St. Helena Municipal Code Ch. 15.12 California Building Code Adopted

Sections:

• 15.12.010 California Building Code—Adopted. 15.12.020 California Building Code—Amendments. 15.12.040 Appendix J—Amendments.

The 2025 California Building Code, known as the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 2 Volumes 1 and 2, Appendix I—Patio Covers, and Appendix J—Grading, based on the 2024 International Building Code, published by the International Code Council, and the amendments set forth in Section 15.12.020 are adopted. (Ord. 26-3 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 22-12 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 19-10 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 16-15 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 13-4 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 10-7 § 2; Ord. 07-2 § 2; Ord. 03-1 § 1; prior code § 4.16)

Based upon the findings set forth in Section 15.04.130, the following sections and/or subsections of the 2025 California Building Code are amended to read as follows:

• A. Section 502.1, Address Identification, is amended to read as follows:

Approved numbers or addresses shall be placed on all new and existing buildings in such a position as to be plainly visible and legible from the street or road fronting the property. Numbers shall contrast with their background and shall not be less than 4" in height. House numbers shall not be obstructed by vegetation. Any building located more than 50 feet from the street shall have its address posted at the driveway entrance and shall be visible from both directions of travel along the road. In new construction, the address shall be posted at the beginning of construction and shall be maintained thereafter, and the address shall be visible and legible from the road on which the address is located.

Where multiple addresses are required at a single driveway, they shall be mounted on a single post, and additional signs shall be posted at locations where driveways divide.

Where a roadway provides access solely to a single commercial or industrial business, the address sign shall be placed at the nearest road intersection providing access to that site.

• B. Section 3109.2, California Swimming Pool Safety Act (statewide), is amended to read as follows:

The top of the barrier shall be at least 60 inches above grade measured on the side of the barrier that faces away from the swimming pool. The maximum vertical clearance between grade and the bottom of the barrier shall be 2 inches measured on the side of the barrier that faces away from the swimming pool. Where the top of the pool structure is above grade, the barrier is authorized to be at ground level or mounted on top of the pool structure, and the maximum vertical clearance between the top of the pool structure and the bottom of the barrier shall be 4 inches.

(Ord. 26-3 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 22-12 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 19-10 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 16-15 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 13-4 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 10-7 § 2; Ord. 07-2 § 2; Ord. 03-1 § 1; prior code § 4.17)

Appendix J, Grading, is adopted in its entirety with the following amendments:

• A. Where the term “building official” is used in this appendix, change to “City Engineer.”

• B. Section J103.1, Permits Required, is amended to read as follows:

Except as exempted in Section J103.2, no grading shall be performed without first having obtained a permit therefore from the Building Official with approval from the City Engineer for minor grading activities which do not require a grading permit. A grading permit issued by the City Engineer is required for any one of the following:

1. Grading of more than 50 cy of material (includes pools);

2. Disturbance of an area or more than 10,000 sq ft;

3. Cut or fill more than three feet;

4. Alter or add any drainage facilities or courses.

• C. Section J103.2, Exemptions, is amended to read as follows:

Except as stated in J103.1 above, a grading permit shall not be required for the following:

1. Cemetery graves.

2. Refuse disposal sites controlled by other regulations.

3. Excavations for wells, or trenches for utilities.

4. Mining, quarrying, excavating, processing or stockpiling rock, sand, gravel, aggregate or clay controlled by other regulations, provided such operations do not affect the lateral support of, or significantly increase stresses in, soil on adjoining properties.

5. Exploratory excavations performed under the direction of a registered design professional.

• D. Section J106.1, Maximum Slope, is amended to read as follows:

The slope of cut surfaces shall not be steeper than is safe for the intended use, and shall not be more than one unit vertical in two units horizontal (50-percent slope) unless the owner or the owner’s authorized agent furnishes a geotechnical report justifying a steeper slope.

• E. Section J108.3, Slope Protection, is amended to read as follows:

Change “approved by the building official” to “approved by the City Engineer”. Where required to protect adjacent properties at the toe of a slope from adverse effects of the grading, additional protection, approved by the City Engineer, shall be included. Examples of such protection include but are not limited to:

1. Setbacks greater than those required by Figure J108.1.

2. Provisions for retaining walls or similar construction.

3. Erosion protection of the fill slopes.

4. Provision for the control of surface waters.

• F. Section J109.1, General, is amended to read as follows:

Unless otherwise recommended by a registered design professional, drainage facilities and terracing shall be provided in accordance with requirements of this section and the latest state and local storm water quality requirements and ordinances.

• G. Section J109.3, Interceptor Drains, is amended to read as follows:

Interceptor drains shall be installed along the top of cut slopes receiving drainage from a tributary width greater than 40 feet (12 192 mm), measured horizontally. They shall have a minimum depth of 1 foot (305 mm) and a minimum width of 3 feet (915 mm). The slope shall be approved by the City Engineer, but shall not be less than 50 horizontal to 1 vertical (2 percent). The drain shall be paved with concrete not less than 3 inches (76 mm) in thickness, or by other materials suitable to the application. Discharge from the drain shall be accomplished in a manner to prevent erosion and shall be approved by the City Engineer.

• H. Section J109.4, Drainage Across Property Lines, is amended to read as follows:

Drainage across property lines shall not exceed that by volume and flow that existed prior to grading. Excess or concentrated drainage shall be contained on site or directed to an approved drainage facility. Erosion of the ground in the area of discharge shall be prevented by installation of non-erosive down drains or other devices such as infiltrator and dissipater basins, riprap or cobble surrounds, and gravel or rock infiltration trenches/pits.

• I. Section J110.1, General, is amended to read as follows:

The faces of cut and fill slopes shall be prepared and maintained to control erosion. Erosion control for the slopes shall be installed as soon as practicable and prior to calling for final inspection.

(Ord. 26-3 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 22-12 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 19-10 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 16-15 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 13-4 § 3 (Exh. A); Ord. 10-7 § 2)