HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 92-53RESOLUTION NO. 92-53
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DIAMOND BAR
MAKING EXPRESS FINDINGS AND DETERMINATIONS THAT MODIFICATIONS
TO THE UNIFORM BUILDING CODE, UNIFORM PLUMBING CODE, AND
NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE, AS ADOPTED BY ORDINANCE NO.3 (1992),
ARE REASONABLY NECESSARY BECAUSE OF LOCAL CLIMATIC, GEOLOGICAL
OR TOPOGRAPHICAL CONDITIONS.
A. Recitals.
(i) California Health and Safety Code Section 17922 requires
all cities to adopt, as the City Building Standards Code, the State
Building Standards Code adopted pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 4
of Part 2.5 of Division 13 of the California Health and Safety Code.
(ii) Section 17958.5 of the California Health and Safety Code
provides, in pertinent part, as follows:
". . . a city or county may make such changes or modifications in
the requirements contained in the provisions published in the
State Building Standards Code and the other regulations
adopted pursuant to Section 17922 as it determines, pursuant
to the provisions of Section 17958.7, are reasonably necessary
because of local climatic, geological or topographical
conditions."
(iii) Prior to making the modification permitted under
Section 17958.5 of the California Health and Safety Code, this Council
is required to make an express finding that such modifications or
changes are reasonably necessary.
(iv) This Council desires to amend the provisions of sections
2907(j), 3203, 3204, Table No. 32A, and Section 3802(b)5 of the "Uniform
Building Code", 1991 Edition.
(v) This Council desires to amend the provisions of Section
323 of the "Uniform Plumbing Code", 1991 Edition.
(vi) This Council desires to amend the provisions of Section
110-14, 336-3, Section 336-4 and Table No. 3005 of the "National
Electrical Code", 1990 Edition.
(vii) All legal prerequisites to the adoption of this
Resolution have occurred.
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B. Resolution.
NOW, THEREFORE,
follows:
be it found, determined and resolved as
1. In all respects as set forth in the Recitals, Part A, of this
Resolution.
2. This Council does hereby expressly find and determine that the
amendments set forth in Ordinance No. 3 (1992) Amending Section 2907(j)
of the "Uniform Building Code", 1991 Edition, are reasonably necessary
because of local climatic, geological or topographic conditions. This
express finding is supported and based upon the following more specific
findings and determinations:
a. The hillsides in Diamond Bar are composed of Puente
Formation, and similar weak geological materials, while neighboring
flatland areas are composed of more stable fill and alluvial materials.
These materials may be naturally unstable or weak in terms of physical
support. These highly expansive soil conditions are vulnerable to earth
movement.
b. The City of Diamond Bar experiences diverse temperatures,
which promotes expansion and contraction of the soil. This condition
is very damaging to expansive type soil.
C. Because of the above-described climatic and geological
conditions, the City of Diamond Bar requires special engineering to
support habitable structures within the unstable soil areas. This will
decrease possible damage due to natural earth expansion and seismic
activity.
3. This Council does hereby expressly find and determine that the
amendments set forth in Ordinance No. 3 (1992) Amending Sections 3203,
3204, and Table No. 32A of the "Uniform Building Code", 1991 Edition,
are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological or
topographic conditions. This express finding is supported and based
upon the following more specific findings and determinations:
a. Located throughout the City of Diamond Bar, as well as in
the surrounding cities, are numerous concentrations of structures which
have roofs constructed of thinly cut pieces of wood, otherwise known as
untreated shakes, as well as untreated wood shingles. These untreated
wood shakes and shingles are extremely combustible in nature.
b. The City of Diamond Bar, as well as the surrounding
cities, is located in an area climatically classified as "arid" and
prone to winds of high velocity. Moreover, due to the arid nature of
the area, the weather during the windy periods tends to be very warm and
dry. The dry weather conditions are very hazardous to the surrounding
undeveloped hillsides and wildlands which neighbor highly populated
areas.
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C. Because of the above-described climatic and
meteorological conditions, the City of Diamond Bar and the surrounding
cities have historically suffered from occasional structural and brush
fires. These have often been difficult to control due to the high
velocity, dry winds carrying sparks and cinders to surrounding
structures with roofs constructed as described in paragraph 3.a. above.
4. This Council does hereby expressly find and determine that the
amendments set forth in Ordinance No. 3 (1992) amending Sections
3802(b)5 of the "Uniform Building Code", 1991 edition, are reasonably
necessary because of local climatic, geological, or topographic
conditions. This express finding is supported and based upon the
following more specific findings and determinations:
a. The City of Diamond Bar is located in a seismically
active area and is in close proximity to earthquake fault zones
(Whittier fault, just south of Tonner Canyon; Chino fault passes within
a mile of the city's eastern boundary), and it is reasonably foreseeable
that an earthquake would render the City of Diamond Bar particularly
vulnerable to devastation. Further, the City of Diamond Bar is bisected
by major freeways, located primarily in a north -south direction.
Substantial number of flood control facilities additionally exist, as
well as freeway overpasses and major railroad right-of-ways.
b. Because of the above-described geological conditions
within the city, and the substantial amount of freeway, railroad, and
flood control facilities throughout the community, the City of Diamond
Bar, in the event of an earthquake, may be unable to dispatch an
adequate number of fire personnel and apparatus to suppress fires and
conduct rescue operations. Moreover, the conditions within Diamond Bar
likewise occur in surrounding communities, hereby rendering mutual aid
assistance problematic, at best.
C. Furthermore, as found in paragraph 2.b. of the above
Resolution, climatic conditions within the community render it extremely
likely that, in the event of seasonal high winds and earthquake
occurring, the County Fire Department would be unable to suppress
numerous fires occurring throughout the community. Installation of
sprinkler systems in buildings above three stories in height will enable
suppression activities to be directed to those areas which are
unprotected in the event of earthquake activity.
5. This Council does hereby expressly find and determine that the
amendments set forth in Ordinance No. 3 (1992), amending Section 323, of
the "Uniform Plumbing Code", 1991 Edition, are reasonably necessary
because of local climatic, geological or topographical conditions. This
express finding is supported and based upon the following more specific
findings and determinations:
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a. The City of Diamond Bar is suffering through its fifth
year of drought conditions, along with the entire state of California.
Its water provider, the Metropolitan Water District, has restricted
local water supplies by 25 percent through the imposition of surcharges
on water supplied in excess of these levels. As water supplies are
restricted further and the price of water rises, the City of Diamond Bar
will find it difficult to maintain hillside erosion control and the
general quality of life in our community will suffer.
b. Because of the above-described climatic condition
affecting the City of Diamond Bar, the need for alternative methods of
providing landscape irrigation is enormous. The use of reclaimed water
will help to meet this demand, now and in the future.
6. This Council does hereby expressly find and determine that the
amendments set forth in Ordinance No. 3 (1992), amending Sections
110-14, 336-3, 336-4 and Table No. 300.5 of the "National Electrical
Code", 1990 Edition, are reasonably necessary because of local climatic,
geological or topographical conditions. This express finding is
supported and based upon the following more specific findings and
determinations:
a. As found in paragraph 4.b., the City of Diamond Bar is
located in a seismically active area and is in close proximity to
earthquake fault zones (Whittier fault, just south of Tonner Canyon;
Chino fault passes within a mile of the city's eastern boundary), and
it is reasonably foreseeable that an earthquake would render the City of
Diamond Bar particularly vulnerable to devastation. Further, the City
of Diamond Bar is bisected by major freeways, located primarily in a
north -south direction. Substantial number of flood control facilities
additionally exist, as well as freeway overpasses and major railroad
right-of-ways.
b. Because of the above-described geological conditions
within the city, and the substantial amount of freeway, railroad, and
flood control facilities throughout the community, the City of Diamond
Bar, in the event of an earthquake, may be unable to dispatch an
inadequate number of fire personnel and apparatus to suppress fires and
conduct rescue operations. Moreover, the conditions within Diamond Bar
likewise occur in surrounding communities, hereby rendering mutual aid
assistance problematic, at best.
C. Furthermore, as found in paragraph, 2.b., of this
Resolution, climatic conditions within the community render it extremely
likely that in the event of seasonal high winds and earthquake
occurring, the County Fire Department would be unable to suppress
numerous fires occurring throughout the community. Therefore protection
of electrical wiring is essential in the above described events and this
protection is magnified in high occupancy buildings.
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ADOPTED AND APPROVED this 1st day of September 1992.
Mayor
I, LYNDA BURGESS, City Clerk of the City of Diamond Bar, do hereby
certify that the foregoing Resolution was passed, adopted and
approved at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Diamond
Bar held on the 1st day of September 1992, by the
following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Werner, Forbing, Miller,
Mayor Pro Tem Papen, Mayor Kim
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ATTEST:
Ci Clerk of the eityDiamond Bar
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