within the minimum clearance around a fire hydrant per Figure D103.1. Where a fire apparatus road consists of a divided roadway, the gate width shall be not less than 14 feet (4267 mm).
Gates shall be of the swinging or sliding type.
Construction of gates shall be of materials that allow manual operation by one person.
Gate components shall be maintained in an operative condition at all times and replaced or repaired when defective.
Electric gates shall be equipped with a means of opening the gate by fire department personnel for emergency access. Emergency opening devices shall be approved by the fire code official.
Methods of locking shall be submitted for approval by the fire code official.
Electric gate operators, 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.

D105.1 Where required. Where the vertical distance between the grade plane and the highest roof surface exceeds 30 feet (9144 mm), approved aerial fire apparatus access roads shall be provided. For purposes of this section, the highest roof surface shall be determined by measurement to the eave of a pitched roof, the intersection of the roof to the exterior wall, or the top of parapet walls, whichever is greater.

Exception: Deleted

Appendix L, Section L101.1 of the 2025 California Fire Code is amended to read as follows:

L101.1 Scope. Firefighter air replenishment systems (FARS) shall be provided in accordance with this appendix. The following buildings shall be equipped with a FARS, as approved by the Fire Chief or designee. The system shall provide an adequate pressurized air supply through a permanent piping system with access stations for replenishment of portable breathing air equipment used by Fire Department personnel:

Buildings having occupied floors located more than seventy five (75') feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access;
Underground buildings that are more than three floors below grade with an area greater than 20,000 square feet;
Underground transportation or pedestrian tunnels exceeding 500 feet in length;

Appendix L, Section L104.13.1, subparagraphs 1 & 2 of the 2025 California Fire Code is amended to read as follows:

Fill stations shall be provided at the fifth floor above the ground floor and every third floor level thereafter except the uppermost floor.
For buildings with more than three floors below grade level, fill stations shall be provided at the first floor below the ground level floor and every third floor level thereafter except the lowermost floor.
On floor levels requiring fill stations, one fill station shall be provided adjacent to a required exit stair at a location designated by a fire code official. In buildings that have three or more exit stairs, additional fill stations shall be provided at a ratio of one fill station for every three stairways. Example: for two exit stairs, a minimum of one fill station is required, and for three exit stairs, a minimum of two fill stations are required.

Appendix L, Section L104.13.2, subparagraph 5 of the 2025 California Fire Code, shall be amended to delete the exception.

Appendix L, Section L105.1, of the 2025 California Fire Code is amended to read as follows:

L105.1 Acceptance tests. Upon completion of the installation, a FARS shall be acceptance tested to verify compliance. Oversight of the acceptance tests shall be provided by a registered design professional and witnessed by a fire code official. Acceptance testing shall include all of the following:

A pneumatic test in accordance with ASME B31.3 of the complete system at a minimum test pressure of 110 percent of the system design pressure using oil free dry air, nitrogen or argon shall be conducted. Test pressure shall be maintained for not less than 24 hours. During this test, all fittings, joints and system components shall be inspected for leaks. Defects in the system or leaks detected shall be documented and repaired.
A pneumatic test in accordance with ASME B31.3 of the complete system at a minimum test pressure of 110% of the fire apparatus compressor rating pressure using oil free dry air, nitrogen or argon shall be conducted. Test pressure shall be maintained for not less than 1 hour. During this test, all fittings, joints and system components shall be inspected for leaks. Defects in the system or leaks detected shall be documented and repaired.
A cylinder-filling performance test shall be conducted to verify compliance with the required breathing air cylinder refill rate from the exterior mobile air connection and, where provided, a stored air pressure supply system.
The air quality monitoring system shall be tested to verify both of the following conditions:

4.1.

Visual indicators required by Section L104.15.1 function properly.

4.2

Supervisory signals are transmitted as required by Section L104.15.2 for each sensor based on a sensor function test.

Connections intended for fire department use shall be confirmed as compatible with the fire department's mobile air unit, SCBA cylinders and, where provided, RIC/UAC connections.
Air samples shall be taken from not less than two fill stations and submitted to an approved gas analysis laboratory to verify compliance with NFPA 1989. The FARS shall not be placed into service until a written report verifying compliance with NFPA 1989 has been provided to the fire code official.

(Ord. 31258.)

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. 31258, § 15, adopted Nov. 18, 2025, amended Part 13 of Ch. 17.12 in its entirety to read as set out herein. Former Part 13 pertained to similar subject matter and derived from Ord. 30327, 30836.