Chapter 10-28
BUILDING CODE*

Sections:

10-28.010    Adoption of the California Building Code.

10-28.030    Amendments to the California Building Code.

*    Prior ordinance history: Ords. 99-3, 2002-4 and 2002-6.

10-28.010 Adoption of the California Building Code.

The California Building Code, 2022 Edition, including Chapter 1, Division II, based on the 2021 Edition of the International Building Code as published by the International Code Council, together with the amendments provided in this chapter, is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference, as if set forth at length herein, as the building code of the city of Laguna Hills, regulating the construction, alteration, movement, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, maintenance, removal and demolition of every building or structure or any appurtenances connected or attached to such buildings or structures in the city. Not less than one copy of said code has been filed in the office of the City Clerk and shall be made available for public inspection. (Ord. 2022-3 § 2; Ord. 2019-4 § 2 (part): Ord. 2016-7 § 2 (part): Ord. 2013-3 § 2 (part): Ord. 2010-3 § 2 (part): Ord. 2009-1 § 2, 2009: Ord. 2007-3 § 2 (part), 2007)

10-28.030 Amendments to the California Building Code.

Chapter 1, Division II – Scope and Administration.

Section 101.1, Title, is revised to read as follows:

101.1 Title. These regulations shall be known as the Building Code of the City of Laguna Hills, hereinafter referred to as “this code.”

Section 101.4, Referenced codes, is hereby revised to read as follows:

101.4. Referenced codes. The California Codes specified in Sections 101.1.1 through 101.4.7 and referenced elsewhere in this code shall be understood to mean and refer to those codes as adopted and amended by the City of Laguna Hills and set forth in Title 10 Buildings and Construction of the Laguna Hills Municipal Code.

Section 105.2, Work exempt from permit, is revised to read as follows:

(a)    Section 105.2, Building exemption 2, is revised to read as follows:

2.    Fences not over 6 feet (2134 mm) high.

(b)    Section 105.2, Building exemption 9, is revised to read as follows:

9.    Prefabricated swimming pools accessory to a Group R-3 occupancy that are less than 18 inches (457.2 mm) deep, do not exceed 5,000 gallons (18,927.059L) and are installed entirely above ground.

Section 113.1, General, is revised to read as follows:

113.1 General. Board of Appeals when used in the Building Standards Codes shall mean the City Council/Planning Agency. The Board of Appeals is hereby established for each of the Building Standards Codes. Depending on the subject of the appeal, specialized expertise may be solicited for the purpose of providing input to the Board of Appeals.

Chapter 15 – Roof Assemblies and Rooftop Structures.

Table 1505.1 is revised to read as follows:

TABLE 1505.1a

MINIMUM ROOF COVERING CLASSIFICATIONS

TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION

IA

IB

IIA

IIB

IIIA

IIIB

IV

VA

VB

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

For SI: 1 foot = 304.8 mm, 1 square foot = 0.0929 m2.

a.    Unless otherwise required in accordance with Chapter 7A.

Section 1505.1.2, Roof coverings within all other areas, is revised to read as follows:

1505.1.2 Roof coverings within all other areas. The entire roof covering of every existing structure where more than 50 percent of the total roof area is replaced within any one-year period, the entire roof covering of every new structure, and any roof covering applied in the alteration, repair or replacement of the roof of every existing structure, shall be a fire-retardant roof covering that is at least Class A.

Chapter 18 – Soils and Foundations.

Section 1807.1.6, Prescriptive design of concrete and masonry foundation walls, is revised to read as follows:

1807.1.6 Prescriptive design of concrete and masonry foundation walls. Concrete and masonry foundation walls that are laterally supported at the top and bottom shall be permitted to be designed and constructed in accordance with this section. Prescriptive design of foundation walls shall not be used for structures assigned to Seismic Design Category D2, or E.

Chapter 31 – Special Construction.

Section 3109.2, California swimming pool safety act (statewide), is revised to read as follows:

3109.2 California swimming pool safety act (statewide).

115922 (a) Except as provided in Section 115925, when a building permit is issued for the construction of a new swimming pool or spa or the remodeling of an existing swimming pool or spa, at a private, single-family home the respective swimming pool or spa shall be equipped with item #1 and at least one additional of the following seven drowning prevention safety features:

1.    An enclosure that meets the requirements of Section 115923 and isolates the swimming pool or spa from the private single-family home. Any walls of the single-family structure or accessory structures used to complete the isolation enclosure must have door openings equipped with protection as required in item #4 or #5. Any such door protection device provided for this purpose may not be used to comply with the second drowning prevention feature.

2.    Removable mesh pool fencing that meets American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Specifications F2286 standards in conjunction with a gate that is self-closing and self-latching and can accommodate a key lockable device. The mesh fencing setback shall be not less than 20 inches from the water’s edge.

3.    An approved safety pool cover, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 115921.

4.    Exit alarms on the private single-family home’s doors that provide direct access to the swimming pool or spa. The exit alarm may cause either an alarm noise or a verbal warning, such as repeating notification that “the door to the pool is open”.

5.    A self-closing, self-latching device with a release mechanism placed no lower than 54 inches (1372mm) above the floor on the private single-family home’s doors providing direct access to the pool or spa.

6.    An alarm that, when placed in a swimming pool or spa, will sound upon detection of accidental or unauthorized entrance into the water. These pool alarms shall meet and be independently certified to the ASTM Standard F2208 “Standard Safety Specification for Residential Pool Alarms” which includes surface motion, pressure, sonar, laser and infrared type alarms. A swimming protection alarm feature designed for individual use, including an alarm attached to a child that sounds when the child exceeds a certain distance or becomes submerged in water, is not a qualifying drowning safety prevention feature.

7.    Other means of protection, if the degree of protection afforded is equal to or greater than that afforded by any of the features set forth above and have been independently verified by an approved testing laboratory as meeting standards for those devices established by the ASTM or the American Society of Testing Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

Prior to the issuance of any final approval for the completion of permitted construction or remodeling work, the local building code official shall inspect the drowning safety prevention devices required by this act and if no violations are found, shall give final approval.

(Ord. 2022-3 § 2; Ord. 2019-4 § 2 (part): Ord. 2016-7 § 2 (part): Ord. 2013-3 § 2 (part): Ord. 2010-3 § 2 (part): Ord. 2007-3 § 2 (part), 2007)