Chapter 3-30
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

Sections:

3-30-010    Purpose and findings.

3-30-020    Definitions.

3-30-030    Guidelines.

3-30-040    Regulations.

3-30-050    Exceptions.

3-30-060    Hazardous material declaration.

3-30-010 Purpose and findings.

A. The city council finds that the Uniform Fire Code and Uniform Building Code are codes designed to establish only the minimum level of hazardous material regulations. The city council therefore finds that it is necessary in certain situations, depending on the facility use and its location, to require more stringent safeguards in terms of on-site features and fire department resources, or to prohibit certain hazardous material uses in specific locations.

B. The city council declares that identification and regulation of hazardous materials in the commercial and industrial areas are necessary to protect the public health and general welfare. (Ord. 1376, 1992; Ord. 442 § 21.61.010)

3-30-020 Definitions.

Unless specifically otherwise used in this section, certain words and phrases used herein are defined as follows:

A. “Acceptable risk” means the level of risk below for which no specific actions by local government are deemed to be necessary.

B. “Allowed” means that the use of the chemicals on a site is not regulated by this code.

C. “Conditional” means that the use of the chemicals on the site requires the approval of a conditional use permit.

D. “Expansion” means either of the following:

1. The amount of material in any hazard class is to be increased 100 percent or more and the new quantity is a conditional amount.

2. A chemical meeting the definition of one or more of the following hazard classes (in quantities identified as “conditional”) is to be brought on site that was not previously present:

a. Highly toxic gas;

b. Toxic gas;

c. Explosive;

d. Pyrophoric gas;

e. Radioactive;

f. Unstable/reactive, Class 3 or 4;

g. Oxidizer, Class 3 or 4;

h. Carcinogens;

i. Organic peroxides, Class I or II.

E. Hazardous materials and hazard categories shall be as defined in the Livermore fire code (Uniform Fire Code, Article 9, Article 80, Appendix VI-A). Hazardous materials belonging to more than one category are subject to the regulations of the more stringent group or category. (Ord. 1376, 1992; Ord. 442 § 21.61.020)

3-30-030 Guidelines.

When evaluating any project that includes the use of any conditional hazardous materials on a site, the planning department shall consider the fire department’s current ability to handle emergencies involving the hazardous materials, whether site-specific conditions are adequately addressed by the regulations in the Uniform Building Code and Uniform Fire Code, and the possible off-site effects of an incident involving hazardous materials. (Ord. 1376, 1992; Ord. 442 § 21.61.030)

3-30-040 Regulations.

Any new land use or the expansion of any existing land use that utilizes hazardous materials shall be subject to the following regulations:

A. Any project that utilizes hazardous materials shall be either allowed or conditional as specified in the table below:

Hazardous Material    Allowed Conditional

Combustible liquid    No limit

Corrosive gases    < 200 cubic ft. > 200 cubic ft.

Corrosive liquids    < 1,000 gal. > 1,000 gal.

Corrosive solids    < 8,000 lbs. > 8,000 lbs.

Explosives     Any amount

Flammable gases    < 2,000 cubic ft. > 2,000 cubic ft.
Flammable liquids < 1,000 gal. > 1,000 gal.

Flammable solids    < 250 lbs. > 250 lbs.

Health hazards    No limit

Highly toxic gases     Any amount

Highly toxic liquids    < 2 gal. > 2 gal.

Highly toxic solids    < 20 lbs. > 20 lbs.

Inert gas    No limit

Organic peroxide, Class I     Any amount

Organic peroxide, Class II    < 100 gal. or < 1,000 lbs. > 100 gal. or > 1,000 lbs.

Organic peroxide, Class III    < 125 gal. or < 1,250 lbs. > 125 gal. or > 1,250 lbs.

Organic peroxide, Class IV    No limit

Oxidizer gases    < 10,000 cubic ft. > 10,000 cubic ft.

Oxidizer, Class 1    No limit

Oxidizer, Class 2    < 450 gal. or < 4,500 lbs. > 450 gal. or > 4,500 lbs.

Oxidizer, Class 3    < 20 gal. or < 200 lbs. > 20 gal. or > 200 lbs.

Oxidizer, Class 4     Any amount

Pyrophorics     Any amount

Radioactive     Any amount

Reactive/unstable, Class 1    No limit

Reactive/unstable, Class 2    < 100 gal. or < 1,000 lbs. > 100 gal. or > 1,000 lbs.

Reactive/unstable, Class 3    < 10 gal. or < 100 lbs. > 10 gal. or > 100 lbs.

Reactive/unstable, Class 4     Any amount

Toxic gases     Any amount

Toxic, liquid and solid    < 5,000 gal. or < 50,000 lbs. > 5,000 gal. or > 50,000 lbs.

Water reactive, Class 1    < 1,500 gal. or < 15,000 lbs. > 1,500 gal. or > 15,000 lbs.

Water reactive, Class 2    < 1,000 gal. or 10,000 lbs. > 1,000 gal. or > 10,000 lbs.

Water reactive, Class 3    < 100 gal. or < 1,000 lbs. > 100 gal. or > 1,000 lbs.

B. The following land uses shall be subject to approval of a conditional use permit:

1. Laboratories with quantities of materials greater than specified by LPZC 3-30-050(B).

2. Material transfer facilities with quantities of materials greater than specified by LPZC 3-30-050(B).

3. Petroleum products stored in underground tanks for resale.

4. Any land use that utilizes hazardous materials not identified in this section as being either allowed or exempt.

C. Any conditional use identified in subsections A and B of this section located within 500 feet of a residential area designated in the general plan shall require a major conditional use permit as specified in Chapter 4-20 LPZC. (Ord. 1633 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1376, 1992; Ord. 442 § 21.61.040)

3-30-050 Exceptions.

A. The following radioactive materials are exempt from this chapter:

1. Licensed, sealed sources for instruments, calibration devices and similar equipment.

2. Smoke detectors.

3. Light fixtures.

B. The storage of containers that are either less than five gallons, less than 50 pounds, or less than 100 cubic feet in size are exempt from this chapter; provided, all of the following requirements are met:

1. The materials are either being stored or maintained for the purpose of resale at a commercial facility or are being stored by laboratories for their own use.

2. The total storage does not exceed 55 gallons, 500 pounds, or 200 cubic feet of any given hazard category.

3. The storage does not include toxic gases, explosives, highly toxic materials or radioactives.

C. Motor fuel storage for private fuel stations exclusively serving the business occupying the subject property and petroleum products stored in underground tanks in industrial areas for the exclusive use of the site’s tenant.

D. Propane tanks when the aggregate amount on-site is less than 2,000-gallon water capacity.

E. Five pounds of sporting black powder and 20 pounds of smokeless powder. (Ord. 1422, 1994; Ord. 1376, 1992; Ord. 442 § 21.61.050)

3-30-060 Hazardous material declaration.

Any person requesting approval of the storage or use of hazardous materials shall be required to submit to the planning department a hazardous material declaration. The declaration shall contain information regarding the type and quantities of hazardous materials that will be utilized. The declaration shall contain sufficient information for the planning department to determine if the proposed storage and use of the chemicals is consistent with the requirements of this code. (Ord. 1376, 1992; Ord. 442 § 21.61.060)