Scotts Valley Municipal Code Ch. 15.04 Building Regulations

This chapter shall be known as the building code of the city of Scotts Valley, and may be cited by such title.

(Ord. 102 § 1(part), 1981)

The purpose of this chapter is to provide minimum standards to safeguard life or limb, health, property, and public welfare by regulating and controlling the design, construction, quality of materials, use and occupancy, location and maintenance of all buildings, structures, and building service equipment within the city.

(Ord. 102 § 1(part), 1981)

A. It is unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish, equip, use, occupy or maintain any portable, temporary or permanent building, building service equipment, swimming pool, or other structure in the city, or to engage in any excavating or grading, or to cause or permit the same to be done contrary to or in violation of any of the provisions of the codes adopted in this chapter.

B. The city, or any department, board or office thereof acting on behalf of the city, the county, the state, the United States of America, and any public school district in the city shall not be required to pay any fees required by this chapter when work is being done on the official properties of such agencies and is to be used for a governmental or educational purpose and where such work is not inspected by the building official.

(Ord. 102 § 1(part), 1981)

Any owner of a building exempted from the provisions of this chapter may obtain the service of the building official by applying for a building permit and paying the customary fees.

(Ord. 102 § 1(part), 1981)

Whenever in any of the codes adopted in this chapter the following names or terms are used, such name or term shall have the meaning ascribed to it by this section as follows:

A. "Board of appeals" means the board of appeals provided for in Section 204 of the Uniform Administrative Code.

B. "Building official," "plumbing official," "administrative authority," and "chief electrical inspector" mean the chief building inspector of the city of Scotts Valley.

C. "Building service equipment" refers to the plumbing, mechanical, electrical, and elevator equipment including piping, wiring, fixtures and other accessories which provide sanitation, lighting, heating, ventilation, cooling, refrigeration, firefighting and transportation facilities essential for the habitable occupancy of the building or structure for its designated use and occupancy.

D. "Fire chief" means the chief of the fire protection district wherein any proposed building site is located; or in any area not under the jurisdiction of any fire protection district, the same shall mean the chief ranger of the State Division of Forestry, Santa Cruz County, California.

E. "Health officer" means the health officer of the county of Santa Cruz or his authorized representative.

F. "Structure" means that which is built or structured, as edifice or building of any kind, or any piece of work artificially built up or composed of parts joined together in some definite manner.

(Ord. 102 § 1(part), 1981)

For the purpose of establishing proper regulations for building construction and for installation of mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems, the following codes or portions thereof hereinafter set forth are adopted and incorporated in this chapter by reference and made a part hereof as though fully set forth, without further publication or posting thereof:

A. California Code of Regulations (hereinafter to as "CCR") Title 24, Part 1, 2025 California Administrative Code.

B. CCR Title 24, Part 2, 2025 California Building Code - Volumes 1 and 2, including Appendices B, C, H, I and J.

C. CCR Title 24, Part 2.5, 2025 California Residential Code, including Appendices AA, BF, CI.

D. CCR Title 24, Part 3, 2025 California Electrical Code.

E. CCR Title 24, Part 4, 2025 California Mechanical Code.

F. CCR Title 24, Part 5, 2025 California Plumbing Code, including appendices A, H, I and K.

G. CCR Title 24, Part 6, 2025 California Energy Code.

H. CCR Title 24, Part 7, 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code including Appendix I.

I. CCR Title 24, Part 8, 2025 California Historical Building Code.

K. CCR Title 24, Part 10, 2025 California Existing Building Code including appendices Chapter A, D.

L. CCR Title 24, Part 11, 2025 California Green Building Standards Code.

M. CCR Title 24, Part 12 2025 California Referenced Standards Code.

N. 2024 International Property Maintenance Code, as published by the International Code Council.

(Ord. 102 § 1(part), 1981; Ord. 102.9, § 2, 3-5-2003; Ord. 102.10, § 2, 11-21-2007; Ord. 102.11, § 1, 12-15-2010; Ord. No. 102.12, § 1, 12-18-2013; Ord. No. 102.14, § 1, 11-16-2016; Ord. No. 102.15, § 1, 11-20-2019; Ord. No. 102.16, § 2, 11-16-2022; Ord. No. 102.18, § 1, 11-5-2025)

Editorial Note: Ord. No. 102.18, § 2, adopted Nov. 5, 2025, repealed § 15.04.070, which pertained to amendments to the 2022 California Code of Regulations Title 24 and derived from Ord. 102.11, § 3, adopted Dec. 15, 2010; Ord. No. 102.12, § 2, adopted Dec. 18, 2013; Ord. No. 102.14, § 2, adopted Nov. 16, 2016; Ord. No. 102.15, § 2, adopted Nov. 20, 2019; Ord. No. 102.16, § 3, adopted Nov. 16, 2022.

Editorial Note: Ord. 102.9, § 3, adopted March 5, 2003, repealed § 15.04.080 in its entirety. Formerly said section pertained to the adoption of the Uniform Building Code as enacted by Ord. 16-112 § 2, 2000; as amended.

Editorial Note: Ord. 102.9, § 3, adopted March 5, 2003, repealed § 15.04.085 in its entirety. Formerly said section pertained to the adoption of the Uniform Housing Code as enacted by Ord. 102.7 § 4, 1999; as amended.

Editorial Note: Ord. 102.9, § 3, adopted March 5, 2003, repealed § 15.04.090 in its entirety. Formerly said section pertained to the adoption of the Uniform Mechanical Code as enacted by Ord. 102.7 § 5, 1999; as amended.

Editorial Note: Ord. 102.9, § 3, adopted March 5, 2003, repealed § 15.04.100 in its entirety. Formerly said section pertained to the adoption of the Uniform Plumbing Code as enacted by Ord. 102.7 § 6, 1999; as amended.

Editorial Note: Ord. 102.9, § 3, adopted March 5, 2003, repealed § 15.04.110 in its entirety. Formerly said section pertained to the adoption of the National Electrical Code as enacted by Ord. 102.7 § 7, 1999; as amended.

A. Appeals for Commercial Projects. Appeals of orders, decisions, or determinations made by the building official regarding the application and interpretation of the California Building Code for commercial projects shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in Appendix B of the 2025 California Building Code, as adopted and amended by the city.

B. Appeals for Residential Projects. Appeals of orders, decisions, or determinations made by the building official regarding the application and interpretation of the California Residential Code for residential projects shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in Appendix AA of the 2025 California Residential Code, as adopted and amended by the city.

C. Appeals for California Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Standards. Appeals of orders, decisions, or determinations made by the building official regarding the application and interpretation of the WUI Standards shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in Appendix I of the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, as adopted and amended by the city.

D. Appeals for Existing Buildings. Appeals of orders, decisions, or determinations made by the building official regarding the application and interpretation of the California Existing Building Code shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in Appendix D of the 2025 California Existing Building Code, as adopted and amended by the city.

E. Judicial Review. The decision of the appeals process under any of the above sections shall constitute the city's final administrative decision. The time for seeking judicial review of such decisions shall be governed by California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.6, as that section may be amended from time to time, which section is hereby adopted by reference.

(Ord. 102.11, § 5, 12-15-2010; Ord. No. 102.18, § 3, 11-5-2025)

Editorial Note: Ord. No. 102.11, § 4, adopted Dec. 15, 2010, repealed the former § 15.04.120, and § 5 enacted a new § 15.04.120 as set out herein. The former § 15.04.120 pertained to similar subject matter and derived from Ord. 102 § 1 (part), adopted 1981; Ord. 168, § 1, adopted 1998.

The building official of the city, and his duly authorized representatives, are authorized and directed to enforce all the provisions of this chapter and all the provisions of the codes adopted by reference. In the enforcement thereof, the building official and his duly authorized representatives shall have the powers of a police officer.

(Ord. 102 § 1(part), 1981)

It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to violate any provision or to fail to comply with any of the requirements of this chapter. Any person, firm or corporation violating any provision of this chapter or failing to comply with any of its requirements shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Each such person, firm or corporation shall be deemed guilty of a separate offense for each day during any portion of which any violation of any of the provisions of this chapter is committed, continued or permitted by such person, firm or corporation, and shall be punishable therefore as provided for in this chapter.

(Ord. 102 § 1(part), 1981)

Fees for the administration and enforcement of the provisions of this chapter shall be established by resolution of the council of the city.

(Ord. 102 § 1(part), 1981)