2013-052 - Setting Forth Findings with Respect to Local Conditions Within the City of Santa Ana

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With the probability of strong aftershocks there exists a need to provide increased protection for anyone on upper floors of buildings. The October 17, 1989, Santa Cruz earthquake resulted in one major fire in the Marina District (San Francisco). When combined with the 34 other fires locally and over 500 responses, the department was taxed to its fullest capabilities. The Marina fire was difficult to contain because mains supplying water to the district burst during the earthquake. This situation creates the need for both additional fire protection and automatic on -site fire protection for building occupants. State Department of Conservation noted in their 1988 report (Planning Scenario on a Major Earthquake on the Newport- Inglewood Fault Zone, page 59), "unfortunately, barely meeting the minimum earthquake standards of building codes places a building on the verge of being legally unsafe." B. Road circulation features located throughout the County also make amendments reasonably necessary. Located through the County are major roadways, highways and flood control channels that create barriers and slow response times. Hills, slopes, street and storm drain design accompanies with occasional heavy rainfall, causes roadway flooding and landslides and at times may make an emergency access route impassable. There are areas in Orange County that naturally have extended emergency response times that exceed the 5 minute goal. C. Soils throughout the County possess corrosive properties that reduce the expected usable life of water services when metallic pipes in contact with soils are utilized. D. Portions so of the County contain active or former oil production fields. These areas contain a variety of naturally occurring gasses, liquids and vapors. These compounds present toxicity or flammability hazards to building occupants. Evaluation of these hazards and the risks they pose to development is necessary implement appropriate mitigation. Due to the topographical conditions of sprawling development separated by waterways and narrow and congested streets and the expected infrastructure damage inherent in seismic zone described above, it is prudent to rely on automatic fire sprinkler systems to mitigate extended fire department response time and keep fires manageable with reduced fire flow (water) requirements for a given structures. Additional fire protection is also justified to match the current resources of firefighting equipment and personnel within the Orange County Fire Authority. Section 4. The following speck amendments to the sections of the 2013 Edition of the California Building Code as recommended by the Planning and Building Agency and the Orange County Fire Authority are reasonably necessary based upon the corresponding findings in Section 3 of this resolution as listed below: Resolution No. 2013 -052 Page 4 of 10