South Pasadena Municipal Code Art. I Code Adoption and Amendments

13. Gantry cranes and similar equipment.

14. Motion picture, television and theater stage sets and scenery. Buildings or structures constructed as part of a set or as scenery shall not be occupied or used for any other purpose.

15. A playhouse or tree house provided that:

Chapter 2 through 35 and Appendices C, F, H, I, J, O, P and Q of 2025 California Building Code, Title 24 Part 2 of California Code of Regulations, as published by the California Building Standards Commission, is hereby adopted by reference pursuant to the provisions of Sections 50022.1 through 50022.10 of the Government Code of the state of California as though fully set forth herein and made a part of the South Pasadena Municipal Code with the same force and effect as though set out in full, including all of the regulations, revisions, conditions and terms contained therein except as revised in this article.

The administration of the building code shall be as set forth in SPMC 9.1.

In accordance with Section 50022.6 of the California Government Code, not less than one copy of said California Building Code together with any and all amendments thereto proposed by the city, has been and is now filed in the office of the community development department, shall remain on file with the building official, and shall collectively be known as the city of South Pasadena building code and may be cited as Chapter 9, Article I Section 9.1.1 of the city of South Pasadena Municipal Code. (Ord. No. 2308, § 1, 2016; Ord. No. 2337, § 1, 2019; Ord. No. 2341, § 1, 2020; Ord. No. 2370, § 2, 2022; Ord. No. 2371, § 2, 2022; Ord. No. 2407, § 3, 2025.)

Chapters 9, 15, 33 of the California Building Code, adopted by reference as the Building Code of the City, are hereby amended, deleted or added as follows:

1. Chapter 9 of the Building Code is deleted in its entirety and replaced with Chapter 9 of California Fire Code as adopted and amended by South Pasadena Municipal Code Chapter 14 Fire Prevention, Section 14.5, Fire Code Modified.

2. Table 1505.1 is amended in its entirety to read:

TABLE 1505.1

MINIMUM ROOF COVERING CLASSIFICATIONS FOR TYPES OF CONSTRUCTIONS

3. Section 1505.1.2 is amended in its entirety to read:

Section 1505.1.2 Roof Coverings. Except as permitted per SPMC Chapter 14 Fire Prevention, Section 14.1.2 Special provisions related to roof types, all roof covering of every structure shall be Class A.

4. A new Section 3301.3 is added to read:

3301.3.1 General. A fence shall be provided any time grading, demolition, or construction work requiring a grading or building permit is performed. The fence shall totally enclose the perimeter of all property. Locking gates may be provided at any location.

Exceptions:

1. When approved by the Building Official, a fence need not enclose residential property when at least one dwelling is continuously occupied. Approval not to fence the property may be revoked in writing by the Building Official if the property is found to be unoccupied for any length of time. For the purposes of this exception, continuously occupied is not intended to imply that the occupants must be continuously present.

2. When approved by the Building Official, the fence may enclose areas other than the perimeter of the property.

3301.3.2 Fence Construction. The fence shall be 6 feet in height measured from adjacent grade on the exterior side of the fence, and constructed from chain link, lumber, masonry or other approved materials. The fence shall be self-supporting and shall not incorporate structures or fencing on adjacent property without written approval of the adjacent property owner.

3301.3.3 Duration of Fencing. The fence shall be erected prior to the start of any grading, demolition, or construction work and shall remain in place until the work for which a grading or building permit is required has been completed.

Exceptions:

1. All or portions of the fence may be removed daily during construction so long as the property is continuously occupied, and all portions of the removed fence are replaced prior to the property being unoccupied.

2. When approved by the Building Official, the fence may be removed prior to completion of the grading, demolition, or construction work, if the property is determined by the building official to no longer provide an unsafe or hazardous condition.

3301.3.4 Failure to Comply. If the property is found unfenced and the building official determines that an unsafe or hazardous condition exists, the City may take action to correct the noncomplying condition by providing the required fence. The building official may then issue a notice to stop work until all fees incurred by the City to properly fence the property have been recovered. If such fees have not been recovered by the City within 30 days, the City may take action to recover the costs in accordance with the requirements of the Code(s) having jurisdiction over any portion of the work.

(Ord. No. 2308, § 1, 2016; Ord. No. 2337, § 2, 2019; Ord. No. 2341, § 2, 2020; Ord. No. 2370, § 2, 2022; Ord. No. 2371, § 2, 2022; Ord. No. 2407, § 4, 2025.)

1. Any person, firm or corporation violating any provisions of this article shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable in accordance with Chapter 1 SPMC. The issuance or granting of a permit or approval of plans and specifications shall not be deemed or construed to be a permit for, or an approval of, any violation of any of the provisions of this code. No permit presuming to give authority to violate or cancel the provisions of this code shall be valid, except insofar as the work or use which is authorized is lawful.

2. General Penalty—Continuing Violations. Every act prohibited or declared unlawful and every failure to perform an act required by this article is a misdemeanor or an infraction as set forth in the said respective pertinent sections of this code and any person causing or permitting a violation of any such section shall be subject to the penalties ascribed to each such section as set forth herein.

3. Violations Including Aiding, Abetting, and Concealing. Every person who causes, aids, abets or conceals the fact of a violation of this article is guilty of violating this code.

4. Enforcement by Civil Action. In addition to the penalties provided herein, the provisions of this article may be enforced by civil action. Any condition existing in violation of this code is a public nuisance and may be summarily abated by the city. (Ord. No. 2407, § 16, 2025.)