San Juan Capistrano Municipal Code Ch. 21 California

§ 8-21.01. Adoption of the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code.¶

The 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, based on the 2024 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code, as published by the International Code Council, is hereby adopted by reference and made part of this code subject to the following amendments:

(a) Section 1.11.2.1.1, "Responsibility for enforcement," is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 11.2.1.1 Responsibility for enforcement.

The responsibility for enforcement of building standards adopted by the State Fire Marshal and published in the California Building Standards Code relating to fire and panic safety and other regulations of the State Fire Marshal, shall, except as provided in Section 1.11.2.1.2, be as follows:

1.	The city, county, or city and county with jurisdiction in the area affected by the standard or regulation shall delegate enforcement of the building standards related to fire and panic safety and other regulations of the State Fire Marshal as they relate to Group R-3 occupancies, as described in Section 310.1 of Part 2 of the California Building Standards Code, to the following:	The city, county, or city and county with jurisdiction in the area affected by the standard or regulation shall delegate enforcement of the building standards related to fire and panic safety and other regulations of the State Fire Marshal as they relate to Group R-3 occupancies, as described in Section 310.1 of Part 2 of the California Building Standards Code, to the following:
	1.1.	The chief of the fire authority of the city, county or city and county.
2.	The chief of any city or county fire department or any fire protection district, and authorized representatives, shall enforce with the jurisdiction the building standards and other regulations of the State Fire Marshal, except those described in Item 1 or 4.	The chief of any city or county fire department or any fire protection district, and authorized representatives, shall enforce with the jurisdiction the building standards and other regulations of the State Fire Marshal, except those described in Item 1 or 4.
3.	The State Fire Marshal shall have the authority to enforce the building standards and other regulations of the State Fire Marshal in areas outside of corporate cities and districts providing fire protection services.	The State Fire Marshal shall have the authority to enforce the building standards and other regulations of the State Fire Marshal in areas outside of corporate cities and districts providing fire protection services.
4.	The State Fire Marshal shall have the authority to enforce the building standards and other regulations of the State Fire Marshal in corporate cities and districts providing fire protection services at the request of the chief fire official or the governing body.	The State Fire Marshal shall have the authority to enforce the building standards and other regulations of the State Fire Marshal in corporate cities and districts providing fire protection services at the request of the chief fire official or the governing body.
5.	Any fee charged pursuant to the enforcement authority of this section shall not exceed the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for which the fee is charged pursuant to Section 66014 of the Government Code.	Any fee charged pursuant to the enforcement authority of this section shall not exceed the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for which the fee is charged pursuant to Section 66014 of the Government Code.

(b) Section 101.3.1, "Application," is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 101.3.1 Application.

New buildings located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone or any Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area designated by the enforcing agency constructed after the application date, and additions to and remodel of buildings constructed before 2012 located in areas currently designated as such, shall comply with the provisions of this chapter. The provisions shall also apply to additions, remodels, and accessory structures located within 100 feet of a fuel modification zone, vegetation management area, or similar area containing hazardous combustible vegetation, regardless of whether the property is currently located in a designated Fire Hazard Severity Zone or Wildland-Urban Interface Area, when materials and/or construction methods for exterior wildfire exposure were previously required at the property by the Building or Fire Code Official.

Exceptions:

1.	Buildings of an accessory character classified as a Group U occupancy and not exceeding 120 square feet in floor area, when located at least 30 feet from an applicable building.
2.	Buildings of an accessory character classified as a Group U occupancy of any size located at least 50 feet from an applicable building.
3.	Buildings classified as a Group U Agricultural Building, as defined in Section 202 of this code (see also Appendix C - Group U Agricultural Buildings), when located at least 50 feet from an applicable building.

101.3.2 Fuel modification requirements for new construction. All new buildings to be built or installed in a Wildfire Risk Area shall comply with the following:

1.	Preliminary fuel modification plans shall be submitted to and approved by the Fire Code Official prior to or concurrently with the approval of any tentative map.	Preliminary fuel modification plans shall be submitted to and approved by the Fire Code Official prior to or concurrently with the approval of any tentative map.
2.	Final fuel modification plans shall be submitted to and approved by the Fire Code Official prior to the issuance of a grading permit.	Final fuel modification plans shall be submitted to and approved by the Fire Code Official prior to the issuance of a grading permit.
3.	The fuel modification plans shall meet the criteria set forth in the Fuel Modification Section of OCFA Guideline C-05, "Vegetation Management Guideline - Technical Design for New Construction Fuel Modification Plans and Maintenance Program."	The fuel modification plans shall meet the criteria set forth in the Fuel Modification Section of OCFA Guideline C-05, "Vegetation Management Guideline - Technical Design for New Construction Fuel Modification Plans and Maintenance Program."
	3.1.	The fuel modification plan shall include provisions for the maintenance of the fuel modification in perpetuity.
4.	The fuel modification plan may be altered if conditions change. Any alterations to the fuel modification areas shall have prior approval from the Fire Code Official.	The fuel modification plan may be altered if conditions change. Any alterations to the fuel modification areas shall have prior approval from the Fire Code Official.
5.	All elements of the fuel modification plan shall be maintained in accordance with the approved plan and are subject to the enforcement process outlined in the Fire Code.	All elements of the fuel modification plan shall be maintained in accordance with the approved plan and are subject to the enforcement process outlined in the Fire Code.

(d) Section 602.4, "Fuel modification plan," is hereby added to read as follows:

602.4 Fuel modification plan. Fuel modification plans shall be reviewed and approved by OCFA for all new buildings to be built or installed in a wildfire risk area. Plans shall meet the criteria set forth in OCFA Guideline C-05, "Vegetation Management Guideline - Technical Design for New Construction Fuel Modification Plans and Maintenance Program."

(Ord. No. 1130, 12/2/2025; Ord. No. 1131, 2/17/2026)

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