Union City Municipal Code Ch. 15.40 Building Code and Uniform Building Code

A. The 2025 California Building Code (Based on the 2024 International Building Code) and State of California Amendments, published by the International Code Council, and all revisions and amendments heretofore and hereafter adopted by the International Code Council, are hereby adopted by reference as the Building Code of the City of Union City, regulating the erection, installation, alteration, repair, relocation replacement, addition to, use or maintenance of buildings within the City of Union City.

B. One copy of said Code and appendices thereto has been filed for use and examination by the public in the office of the City Clerk of the City of Union City at 34009 Alvarado-Niles Road, Union City, California, and the same or identical copy thereof, not less than one in number, shall at all times be kept on file for similar use.

C. The rules, regulations, provisions, requirements, orders, and matters established and adopted hereby shall take effect and be in full force on January 1, 2026.

(Ord. 2025-006, 11/25/2025)

This chapter may be cited and shall be known as the "Building Code of the City of Union City."

(Ord. 2025-006, 11/25/2025)

Whenever any of the names or terms defined in this section are in the chapters or Codes adopted herein by reference, each such term or name shall have the meaning ascribed to it in this section.

"Administrative Authority"

shall mean the Building Inspection Division, Economic and Community Development Department.

"Building Official"

shall mean the Chief Building Official of the City of Union City.

"City"

shall mean the "City of Union City."

"City Council"

shall mean the City Council of the City of Union City.

"Code Enforcement Division"

shall mean the Building Inspection Division.

"Mayor"

shall mean the Mayor of the City of Union City.

(Ord. 2025-006, 11/25/2025)

CBC Section 1.8.9.3 is added to Section 1.8.9 to read as follows:

A citation may be issued in accordance with the Union City Municipal Code Section 1.16.030. A person charged with an infraction is guilty of a separate offense for each and every day during which any violation of any provision of this chapter of the Union City Municipal Code is continued, and can be cited each day as a separate offense.

The infraction procedure provides for the following fines:

Court costs may also be imposed in addition to the infractions and/or misdemeanor fines. Individuals cited are not entitled to legal representation for the first or second citation infraction. Upon the third citation/misdemeanor, individuals cited may be represented by legal counsel in a court of law.

(Ord. 2025-006, 11/25/2025)

CBC Section 1.8.9.4 is added to Section 1.8.9 to read as follows:

It is hereby found and declared that the existence of a violation of any of the foregoing sections of this Chapter within the City of Union City is a public nuisance and dangerous to the public health and safety of persons within said City, and in addition to any other remedies provided by law, the Union City Police Department or appropriate legal officer is authorized and directed to investigate any such nuisance, to notify in the form and manner hereinabove provided any person or persons maintaining such nuisance, to abate same in conformance to the provisions of this Chapter, and upon failure to comply, to enter upon said premises, public or private wherein said nuisance exists and summarily abate same.

( Ord. 2025-006, 11/25/2025)

If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Code is, for any reason, held to be unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Code. The Legislative Body hereby declares that it would have passed this Code, and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, and phrases be declared unconstitutional.

(Ord. 2025-006, 11/25/2025)

CBC Chapter 1, Section 1.8.4.2 is amended and replaced to read as follows:

Fees shall be assessed as set forth in the fee schedule adopted by the City of Union City.

( Ord. 2025-006, 11/25/2025)

CBC Chapter 1, Section 1.8.8 is amended and replaced to read as follows:

The Board of Appeals shall be comprised of one or more hearing officers appointed by the City Council. The decision of the appointed hearing officer(s) is final as to any related Appeals Board and City Council actions.

(Ord. 2025-006, 11/25/2025)

CBC Section 1.8.10.3 is added to Section 1.8.10 to read as follows:

In addition to other permits required by this Code, no person, firm or corporation shall move or cause to be moved any building or structure from any location, lot, piece, or parcel of land located within or without the corporate limits of the City of Union City to any other lot, piece or parcel of land located within the incorporated territory of the City of Union City without first having obtained a separate structure moving permit for each building or structure to be moved, pursuant to Chapter 15.70 of the Union City Municipal Code.

(Ord. 2025-006, 11/25/2025)

CBC Section 502.1 is amended and replaced to read as follows:

Approved numbers or addresses shall be provided on all new buildings and on existing buildings when remodeling or alteration work is undertaken. Numbers shall be placed in such a position as to be plainly visible and legible from the street or road fronting the property.

To be considered plainly visible and legible, the following minimal standards shall apply:

A. Multi-Family Dwellings: Each building address shall be in Arabic numbers not less than 4ʺ in height, internally illuminated, and connected to the building wiring. Where units are designated individually by unit numbers or letters, such designations shall be in Arabic numbers or letters at least 4ʺ in height and shall be permanently affixed immediately adjacent to or directly on the main entrance doors of each unit.

B. Business, Industrial, and Institutional Buildings. Each building and each unit or subdivision of each building shall be provided with street address and unit or suite designations in permanently affixed Arabic numerals and/or letters at least 4ʺ in height and a 1ʺ stroke.

Exception: Where buildings are located a substantial distance from the face of the curb, the size of letters and numbers shall be adjusted as follows:

When any work on an existing building is undertaken that requires the issuance of a building permit and such work exceeds a permit value of $1,000, then the address and unit numbers as described above shall be provided as a part of the work.

(Ord. 2025-006, 11/25/2025)

CBC Section 901.1.1 is added to Section 901.1 to read as follows:

901.1.1 Where Required. An automatic fire extinguishing system shall be installed in the occupancies and locations as set forth in the California Fire Code, as amended by the City of Union City.

(Ord. 2025-006, 11/25/2025)

CBC Section 1705.3 exception 1 is amended 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, f'c, no greater than 2,500 pounds per square inch (psi)(17.2 Mpa).

CBC Section 1905.1.7 ACI 318, Section 14.1.4. is amended and replaced to read as follows:

14.1.4 - Plain concrete is not allowed in structures assigned to Seismic Design Category C, D, E, or F.

14.1.4.1 - Structures assigned to Seismic Design Category C, D, E, or F shall not have elements of structural plain concrete:

(a) Plain concrete footing & supporting walls are not permitted; all footings shall have at least two continuous longitudinal reinforcing bars. Bars shall not be smaller than No. 4 and shall have a total area of not less than 0.002 times the gross cross-sectional area of the footing. A minimum of one bar shall be provided at the top and bottom of the footing. Continuity of reinforcement shall be provided at corners and intersections.

( Ord. 2025-006, 11/25/2025)