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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFD 2022-035 - Resolution RESOLUTION NO. FD 2022-035 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE RANCHO CUCAMONGA FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT, RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CALIFORNIA, SETTING FORTH FINDINGS WITH RESPECT TO LOCAL GEOLOGIC, TOPOGRAPHIC, AND CLIMATIC CONDITIONS WHICH MAKE CHANGES, MODIFICATIONS, AMENDMENTS, ADDITIONS, DELETIONS, AND EXCEPTIONS TO THE CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE REASONABLY NECESSARY WHEREAS, the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Protection District ("District") is a public agency located in the County of San Bernardino, State of California; and WHEREAS, The Health and Safety Code Section 17958 provides that the District shall adopt ordinances and regulations imposing the same, modified, or changed requirements as are contained in the regulations adopted by the State of California (herein after "State") pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 17922; and WHEREAS, The State is mandated by Health and Safety Code Section 17922 to impose the same requirements as are contained in the most recent edition of the California Fire Code; and WHEREAS, Health and Safety Code Section 17958.5(a) permits the District to make changes or modifications to the California Fire Code which are reasonably necessary because of local geologic, topographic, or climatic conditions; and WHEREAS, Health and Safety Code Section 17958.7 requires that the Board, before making any changes or modifications to the California Fire Code, shall make an express finding that such changes or modifications are reasonably necessary due to local geologic, topographic, or climatic conditions; and WHEREAS, The Board has determined that local geologic, topographic, and climatic conditions do exist that make changes and modifications to the California Fire Code reasonably necessary and that those conditions are: 1. Geologic a. The District has within its boundaries active seismic hazards along five known earthquake faults. Seismic activity events within the District occur throughout the year and a fire potential exists with these events. Existing structures and planned new development are at serious risk from an earthquake. This risk includes fire, collapse, and the disruption of utility services, including water main breaks and lost or diminished water supply for firefighting purposes along with the loss of natural gas and electricity services that supply power to essential systems. Areas can become isolated and/or be subject to delayed responses as a result of bridge, overpass, and road damage and debris. b. Due to its location along the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, the District is subjected to flooding, flash flooding, and rapid runoff conditions during rain episodes. Some of the major arterial streets in the District are designed to function as part of the flood control system and are at times impassable as a result of high, swift-moving running water. Other streets are often damaged and/or clogged with debris during flooding episodes creating delayed responses by emergency apparatus. Roads are often washed out or obstructed by landslides, especially in the Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area. c. The District's jurisdiction includes a significant amount of designated Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area comprised of both State and Local Responsibility Areas. The native vegetation in Resolution No. FD 2022-035 - Page 1 of 4 these areas of the south aspect of the San Gabriel Mountains is capable of and has in the past produced wildfire conflagrations that threaten large numbers of homes and businesses and have in the past destroyed homes and other buildings. Wildfires threaten the continuity of electricity services since calculated flame lengths are capable of damaging above ground transmission lines that are installed across the Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area. Loss of electricity can affect public and private water supply systems if pumps do not have the power necessary to maintain minimum pressures in the systems. Loss of electricity can also affect the ability of essential systems to operate as designed. Evacuations cause streets to reach capacity, which slows response times. 2. Topographic a. The District is situated on the alluvial fan of the San Gabriel Mountains, an inclined plane that increases from approximately 1,200 feet in elevation on the south side of the District to approximately 3,000 feet in elevation on the north side of the District. This elevation change occurs across approximately seven miles creating several roads with steep slopes that slow fire apparatus and produce extended response times. Some slopes within the District exceed 30%. The slopes, with a south facing aspect and native vegetation consisting chaparral and various types of sage scrub, contribute to fast moving wildfires with extreme flame lengths, especially during Santa Ana wind events. b. The District contains two freeways and several main arterial streets that connect several of the foothill cities. Traffic conditions on any given day, absent geological or climatological complications, are sufficient to cause delayed responses by fire apparatus. The District also has several at-grade railroad crossings that are used daily by commuter and freight trains. Train traffic across these grades causes extended response times or the need to dispatch additional units that can respond from the opposite of the train crossing. c. The elevation change within the District and the rapid rise of the San Gabriel Mountains adjacent to the District are topographical conditions that naturally create flooding throughout the District and region. A comprehensive flood management system has been constructed but flooding, including flash flooding, still occurs during significant rainfall and snow melt conditions. Flooding can damage the electrical distribution system and leave roads heavily damaged or impassable. The flood management system in the District relies on many mid- block and intersection at-grade drainage channels that create dips in roads that require fire apparatus to slow their response in order to prevent damage to the vehicles. Other rises and troughs designed to direct and carry flood waters during rain episodes that are built into major arterial streets create elevation changes dramatic enough to produce fire apparatus damage if they are not traversed at significantly reduced speeds. Reduced speeds along these main thoroughfares create extended response times. 3. Climatic a. The District is bounded on the east and the west by canyons that channel seasonal high- pressure air masses from the desert to the ocean creating Santa Ana winds. Santa Ana winds in the District have a history of sustained velocities of 40-60 miles per hour with gusts in excess of 80 miles per hour. The winds create damage that includes downed power lines, downed utility poles, fallen trees, and blowing dust and debris. These hazards create extended response times. The wind can cause damage to the public electric utility resulting in the possibility of fire alarms, fire pumps, other fire and life safety protection equipment, and traffic signals being rendered ineffective or completely out of service. b. The summer and early fall months often see periods of high temperatures and low humidity that quickly dry out the native chaparral and other foothill vegetation as well as the historic windrows planted when the area was a mostly agricultural area. The combination of high temperatures, low humidity, and Santa Ana winds create critical fire weather conditions Resolution No. FD 2022-035 - Page 2 of 4 capable of producing catastrophic wildland fires and wildland-urban interface conflagrations. The District has experienced a number large area wildland during the course of its existence. Such fires quickly deplete the District's resources and the resources of neighboring jurisdictions as these fire events are generally large regional events that span several cities and many miles. Critical fire weather conditions can result in a public safety power shutoff (PSPS). Actual wildfire events can result in evacuations that fill streets to capacity, which delays emergency response. c. The rapid rise of the San Gabriel Mountains has the potential to and historically has generated thunderstorm and significant rainfall events that quickly result in both localized and regional flooding, including flash flooding. Flooding has resulted in roads and bridges being washed out or otherwise made impassable. Flooding has been substantial enough to result in major debris flows that include whole trees and boulders which block entire streets and knock down poles and towers that support power lines. These conditions cause damage to utility systems and can significantly impede or delay emergency response. NOW, THEREFORE, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE RANCHO CUCAMONGA FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT HEREBY FINDS AND RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS: 1. The facts set forth in this Resolution are true and correct. 2. Changes, modifications, amendments, additions, deletions, and exceptions to the California Fire Code are reasonably necessary in the District. 3. The reasonably necessary changes, modifications, amendments, additions, deletions, and exceptions to specific sections of the California Fire Code are listed along with the applicable findings in a matrix appended to this resolution, marked as Exhibit A, and incorporated by reference herein. 4. The aforementioned changes, modifications, amendments, additions, deletions, and exceptions have been incorporated in detail in Ordinance FD 58. 5. Copies of this Resolution and Ordinance FD 58 shall be filed with the California Building Standards Commission as required by Health and Safety Code Section 17958.7. Resolution No. FD 2022-035 - Page 3 of 4 PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 2nd day of November, 2022. L. a is Michael, Pre dent ATTEST: e nice C. Reynolds, erk I, JANICE C. REYNOLDS , SECRETARY of the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Protection District, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly passed, approved, and adopted by the Board of Directors of the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Protection District, at a Regular Meeting of said Board held on the 2nd day of November 2022. AYES: Hutchison, Kennedy, Michael, Scott NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAINED: None Executed this 3rd day of November, 2022, at Rancho Cucamonga, California. ice C. Reynolds, Cler Resolution No. FD 2022-035 - Page 4 of 4