HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-03-18; City Council; 14092; MODIFICATIONS TO TITLE 18 SECTION 1 AND SECTION 18.04.230 OF THE CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL CODE PROHIBITING WOOD SHAKES AND SHINGLES AS ROOF COVERINGS FOR NEW OR REPLACEMENT ROOFSi
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9 w- W‘ (EITY OF CARLSBAD - AGEN A BILL b6
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AB# 14,092 DEPT. HD. TITLE:
MODIFICATIONS TO TITLE 18 SECTION 1 AND SECTION
MTG. 3-1 8 /?q
PROHIBITING WOOD SHAKES AND SHINGLES AS ROOF CITY ATTY. & 18.04.230 OF THE CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL CODE
# CITY MGR COVERINGS FOR NEW OR. REPLACEMENT ROOFS DEPT, BLD - I I I
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
It is recommended that the City Council ADOPT Ordinance No. r/S-398 amending Title
Chapter 18.04.230 of the Carlsbad Municipal Code.
ITEM EXPLANATION:
Staff is proposing to modify the City’s adopted Building Code to prohibit Wood Shakes o
Shingle roof coverings for all new buildings and for all buildings re-roofed within the Ciq
As currently adopted, the City’s adopted Building Code requires a minimum Class B roof
covering for all new roofs and for all re-roofed structures. Class B roof systems allows thc
of treated wood roof coverings. Treated wood roofs are wood shakes or shingles which I
been pressure impregnated with proprietary fire retardant products. The roof systems are
subject to tests prescribed in the Uniform Building Code Standards. The State Building (
requires a minimum ten year durability test.
The State currently has a minimum standard for new construction in California. The Stat
requires a class B system for new structures and for re-roofs of more than 50% in very hi,
hazard severity zones designated by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protc
or within such zones as designated by a local agency. This is Carlsbad’s current minimu
standard per adoptive ordinance. State law allows local jurisdictions the authority to mc
the minimum building standards where reasonably necessary because of local climactic,
geologic, or topographical conditions.
Because of concerns over the performance of treated wood roof systems and the testing
procedures for classifying treated wood roof systems, the City of Los Angeles banned w(
shakes and shingles as a roof covering in 1989. According to Los Angeles,” ... wood shal
shingles are stressed by the fire retardant pressure impregnation process, which include:
temperature kiln-drying process. As a result, in many cases they are split or cracked pric
installation, thereby exposing the interior of the shingle, which may not be treated.”
This ordinance was challenged unsuccessfully in court in 1991, with the court finding it
“the City Council reasonably concluded that the tests conducted on treated wood shake
shingles were not reliable and could not guarantee that the treated wood shakes and shi
would pose less of a fire hazard than untreated wood shakes and shingles.” During the
action the City of Santa Barbara Fire Marshal testified that the Sea Center Museum in Sz
Barbara, which was roofed with a Class B wood shake roof, did indeed burn “...in mild
weather conditions ...p roducing airborne firebrands that could have ignited other structl
under more adverse conditions.” His observation was that Class B, pressure impregnatc
will still burn and potentially contribute to the spread of fire.
PAGE 2 OFAGEND Bl ILL NO. )% 0 4% 0
Staff is proposing to modify the City’s adopted Building Code, as allowed by State law, to p
wood shake and shingle roof coverings due to the fact that treated wood roofs are only subjc
ten year weathering test for fire resistivity. The life expectancy of new homes is up to 50 y~
more, and there is no substantiating data available to prove that the fire treatment of WOC
products is effective for more than ten years, and the tests performed on the treated WOC
coverings do not simulate actual climactic conditions experienced in Carlsbad.
Additionally, staff finds that Carlsbad has many open space easements deeded in perpetu
areas of protected natural habitats immediately adjacent to developed areas throughout thl
Carlsbad has steep canyon terrain, and is subject to hot, dry, high speed Santa Ana winds
annual basis in excess of the testing limits for treated wood roofs. Additionally the develop1
of Carlsbad is adjacent to large areas of brush covered hills where accessibility for fire I
equipment and fire prevention measures is limited or impossible.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fee increases are proposed by this ordinance. The City will enforce this ordinance dl
the course of ordinary business. The consumer has a range of financial choices for repla
shake roofs both above and below the cost of installing treated wood shakes as noted in
table:
Concrete Tile A $320 50 $6.40
Clay Tile A $400 50 $8.00
Survey taken January 1997. Assumes reroof of a 5/12 roof pitch - including removal of old shake, installation
of sheathing, and installation of replacement roofing.
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As shown in the table, there is a range of roof material options available from $190 - 9
100 square feet. Shake roofing is relatively expensive, so the decision to ban woc
should not be a financial burden upon homeowners. They may choose competitive1
options besides wood shakes. Repairs to existing roofs which do not require a re-roc
may use treated shakes to make such repairs.
EXHIBITS:
1. Ordinance No. NS-3 9s/
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ORDINANCE NO. NS - 3 9 8
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF CARLSBAD, AMENDING TITLE 18, SECTION
18.04.230 PROHIBITING WOOD SHAKES AND SHINGLES
AS A ROOF COVERING.
The City Council of the City of Carlsbad, California does ordain as follows:
SECTION 1: WHEREAS, the City of Carlsbad is supplied yith water and
certain areas by other entities. It has been necessary in the past to amend portions of the
Building Code to allocate sewer use (Sections 106.4.1 and 106.4.4). Other City amend
the Uniform Building Code are in reference to fire protection. The City of Carlsbad 1
brush covered hillsides and canyons where accessibility for fire fighting equipment
prevention measures is limited or impossible. Carlsbad has many open space easemen
in perpetuity and areas of protected natural habitats immediately adjacent to develo]
throughout the city. Carlsbad has steep canyon terrain, and is subject to hot, dry, h‘
Santa Ana winds on an annual basis. Thls combination of climactic and topographic (
creates extreme fire danger. The City Council finds that these climatic and to
conditions, and the City’s experience with the Harmony Grove fire of 1996 necessitat
in the Uniform Building Code in conformance with Health and Safety Code Sectior
Therefore, Chapter 18.04 should now be further .amended to alter the Uniform Buildir
prohibit wood shake and shingle roofs, as well as require prepaid sewer and water
require all other roofs to be fire retardant, and provide more sprinklered buildings.
SECTION 2: That Title 18, Chapter 18.04 of the Carlsbad Municipal Code i
by the amendment of section 18.04.230 to read as follows:
“18.04.230 Section 1501 amended - ScoDe. Section 1501 of the Uniform Bui
shall be amended to read:
Roofs and roof structures shall be as specified in this Code and as otherwise ;
this Chapter.
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Roof coverings other than wood shakes and shingles shall be Class A.
Wood Shakes and Shingles of any classification are prohibited as a roof covering
new structures and on all replacement roofs.
Roof coverings shall be secured or fastened to the supporting roof construction a provide weather protection for the building at the roof.
Skylights shall be constructed as required in Chapter 24.
For use of plastics in roofs, see Chapter 26.
For solar energy collectors located above or upon a roof, see Chapter 13.”
EFFECTIVE DATE: This ordinance shall be effective thirty ,days after its ai
and the City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this ordinance and cause it to be pub1
least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the city within fifteen days after its ad(
INTRODUCED AND FIRST READ at a regular meeting of the Carlsbad City
held o the 11th day of March f 9 1997 and thereafter
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of said City Council held on the
day of MARCH , 1997, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Council Members Lewis, Finnila, Nygaard, Kulchin, Hall
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ATTEST:
1 -
’ ALETHA L. RkJTENKRANZ, City Clebk
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