Santa Barbara County Municipal Code Part 1 Primary Building Code

The California Building Code, 2025 Edition, promulgated by the California Building Standards Commission, 2525 Natomas Park Drive, Suite 130, Sacramento, California 95833-2936, based on the 2018 edition of the International Building Code, published by the International Code Council, 500 New Jersey Ave., NW, 6th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 is hereby adopted and enacted as amended as the primary building code of the county and made a part of this Code by reference.

(Ord. No. 5270, § 1, 11-18-2025)

A. Chapter 2 of the California Building Code (Definitions) is hereby amended by adding the following definition:

Greenhouse is a commercial or agricultural structure as defined in section 35.110 of the Santa Barbara County Land Use Development Code.

B. Section 1609.1.1 of the 2025 California Building Code is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph to the end of the section.

The basic wind speed of 95 miles per hour (3 second gust) (ASD) shall be used in Special Wind Region of the County of Santa Barbara, defined herein. The Special Wind Region of the County is generally bounded as follows: on the east by a north-south line running through El Capitan Point, on the north by the ridge of the Coast Range, on the west by the coast from the southerly boundary of Vandenberg Air Force Base south to Point Conception, and on the south by the coast line from Point Conception to El Capitan Point.

C. Section 1705.3, exemption 1 of the 2025 California Building Code is hereby replaced to read as follows:

Isolated spread concrete footings of buildings three stories or less above grade plane that are fully supported on earth or rock, where the structural design of the footing is based on a specified compressive strength, fc, no greater than 2,500 pound per square inch (psi) (17.2 Mpa).

D. Section 3307 of the 2025 California Building Code; Protection of Adjoining Property, is hereby amended by adding the following to the end of the section.

3307.3 Protection of Nearby Property and Persons, and Obstruction of Streets, Sidewalks, and Driveways.

3307.3.1 Protection of Nearby Property and Persons, and Obstruction of Streets, Sidewalks, and Driveways. Adjoining and nearby public and private property and persons making lawful use of such property shall be protected from damage during construction, remodeling, demolition, or grading work. Protection must be provided for footings, foundations, party walls, chimneys, skylights, walls, fences, walkways, patios, and public streets and sidewalks. Provisions shall be made to control water runoff and erosion during construction or demolition activities. Construction activities shall not obstruct access to public streets or sidewalks, nor obstruct access to private driveways and private property.

3307.3.2 Temporary Construction Fencing. When required by the Building Official, at the outset of new construction activities, remodeling, demolition, or grading projects, or at the otherwise earliest time it is feasible in the opinion of the Building Official, and notwithstanding the provisions of the Santa Barbara Code, Chapter 35, Land Use and Development Code, Montecito Land Use and Development Code, Article II Coastal Zoning Ordinance, a protective screen or fence no less than six (6) feet in height shall be erected to the satisfaction of the Building Official, between the construction, renovation, demolition, or grading site, and the public streets and public sidewalks and immediately adjoining properties.

3307.3.3 Stop Work Notice. The Building Official shall have the authority to stop the construction, renovation, demolition, or grading work at any time based on the Building Official's determination said construction, renovation, demolition, or grading work, or construction activities, has caused, or is causing, or is about to cause, damage to adjacent or nearby properties, or is obstructing access to public streets, sidewalks, or access to private property. Said work shall not recommence until the time that the necessary corrections have been made so that no further damage will occur to the damaged or potentially damaged properties, or there will be no further obstruction to access to public streets, sidewalks, or access to private property, and written approval is obtained from the Building Official that work may recommence.

3307.3.4 Suspension of Santa Barbara County Staff Inspections. If any construction, renovation, demolition, or grading work, or construction activities, has caused, or is causing, or is about to cause, damage to adjacent or nearby properties, or is obstructing access to public streets, sidewalks, or access to private property, Santa Barbara County staff shall suspend field inspections of the subject property, until the damage to the affected property has been repaired, or other arrangements satisfactory to the Building Official have been made, or until the obstruction to access to public streets, public sidewalks, or access to private property, has been remedied satisfactory to the Building Official.

E. The Appendix C, Group U, Agricultural Buildings the 2025 California Building Code is adopted in its entirety and amended by adding a new section C105 to read as follows:

C105. Greenhouses: Greenhouses shall not be used for retail sales, offices, packing sheds, workshops, storage of processed products, processing of produce, or other similar purposes. The allowable area of a greenhouse shall not be limited provided that a minimum 20 foot wide level and clear buffer strip is maintained around the perimeter of the building, and the height of the building shall not exceed one story or 20 feet above surrounding grade. The structural system of a greenhouse may be of any material allowed by the California Building Code. A greenhouse building, not meeting the above limitations, shall be assigned by the Building Official to the occupancy classification it most nearly resembles.

F. Appendices G and I are hereby adopted in their entirety.

G. The Appendix Chapter P, Emergency Housing of the 2025 California Building Code is adopted in its entirety. The County also determines that during the duration of the shelter crisis, fifty-three square feet is adequate space for single-occupancy sleeping unit.

H. Chapter 17 of the California Building Code is hereby adopted in its entirety.

I. Chapter 32 of the California Building Code is hereby adopted in its entirety.

J. Chapter 33 of the California Building Code is hereby adopted in its entirety.

(Ord. No. 5270, § 1, 11-18-2025)