HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-11-18 Ordinance 5221Ordinance No. 5221
Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Repealing Chapter
16.16 ofthe Palo Alto Municipal Code And Amending Title 16 to Adopt a
New Chapter 16.16, California Electrical Code, 2013 Edition, and
Local Amendments and Related Findings
The c:ouncil of the City of Palo Alto does ORDAIN as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 16.16 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code is hereby amended by
repealing in its entirety 16.16 and adopting a new Chapter 16.16 to read as follows:
16.16 CALIFORNIA ELECTRICAL CODE
16.16.010 2013 California Electrical Code adopted.
The California Electrical Code, 2013 Edition, Title 24, Part 4 of the California Code of Regulations
together with those omissions, amendments, exceptions and additions thereto, is adopted and
hereby incorporated in this Chapter by reference and made a part hereof the same as if fully set
forth herein.
Unless superseded and expressly repealed, references in City of Palo Alto forms, documents and
regulations to the chapters and sections of the former California Code of Regulations, Title 24,
2010, shall be construed to apply to the corresponding provisions contained within the California
Code of Regulations, Title 24, 2013. Ordinance No. 5103 of the City of Palo Alto and all other
ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby suspended and expressly
repealed.
Wherever the phrases "California Electrical Code" or "Electrical Code" are used in this code or
any ordinance of the City, such phrases shall be deemed and construed to refer and apply to
the California Electrical Code, 2013 Edition, as adopted by this Chapter.
One copy of the California Electrical Code, 2013 edition, has been filed for use and examination of
the public in the Office of the Building Official of the City of Palo Alto.
16.16.020 2013 California Electrical Code Annex Chapters adopted.
The following Annex Chapters of the California Electrical Code, 2013 Edition, are adopted and
hereby incorporated in this Chapter by reference and made a part hereof the same as if fully set
forth herein:
A. Annex B -Application Information for Ampacity Calculations
B. Annex C -Conduit and Tubing Fill Tables for Conductors and Fixture Wires of the
Same Size
C. Annex 1-Unit Recommended Tightening Torque Tables from UL Standard 486A-B
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16.16.030 Cross -References to California Electrical Code.
The provisions of this Chapter'contain cross-references to the provisions of the California
Electrical Code/ 2013 Edition/ in order to facilitate reference and comparison to those
provisions.
16.16.040
read:
Section 89.102.2.3 Third Part Field Evaluation. Section 89.102.2.3 is added to
89.102.2.3. Third-Party Field Evaluation. City of Palo Alto approved applications for
Third-Party Field Evaluators shall be submitted for each project submitting evaluation
reports on Electrical Systems and others as required for these types of reports.
Educational background/ training experience/ professional licenses/ registrations or
certificates/ and other applicable qualifications for each key personnel shall include
information as required and defined in NFPA 790 and 791 including but not limited to:
a. Technical Manager/ direct Supervisor of FEB operations/ and individual(s)
managing tlie management system/ minimum competency for personnel completing
Field Evaluation projects/ including educational background/ experience/ training/ and
professional registration.
b. Provide information on the basic evaluation process to the building official in
determining the adequacy and completeness of submitted evaluations and evaluation
reports.
16.16.050 Section 110.13 Mounting and Cooling of Equipment. Section 110.13 (A) (1) i"s
added to read:
110.13 (A) (1) Slab-On-Grade Supporting Electrical Equipment. When electrical
equipment is proposed to be installed/ including temporary electrical for construction/
in locations where the deleterious effects of the environment may create adverse
maintenance issues with ground mounted electrical equipment a concrete slab-on-
grade shall be installed to elevate/ protect/ and attach equipment to per City of Palo
Alto Electrical Utilities Standards or approved engineering design.
16.16.060 Violations --Penalties.
Any person/ firm or corporation violating any provision of this chapter is guilty of a
misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished as provided in subsection (a) of
Section 1.08.010 of this code. Each separate day or any portion thereof during which any
violation ofthis chapter occurs or continues shall be deemed to constitute a separate offense/
and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable as provided in this section.
16.16.070 Enforcement --Citation authority.
The employee positions deSignated in this section may enforce the provisions of this chapter by
the issuance of citations; persons employed in such positions are authorized to exercise the
authority provided in Penal Code section 836.5 and are authorized to issue citations for
violations of this chapter. The deSignated employee positions are: (1) chief building official; (2)
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Exhibit A
FINDINGS FOR LOCAL AMENDMENTS
TO CALIFORNIA ELECTRICAL CODE, 2013
Section 17958 of the California Health and Safety Code provides that the City may make
changes to the provisions of the California Building Standards Code. Sections 17958.5 and
17958.7 of the Health and Safety Code require that for each proposed local change to those
provisions of the California Building Standards Code which regulate buildings used for human
habitation, the City Council must make findings supporting its determination that each such
lotal change is reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological, or topographical
conditions.
Local building regulations having the effect of amending the uniform codes, which were
adopted by the City prior to November 23, 1970, were unaffected by the regulations of Sections
17958, 17958.5 and 17958.7 of the Health and Safety Code. Therefore, amendments to the
uniform codes which were adopted by the City Council prior to November 23, 1970, and have
been carried through from year to year without significant change, need no required findings.
Also, amendments to provisions not regulating buildings used for human habitation do not
require findings.
Code:CEC
Section Title Add Justification
(See below for
keys)
110.13 (A) Mounting and Cooling of Equipment ./ C
Annex B Application Information for Ampacity ./ G
Calculations
Annex C Conduit and Tubing Fill Tables for Conductors ./ G
and Fixture Wires of the Same Size
Annex I Unit Recommended Tightening Torque Tables ./ G
from UL Standard 486A-B
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Key to Justification for Amendments to Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations
C This amendment is justified on the basis of a local climatic condition. The seasonal
climatic conditions during the late summer and fall create severe fire hazards to the
public health and welfare in the City. The hot, dry weather frequently results in wild
land fires on the brush covered slopes west of Interstate 280. The aforementioned
conditions combined with the geological characteristics of the hills within the City
create hazardous conditions for which departure from California Building Standards
Code is required.
G This amendment is justified on the basis of a local geological condition. The City of
Palo Alto is subject to earthquake hazard caused by its proximity to San Andreas
fault. This fault runs from Hollister, through the Santa Cruz Mountains, epicenter
ofthe 1989 Lorna Prieta earthquake, then on up the San Francisco Peninsula, then
offshore at Daly City near Mussel Rock. This is the approximate location of the
epicenter of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The other fault is Hayward Fault.
This fault is about 74 mi long, situated mainly along the western base of the hills
on the east side of San Francisco Bay. Both of these faults are considered major
Northern California earthquake faults which may experience rupture at any time.
Thus, because the City is within a seismic area which includes these earthquake
faults, the modifications and changes cited herein are designed to better limit
property damage as a result of seismic activity and to establish criteria for repair
of damaged properties following a local emergency.
T The City of Palo Alto topography includes hillsides with narrow and winding
access, which makes timely response by fire suppression vehicles difficult. Palo
Alto is contiguous with the San Francisco Bay, resulting in a natural receptor for
storm and waste water run-off. Also the City of Palo Alto is located in an area
that is potentially susceptible to liquefaction during a major earthquake. The
surface condition consists mostly of stiff to dense sandy clay, which is highly
plastic and expansive in nature. The aforementioned conditions within the City
create hazardous conditions for which departure from California Building
Standards Code is warranted.
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