Santa Barbara County Municipal Code Part 2 Primary Residential Building Code

The California Residential 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 Residential 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 residential code of the county and made a part of this Code by reference.

(Ord. No. 5270, § 1, 11-18-2025)

A. The entire Chapter I, Division II, Scope and Administration of the 2025 California Residential Code is deleted and replaced with Article I of this chapter.

B. Section R301.2.1 of the 2025 California Residential 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 R309.2 of the 2025 California Residential Code is hereby replaced to read as follows, the exception remains unchanged:

R309.2 One- and two-family dwellings automatic fire systems. An automatic residential fire sprinkler system shall be installed in one- and two-family dwellings and manufactured housing not in a mobile home park.

D. Section R403.1.3 of the 2025 California Residential Code is hereby amended by replacing the first paragraph to read as follows:

Concrete footings located in Seismic Design Categories D 0 , D 1 and D 2 , as established in Table R301.2(1), shall have minimum reinforcement of at least two continuous longitudinal reinforcing bars, one top and one bottom and not smaller than No. 4 bars. Bottom reinforcement shall be located a minimum of 3 inches (76 mm) clear from the bottom of the footing.

E. Table R602.10.3(3) of the 2025 California Residential Code is hereby amended by replacing footnote "e" to read as follows:

e. In Seismic Design Categories D 0 , D 1 , and D 2 , Method GB and CS-SFB are not permitted and the use of Method PCP is limited to one-story single family dwellings and accessory structures.

F. Section R602.10.4 of the 2025 California Residential Code is hereby amended by adding a new subsection R602.10.4.5, to read as follows:

R602.10.4.5 Limits on methods GB and PCP. In Seismic Design Categories D 0 , D 1 , and D 2 , Method GB is not permitted for use as intermittent braced wall panels, but gypsum board is permitted to be installed when required by this Section to be placed on the opposite side of the studs from other types of braced wall panel sheathing. In Seismic Design Categories D 0 , D 1 , and D 2 , the use of Method PCP is limited to one-story single family dwellings and accessory structures.

G. Figures R602.10.8.2(1) of the 2025 California Residential Code are hereby amended by adding the following notes to this figure:

The solid blocking must extend to roof sheathing and nailed to roof sheathing with roof boundary nailing. The gap shown in the detail is not permitted in seismic zone D 0 , D 1 and D 2 and the required ventilation may be provided by drilling equivalent opening at the center of the solid blockings.

H. Figures R602.10.8.2(3) of the 2025 California Residential Code are hereby amended by adding the following notes to this figure:

The solid bracing must extend to roof sheathing and nailed to roof sheathing with boundary nailing, the gap shown in the detail is not permitted in seismic zone D 0 , D 1 and D 2 and the required ventilation may be provided by providing equivalent opening at the center of the bracings.

I. 2025 California Residential Code Appendix Chapters AH, AK, AR, AS, and AU are hereby adopted in their entirety.

(Ord. No. 5270, § 1, 11-18-2025)